Booting from USB

[Boardin087]

Since floppy drives are used mainly for troubleshooting boot problems. Can USB drives be used to replace them?

 

[AR]

I doubt any older software supports it, but as I have heard, yes you can. As for the specifics and how-tos, haven't looked into it yet.

 

[jyi786]

I'd really like to get a link to some [H]ard info on this, as I am itching to get rid of my floppy once and for all.

 

[skritch]

Originally posted by ajm786
I'd really like to get a link to some [H]ard info on this, as I am itching to get rid of my floppy once and for all.

Your BIOS must support it.

 

[pointdablame]

if your BIOS supports it, its just a matter of changing the boot order like anything else. It's very simple actually, as long as you have the technology to support it.

If you're building a new system, you can definitely do it without a floppy. USB pen drives work just as well.

 

[schapman]

the only prob i can see is things like extra windows drivers for RAID control. I had to harvest a floppy out of my siblings computer when i hooked a drive up to the SATA controller on my nf7-s cause windows expects the driver on a floppy. Other than that.. even my old asus a7v could handle my usb zip drive

 

[Calibur]

i have a usb 2.0 hdd controller for troubleshooting at work. If i have a hdd in there when i boot the comp up it will try to boot off of it. I have to plug it in after i boot off my normal hdd or else it will try to boot usb 2.0