Re: OpenBSD runs only in RAM from a USB Flash Drive

> 30 May, 2019
>
> Greetings OpenBSD aficionados,
>
> As a newbie to OpenBSD, I am delighted to have the chance to interact
> with the OpenBSD Mailing Lists community.
> Since I am about to install OpenBSD 6.5 (amd64) on a USB Flash Drive for
>
> the first time, I was wondering if anyone has a solution to the
> following conundrum.
>
> In order to minimize wear on the USB Flash memory, is there a way to
> command OpenBSD to always run in RAM, and at shutdown to either save or
> not save the session to the USB Flash Drive.
>

Chris Cappuccio created flashrd

https://www.nmedia.net/flashrd/flashrd-faq.html

I am not sure how useful it is these days as tmpfs was disabled in the
Fall of 2016

https://marc.info/?l=openbsd-misc&m=146980890627188&w=2

You also have

https://stable.rcesoftware.com/resflash/


Once upon a time people used Flashboot

https://www.mindrot.org/projects/flashboot/


Honestly even SMART capable SSDs are so cheap these days that the only
reason I can see you running OpenBSD from a USB Flash drive is to use
something like Ubiquiti Networks EdgeRouter LITE. I do use Octeon port
of OpenBSD on multiple firewalls around our lab but it is all generic
kernel

https://www.openbsd.org/octeon.html

and I am not very concern that the USB will fail due to the excessive
read and write.

Cheers,
Predrag


> For instance, Precise Puppy Linux 5.7.1 has a package called Puppy Event
>
> Manager. Since Precise Puppy is programmed to run in RAM, you can select
>
> the 'Save Session' tab and enter the span of minutes for everything in
> RAM to be saved to the Precise Puppy SaveFile.
>
> Best of all, you can enter 0 minutes to only do a save at shutdown.
> Perfect for minimizing wear on a USB Flash Drive.
>
> Please accept my apologies if this issue has already been solved. My
> search so far in sites like https://marc.info has come up empty.
>
> I thank you for your support.
>
> Best regards,
> Hugh
>