install xp on USB drive *BUT* install all apps on SATA drive

[ceez]

hello fellow msfn-ers!

I know about installing windows on a thumbdrive as a tool to boot into unbootable systems, but how about installing it permanently on a thumbdrive and using it on a daily basis?

I would like to be able to install either 32 or 64 bit XP along with AVG free onto an 8 gig USB, plug into my usb port, change bios to boot from usb and the rest is self explanatory.

I would just like to know if it's possible to install all other apps onto a sata drive without a problem. I assume that when the installer prompts for a location you just switch it to D:\Program Files\.... Is there a way to maybe do this automatically? Would there be any drawbacks to this setup? I know that there will be a 'bottle neck' when the OS is accessing programs from the sata drive (like outlook) but I am thinking that the OS itself would just scream booting up/shutting down and doing any other dirty job that the OS does.

thanks again.

ceez

[jaclaz]

I know that there will be a 'bottle neck' when the OS is accessing programs from the sata drive (like outlook) but I am thinking that the OS itself would just scream booting up/shutting down and doing any other dirty job that the OS does.

I guess you have a wrong idea about bottle necks.

Data transfer on a USB bus is MUCH slower than from SATA.

FYI:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=125222

There is no problem in putting your programs on another drive, of course all .dll's and "common" files that a program may install in \%SYSTEMROOT%\ or \%SYSTEMROOT%\system32 will be on the SYSTEM drive nonetheless.

jaclaz

[ceez]

wouldnt an usb2.0 thumbdrive work like an 'external' SSD? Or are the SSDs obviously faster with better technology?

Dont you think it would at least boot quicker or perform somewhat faster from a thumbdrive?

I'll give it a try and see how it works out.

[jaclaz]

Why don't you simply read the given link?

A USB 2.0 bus (fastest currently available) is by FAR slower than ANY other bus available today.

The speed of the device -any device connected through a bus - even the fastest one ever built will be slowed down by the maximum speed the bus is capable of.

To recap:

480 mb/s USB 2.0

1330 mb/s ATA

1500 mb/s SATA

3000 mb/s SATA II

So, you are moving something that whirls away at a theoretical speed of 3000 mb/s to something that tops at 480.

However, these are just the theoretical speeds of the bus, a typical flash has fast access time and slow transfer time, unlike a hard disk that usually has a slow access time and a fast transfer one.

The idea has been used in the new Vista Ready-boost:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReadyBoost

jaclaz