Is it alright to use Live USB regularly?

[Mish]

The only thing that's stopping me from switching to a Linux system right now are my games (and no I don't like how my favourite ones are particularly unstable in WINE) and I also don't want to set up a dual boot with Windows. So for my regular usage like Web Browsing and reading papers, I am currently using Knoppix 6.7 on a Live USB (CD-version). These are the programs that I've so far installed everything from Debian Squeeze packages except no.5 (I don't suppose I'll need to install anything else for the future) :
1. Banshee
2. Foxit Reader
3. Inkscape
4. MyPaint
5. Gkrellm
6. LXDE Task Manager
7. Updated Iceweasel to version 10.0 from the preinstalled 6.0


My question is, will this create any instability in the OS? So far I haven't had any problems. Also will regular use of the Live USB as a normal OS decrease the life span my flash drive? (I know you get them cheap these days but still)

[OErjan]

yes it wil decrease the life but if you have enough memory you could try booting with toram cheat code and have a separate /home/knoppix on the USB, even better get a "real" external HDD and use that instead that will live MUCH longer, downside is larger size...

[Mish]

Thank You. I'll try toram today.

[jacksonon]

yes it wil decrease the life but if you have enough memory you could try booting with toram cheat code and have a separate /home/knoppix on the USB, even better get a "real" external HDD and use that instead that will live MUCH longer, downside is larger size...

Speaking of toram , is 64-bit hardware a must for doing a toram for the DVD ? Since 32-bit hardware cannot address the full 4 GBs(probably more) of memory that Knoppix DVDs require , I was thinking that 64-bit hardware is a must for doing a toram on the DVD.

[Capricorny]

Speaking of toram , is 64-bit hardware a must for doing a toram for the DVD ? Since 32-bit hardware cannot address the full 4 GBs(probably more) of memory that Knoppix DVDs require , I was thinking that 64-bit hardware is a must for doing a toram on the DVD.

Sure. 32-bits x86 processors can't address past 4GB. But if you contemplate on trying out this, I wold like to see timings, comparing, for example 64-bits toram and ordinary use of an USB3 stick on USB2 - giving ca 20MB/s read speed.

[Capricorny]

AFAIK, it's the writes, not reads that wear out flash media. Therefore, using the cheatcode noimage could be enough to protect media. Then /ramdisk is used for all writing, and persistent data can be restored to/saved from /ramdisk - I have posted about this recently. In my experience, this is a fast and good scheme with USB3 sticks.

[Mish]

Thanks Capricony. That is exactly what I was looking for.