Why can't I install a complete Linux distro on a USB drive?

You can you'll just ruin that flash drive with all the reading and writing

>>60442492
Sort of like the Ubuntu images that let you reserve space for persistent data?

https://www.pendrivelinux.com/what-is-persistent-linux/

>>60442504
Not entirely true as it specifically tries to run everything in RAm and only writes changes when necessary

>>60442524
only 4gb
>>60442492
you need to make a permanent casper partition and it's horrible to go through it but it does work.

grub has an option to load linux into ram, that can save your usb flash memory some reading/writing

>>60442492
are you retarded? i've been running arch off a 4GB usb drive for over a year with no issues, aside from only having 250MB free at any time

File: 1480846593126.jpg (165KB, 500x500px) Image search: [Google]

165KB, 500x500px

>>60442492
I'd just like to interject for a moment. What you're referring to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I've recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX.

Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called "Linux", and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project.

There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine's resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called "Linux" distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux.

>>60442492
Just target the drive when installing.
You'll kill it in a week or two though.

>>60442636
what's this meme about ruining USBs? I've written like a tera onto my sandisk and it still runs. Is it caching? is it swapping?

>>60442655
Just a meme, you can write the Cache to Ram and Swap is useless if you have enough ram.

>>60442504
>>60442636
What would happen if I just used a LiveUSB for word processing and shitposting, and saved all permanent data on a second USB drive?
Say, what would the damage be after a year of that kind of regular use?

>>60442492
> Why can't I install a complete Linux distro on a USB drive?
Indeed, why can't you? Are you a retard?

>>60443098
*slurps grape juice from wine glass*

>>60442655
Morons parroting moron BS. Same as the idiots who put all their temp shit on a HDD so they don't "wear down" their precious SSD, then come bitching about SSDs not doing anything.

>>60442492

All that r/w will kill usb flash fast, like ssd

>>60442951
None, use loading to RAM option.
Try a distro like Slax or puppy.