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    ExpressCard SSD drives - What do they register as? (HDD, USB, ??)

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Sokonomi, Jan 15, 2009.

  1. Sokonomi

    Sokonomi Notebook Guru

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    Hi all,

    I was wondering, what do Expresscard based "SSD Drives" register as?
    Im talking about addon devices like the Lexar SSD Expresscard.

    Reason id like to know, is id be interested in using a card like this as a bootable device, inserting it when I need a different OS for instance. If I can set a device like this set as a 1st priority bootable, I could grab a couple of 4gb ones and simply choose linux/xp instead of my main boot of vista, without garbling my harddisk up with a bazillion partitions or draining the hell out of my notebook with VMware. ;) This could open alot of possabilities for me as each OS has its own perk. Vista has DX10, XP eats anything (unlike vista :mad: ), and linux is good for some experimenting.

    My notebook is a Samsung Q310.

    So what it comes down to, can I boot off of these Ecard SSD devices?


    Thanks,
    - Sven
     
    Sokonomi, Jan 15, 2009
    #1
  2. Big Mike

    Big Mike Notebook Deity

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    all the ones currently on the market that ive seen use the USB portion of the expresscard bus. So it'll only boot if you can boot from a USB device most likely. Also most of the expresscards out so far are abysmally slow even for a USB device. Ready boost and extra storage are about all they're good for.
     
    Big Mike, Jan 15, 2009
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  3. mujtaba

    mujtaba ZzzZzz Super Moderator

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    If the OS within your Virtual Machine can fit in 1/2GB of space, actually getting a RamDisk utility and installing the VM on it can boost the performance greatly.
     
    mujtaba, Jan 15, 2009
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  4. jisaac

    jisaac Notebook Deity

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    you cannot boot from an expresscard or usb device. you need to edit the iso to ensure usb drivers are loaded early enough... that's the only way i'm afraid.
    i know this can be done on xp:
    http://www.ngine.de/index.jsp?pageid=4176
     
    jisaac, Jan 15, 2009
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  5. Sokonomi

    Sokonomi Notebook Guru

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    I was aware of having to pull apart winXP, and I already have an nlited XP iso for it. :p I just find it too risky to have a pendrive sticking out of my notebook just begging to snap my USB port. ;) But the prospect of an expresscard drive being even slower then a normal USB drive, goodlord. :')

    They should just microsize USB drives to the size of an average bluetooth plug. They can easily do it, I just dont get why they dont exist yet though..
     
    Sokonomi, Jan 15, 2009
    #5