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If it's not an iPod Touch, iPhone, or latest-gen iPod Nano...it MIGHT work in theory. The older iPods mounted as USB Mass Storage Devices, which can be booted from if you have a recent enough PC that allows boot from a USB Mass Storage Device. |
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Thread: Boot a PC from an iPod?
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10-29-2009 06:22 PM #1widdershins modality Achievements:
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Boot a PC from an iPod?
Does anyone know if this is possible or what trouble I might have? I'm looking to install Windows 7 on my desktop and netbook, and my optical drive is failing on the desktop so I don't trust it for the install. I've copied the install files onto my ipod using my work computer. I don't really have another suitable USB device, except an external HDD. Really I could use either the iPod or HDD if they'll work, but I don't want to wipe either of them.
If I boot to a drive with the install files in the root directory and other data in folders, should Windows install properly? If not, is there another way to do this without first wiping the drive? If none of the above, would formatting the ipod and then loading it with the install files work?
Any thoughts would be helpful.
Plan C is pick up a USB DVD R/W that I can use w/ both PCs, but I'd rather not shell out for it.If you have a sense of caring for others, you will manifest a kind of inner strength in spite of your own difficulties and problems. With this strength, your own problems will seem less significant and bothersome to you. By going beyond your own problems and taking care of others, you gain inner strength, self-confidence, courage, and a greater sense of calm.Dalai Lama
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10-29-2009 11:38 PM #2Member
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10-29-2009 11:47 PM #3FBI agent
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It's easier to just buy a new optical drive,
but you could rip the cd to an ISO image and boot from that (GNU Grub 2 can boot from ISO images stored on a hard disk)
You're talking serious voodoo here, but it's possible(\_ _/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")
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10-30-2009 02:50 AM #4widdershins modality Achievements:
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I'm using a 5th gen video ipod, which I know operate identical to any storage device when attached to a PC in most instances. When you enable them for use as mass storage, is that material in a separate partition from the OS and media? The device's behavior suggests that it is, which bodes well for my endeavor...
I'm picking the brains of various other forums. Based on what I've seen, I don't think an .iso is the way to go (it's not what's suggested when using a flash drive). It's definitely 100% possible (and even preferable for the faster read/write) to install from a thumb drive, but instructions I've seen suggest formatting and partitioning the drive with no other files present.
You can also definitely run Ubuntu like a Livedisk over USB from an iPod, though I'm not sure if that requires reformatting.
If results remain inconclusive tomorrow morning, I might just take a whack at it with the netbook and see what happens.If you have a sense of caring for others, you will manifest a kind of inner strength in spite of your own difficulties and problems. With this strength, your own problems will seem less significant and bothersome to you. By going beyond your own problems and taking care of others, you gain inner strength, self-confidence, courage, and a greater sense of calm.Dalai Lama
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10-30-2009 03:41 AM #5Member
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So just partition/format the thumbdrive. Copy the files over to your hard disk and then reformat and copy 'em back.
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10-30-2009 03:51 AM #6widdershins modality Achievements:
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...if there were a thumb drive in the picture, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'd rather not purchase one just for this project, as generally my ipod fills that niche. If I'm buying new equipment, I'll probably just go for an external DVD R/W, which will cost more but have more than one use (though even an optical drive I use maybe every couple months, and could easily go without). I'm backing up the netbook now. I'm just going to pull everything but the 32-bit install files off the the iPod's storage partition (assuming it is a separate partition) and see if I can boot from it.
Originally Posted by mini0991
If you have a sense of caring for others, you will manifest a kind of inner strength in spite of your own difficulties and problems. With this strength, your own problems will seem less significant and bothersome to you. By going beyond your own problems and taking care of others, you gain inner strength, self-confidence, courage, and a greater sense of calm.Dalai Lama
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10-30-2009 04:05 AM #7Member
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Eh, they're cheap and it's still handy to have one. My computer is probably the last one I'll ever buy with a floppy drive and burning entire CDs to give someone one file is kind of cumbersome and kludgy.
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10-31-2009 03:19 AM #8Remember Achievements:
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You could try using this program http://wintoflash.com/home/en/
I used it to installed windows 7 on my laptop, though I had a proper USB mass storage device.April Ryan is my friend,
Every sorrow she can mend.
When i visit her dark realm,
Does it simply overwhelm.
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