I like to use a usb thumb drive as the key to boot my pc. I dont know how to get the boot drive to USB. if any one knows it please infrom me.
thank you

Have you considered using the BIOS Password protection?

no actually i want to use my thumb as a swith to my pc. without the thub drive the pc wont start up. Thats wt i want my friend ?

how to do that

To the best of my knowledge there is no such ability with a thumb drive. The only way you could do that is by having a complete OS such as Knoppix loaded on the thummie, and use the computer's hard drive only for data storage and driver storage. Actually, that is only speculation on my part and may not work either. Computers years ago used to have a key lock on the front that enabled you to prevent the computer from turning on at all unless you used your key. I haven't seen those in a long time, but you might check it out.

As far as i am aware you cannot boot any machine from a usb device.As said above you could load a small linux app to the usb pen and use that to wake up the computers network but whats the point! Could easily be hacked by a linux admin/geek/expert!!

As for front panel keyswitches in the past...well...all you had to do was remove the cover and mess with the keyswitch wiring!! so no security there either!!Some pc's especially servers have micro switches in the case that either shut down the system or send a warning over the lan to the network admin.

By ranchhand Geez, I remember those, (and have shorted the wires to get machines to boot,) way back when. I must be old now..... ;>)

You can boot from a usb.
Check your motherboard to see. If its not there update your bio's. Most resent boards have this option.
The trick of course is not if you can boot from a usb drive, its making the usb drive bootable. This can be done downloading the 'HP USB disk storage tool" (google for it) and installing it. Use your floppy to create a bootable system disk, then use the HP tool to transfer the system files contained on the floppy to your USB device.
Reboot your system with the bio's pointing to your usb and you should clean boot to the A prompt.
You can now add whatever you like. You can even install windows to your usb. Excellent security, close down windows and pull out the usb. Nobody will ever start your computer as you've just taken the operating system with you.


Lionel

Hi,
My laptop won't boot from USB - too old. But for those who can there are some interesting projects here:
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/

Not sure if they do a "key" version though. I hope this is of interest to some of you?

How to test for UsB boot compatibility:
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2007/09/17/te...-compatibility/

Richard