Yes, it's possible for an OS to run on a device that isn't supported by its BIOS.
Yes, it's possible for an OS to run on a device that isn't supported by its BIOS.
Hello. I just got an old laptop with a failing hard drive, and I’m not sure if it’s worth replacing it entirely. Instead, I plan to use it as a basic internet device—perhaps a classroom laptop now and then. From what I’ve seen, Porteus works well on it when connected via USB 2.0 flash drive with Firefox and Open Office running. My main concern is whether I can make it run using an SD card reader or a PCMCIA slot with an adapter to a CF card. The BIOS doesn’t support those options, so direct booting isn’t enough. Could using a USB bootloader that targets one of those devices solve my problem? Do you know how to set that up? My goal is to avoid having a visible USB port, which could be risky for the device. The PCMCIA adapter stays hidden, and there’s no SD card slot in the reader.
OS can be transferred to non-bootable storage, though a USB drive will still be required for /boot. The process is straightforward—copy files and update /etc/fstab to set up the correct paths. Raspberry Pi users typically reverse this approach; they use SD cards for /boot. Following the guide at kupply provides clear instructions. For those with IDE support, purchasing a CF-to-IDE adapter can be cost-effective. I’m unsure if affordable USB-to-SATA adapters exist, but they might be available on AliExpress.
I hadn't encountered Porteus before; it appears to be able to duplicate itself onto RAM similar to Puppy Linux. I'm curious about removing the USB once it starts up.
Having a bootloader exclusively on a USB is definitely possible and often serves as a cautious way to verify full disk encryption. A tutorial for Arch could help clarify the steps involved. Because you're using Porteus, it's likely you'll manage to figure it out.