Re: Boot Debian 13 from external SSD USB 3.0 which is connected to external USB 3.0 adapter

On 7/14/26 11:18, Pantelis Papadopoulos wrote:
> Greetings.
> I need your help with the following situation:
> 
> I want to install Debian 13 on an external SSD USB 3.0 and I want to boot from that drive which is connected to an external USB 3.0 adapter that is not recognized by the BIOS: the motherboard ASUS P5K (LGA775 Socket), which is old, supports fine USB 2.0 boot.


I interpret the above to mean that you want to install Debian onto a USB 
flash drive (?).


In the past, I installed and ran 32- and/or 64-bit Debian, IP Cop, Damn 
Small Linux, FreeBSD, and possibly others on USB flash drives.  I used 
them as OS drives for headless appliances (firewall/router, NAS) and as 
live drives for maintenance, trouble-shooting, portable desktops, etc..


It is best to install Debian when the USB flash drive is connected 
directly to the "first" USB port of the computer, as determined by the 
BIOS/UEFI.  Using other USB ports on the computer and/or using external 
hubs, docking stations, etc., may or may not work.


OS boot/run performance is primarily dependent upon the speed of the USB 
flash drive.  Because USB flash drives typically do not have a RAM 
cache, graphical desktops tend to be choppy (e.g. synchronous writes 
cause noticeable pauses).


A USB 3.0 or newer flash drive may work in a USB 2.0 port on an older 
computer.  I would try it and find out.


My favorite USB flash drive was the SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0 16 GB.  I 
liked the tiny form factor that only projects out of the USB port by 
~1/4 inch / ~6 mm, reducing the of chance accidental physical damage. 
This is especially important for laptops.  But, the SanDisk Ultra Fit 
USB 3.0 flash drives tend to run hot.  I have little experience with the 
later USB 3.1 models.


Today, I use 2.5" 7mm SATA 6 Gbps SSD's, and install mobile racks in my 
computer cases:

     https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/hsb220sat25b

     https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/s25slotr


For laptops and computers without 2.5" SATA drive bays, I use a USB A 5 
Gbps to SATA cable:

     https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/usb3s2sat3cb


I once ordered a USB C 10 Gbps to SATA cable for use with a Dell 
Latitude 5400, but the connection was unreliable.  I do not know if the 
problem was the cable, the laptop, or both:

     https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/usb31csat3cb


David