I'm having trouble installing Linux on my laptop. It says the installation can't proceed due to a faulty hard drive. Is it still okay to use the USB drive for the installation? Will that affect the USB drive's lifespan? I suspect the hard drive might be broken or just loosely connected.
1 Answer
Yes, writing to flash memory does wear it out over time. However, if you use a higher-capacity USB drive, it can help spread out the wear. Some Linux distros can boot directly to RAM, which is advantageous. For instance, Knoppix is designed to boot from read-only optical disks, so you could use that on a USB without worrying about wear. Just keep in mind that you'll still have some writing if you want to save files.
Right, and if you're looking for something more durable, consider using an external SSD. It's a better choice if longevity is a concern, although it will still undergo some wear over time.