Hey everyone! I've got a 16GB USB keychain that I take everywhere, and I'm looking to set up a live Linux distro with persistence so I can use it at school and other places. I'm familiar with Linux Lite since I used it on an old laptop, but I'm curious about other options. Ideally, I'd like something with a GUI—preferably XFCE, since that's what I'm used to. I can handle the terminal if needed, but I'd rather stick with a more user-friendly interface. Any recommendations?
5 Answers
If you need extra security, I'd recommend Tails. It's designed for privacy and has a persistent storage feature, which might be perfect for what you're looking for!
You can just install your favorite distro directly onto the USB. If you keep the installed apps minimal, 16GB should be enough for your needs. Plus, you won't need much swap space since hibernation isn't part of your plan.
I suggest checking out Ventoy! It's a really handy tool you can install on your USB stick. It lets you create a boot partition and a data partition, so you can load different distros on the same stick. When you boot up, you can choose which one to start up. Way easier than making multiple sticks for just one distro!
Ventoy sounds awesome! I love the idea of having a distro and extra space for my files. I'll definitely give it a try!
Debian can be a solid choice too! With it, you won't have to stress too much about updates.
I installed Linux Mint on a Zike Z666 Thunderbolt external drive. It's been really fast and works almost like my internal SSD, so it might work well for you too.
Yeah, and it can double as storage for your projects too!