I'm curious if I can do everything on a live version of Linux that I can do after a full installation. Specifically, can I install and run programs, add drivers, mount drives, customize the desktop, and even play games if my USB drive has enough space? I want to see if it fulfills my computing needs before actually committing to an installation.
Also, is it possible to play a game that's already installed on my main system during the live session? For instance, can I install Steam on the live session, mount the drive with the game, and add the game's executable to Steam while enabling Proton to make it work?
2 Answers
You're mostly right! You can run software and even use Steam, as long as you don't reboot. You can set up a persistent partition on the USB to save some changes. Just make sure the distribution you're using supports persistency if you want to keep your settings or installed applications after ending a session.
Yes, you can generally do most things on a live version just like you would after installation, but remember that anything you do on the live session won't be saved once you reboot. It’s a good way to test out the OS and applications without any commitment. Just keep in mind that your changes won’t persist after a restart, so anything you install will be gone.
Right, and using something like Rufus to set up persistence is really helpful. Just remember that not all distributions support it, so check that first!