Hey everyone! I've been wanting to dive into Linux, but my SSD is too small for dual booting right now. I've learned that it's possible to install Linux on a USB stick, and I'd like to use persistent mode so I can save my changes. I'm particularly looking to hear from anyone who has tried this on a Beelink U59 Pro, especially if you recommend any specific distros (I'm leaning towards Ubuntu). Also, any tips on a good USB flash drive for this setup would be super helpful. I know this isn't the top-notch way to run Linux, but it's just for a start until I can get a more permanent setup. Thanks!
5 Answers
I’ve been running Debian 13 from a USB and it's been smooth sailing for me. You’ll want a decent-sized flash drive for sure, but just check if your model supports booting from USB!
You can go with just about any Linux distro for this! I’d suggest using a second USB drive to perform a full installation rather than just enabling persistence through tools like Rufus. For a USB flash drive, I'd really recommend an SSD in a USB enclosure because standard USB sticks aren’t built to handle the constant read and write cycles as well - they might fail quicker than an SSD would.
From what I know, pretty much any distro should work when running from a USB stick, although you might experience slower I/O speeds. Personally, I’ve used Debian, Ubuntu, and KDE Neon live versions without any issues.
Just about any distro will satisfy your needs here. But keep in mind that hardware may affect performance. Double-check any specific size requirements for USB flash drives recommended by others in the community. Good luck getting started!
If you're set on using Ubuntu, you should be fine. Just keep in mind that for better performance, especially if you're saving changes, an SSD is the way to go. But if it's a temporary setup, you can make it work with what you've got!
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