Re: {Debian (>=Jessie)} AND { MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card, etc}

[Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net>]

On 12/2/2016 4:48 PM, Steven Mainor wrote:
> I don't know if this helps answer #3 or not. I have ran Debian from a
> microSD flash card before but the card reader was attached via USB.
>
> It didn't last very long before the flash card degraded. I think running
> an operating system on flash used up the read/write cycles too quickly.
> I eventually decided to find another solution. But it may not be an
> issue for your use case.

I suspect I can set it up so that the hard disk gets the 
"volatile" load.
That would be something to determine experimentally.


> Hope that is helpful,
>        * Steven
>
> On Fri, 2016-12-02 at 23:21 +0100, Jochen Spieker wrote:
> > Richard Owlett:
> > > I have a well used Lenovo R61 Thinkpad whose sole raison d'etre is to serve
> > > as a test platform for experiments which may spectacularly fail.
> > >
> > > To quote a product description, it has:
> > >    Card Reader
> > >      4 in 1 card reader
> > >      Supported Flash Memory
> > >      Memory Stick PRO, MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card, xD-Picture Card
> > >
> > > My local supplier has 32GB cards in stock. Not sure which of the above
> > > flavors, as I just asked him what he had available that were compatible with
> > > my hardware.
> >
> > He probably has SD cards. All other options in your list have come out
> > of fashion.
> >
> > > I'm pondering an application that could be accomplished with USB flash
> > > drives.
> > > It would be much "NICER" if that x GB were physically "inside" the laptop's
> > > profile.
> >
> > Beware that this might slightly increase power usage / reduce battery
> > life. That's at least my observation from a couple of years ago.
> > Depenging on the hardware, an SD card can keep a bus alive that could be
> > put to sleep otherwise. But if I would have to guess this is not an
> > issue for your use case.
> >
> > > My questions:
> > >    1. Can Debian (and to what extent) make use of that storage?
> >
> > Debian (the linux kernel) can use SD cards just like USB thumb drives or
> > other types of removable (and rewritable) storage. It's simply a block
> > device.
> >
> > >    2. Can Debian itself reside on that medium?
> > >       I'm thinking in terms of changing look/feel/function/capabilities/...
> > >       of the machine by swapping media before "power up".
> > >       [The BIOS *DOES* have some capability to specify precedence of boot
> > > devices.]
> >
> > Debian doesn't really care, but you would have to test whether your BIOS
> > can really boot from SD cards.
> >
> > >    3. Any Debian people using this capability who would care to comment?
> > >       ["off list" replies fine]
> >
> > I would like to see replies here. :)
> >
> > J.