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View Full Version : Is it possible to boot a computer from a sd card, and use the sd card as a harddisk?


leonidas
04-14-2006, 04:32 PM
hi!

I wonder if it is possible to boot a computer from a sd card, and use the sd card as a harddisk?

and btw do you know what is the powerfullest fanless cpu?

I'd like to build a computer, not so powerfull, but totally silent.

thx if you can help!
lightshow
04-14-2006, 05:50 PM
Hmm to boot from an SD card, you need an SD card reader correct?

Well it would be possible if you had a Motherboard and BIOS that would recgonize and initalize the reader hardware then allow it to be one of the devices to boot from.

So if you motherboard supports this, then theoretically yes.
lynx
04-14-2006, 08:03 PM
Some motherboards permit booting from USB so as long as it is connected via a USB port, and your mobo permits it, then in theory it should be possible.

If you are thinking of using XP you will probably need a cut down version since the standard version needs at least 2GB.

Getting it installed could be an interesting exercise though.
StephG
04-14-2006, 08:16 PM
I saw an article once where a person did just that. He connected an SD card to the motherboard, I cant remember the connections he used. put a really stripped down version of windows on it and used that to boot the computer. There was no other hard drive in it, just the SD card. He was just doing it to see if he could.
Seedler
04-15-2006, 01:17 AM
SD card? Isn't that like 1/1000000000000000 the speed of Harddrives?

Shouldn't take longer than 2 decades for Win Xp to boot up.
chojin
04-15-2006, 03:46 PM
My mate is going for install Win98 on a 1GB USB Pen Drive. I dont think he can do it, so i will wait and see
mikeco
04-15-2006, 05:10 PM
:shifty: should install windows on a ipod and use the ipod like a harddrive :shifty:
StephG
04-15-2006, 08:53 PM
The article I saw had the SD card actually in the computer and not as an external drive. I dont think it was even that big in megabytes. When I think about it, it may have been compact flash or something like that but the idea is just the same.

I suppose all you really need is some kind of adapter for the solidstate card connector to be converted to an ide interface. Then it can be recognised by the bios and used just as if it was a normal hard drive. I think that would work.
Virtualbody1234
04-15-2006, 09:56 PM
SD card? Isn't that like 1/1000000000000000 the speed of Harddrives?

Shouldn't take longer than 2 decades for Win Xp to boot up.
I think you're a little mixed up. Solid state memory is way faster than a mechanical HDD.
StephG
04-15-2006, 10:27 PM
SD card? Isn't that like 1/1000000000000000 the speed of Harddrives?

Shouldn't take longer than 2 decades for Win Xp to boot up.
I think you're a little mixed up. Solid state memory is way faster than a mechanical HDD.
It's also quieter, runs cooler and is much less likely to be physically damaged. The big factor is friction, hard disks have to spin at 7200 revolutions a minute. Solid state drives dont move at all so they dont really heat up, or make any noise or wear out.

Its also why they are so expensive by comparison to hard drive technology.
vivitron 15
04-17-2006, 04:13 PM
as for the quiet, fanless cpu, try mini-itx.com

i reckon you'll also find some articles covering booting from usb sticks/cf cards etc.
Virtualbody1234
04-28-2006, 05:03 PM
Check out these USB 2.0 flash sticks.

http://www.kanguru.com/flashdrive.html - up to 8GB capacity

and

http://www.kanguru.com/flashdrive_max.html - up to 64GB capacity! :O
Darth Sushi
04-28-2006, 07:05 PM
Check out these USB 2.0 flash sticks.

http://www.kanguru.com/flashdrive.html - up to 8GB capacity

and

http://www.kanguru.com/flashdrive_max.html - up to 64GB capacity! :O

STARTING PRICE: 800 bucks! :w00t:
Virtualbody1234
04-28-2006, 07:29 PM
Yeah and the 64GB version is: $2,799.95
lynx
04-29-2006, 12:49 AM
Yeah and the 64GB version is: $2,799.95Cheep. At least, that's what my bird says.
tesco
04-29-2006, 02:43 AM
and btw do you know what is the powerfullest fanless cpu?

I'd like to build a computer, not so powerfull, but totally silent.

I dunno what the most powerful one is but just a tip is to still have the fan and use the program 'speedfan' to control the fan's speed, let it go 0% as long as the temp is below X.

For example, ofor my athlon xp 3000+ I have speedfan set to go on at 36degrees so basically I never have a CPU fan running unless I'm playing games or extracting something. :)
It's silent when I want it to be, yet i'm safe from it overheating.