Hello

I'd like to build a compact x86 host running off a CompactFlash or some equivalent solid-state memory instead of from a SATA disk, to reduce the risk of failure once they're deployed at customers' premises.
Those are SOHO users, so performance is not an issue, but stability is (The less I have to drive to replace faulty hardware and restore data, the better.)

Do you know if the usual suspects (Ubuntu, CentOS, Gentoo, etc.) can easily be made to run from solid-state memory, and if yes, is there some good documentation to customize them thusly?

I assume it's just a matter of tweaking /etc/fstab, but it could be more involved.

Thank you.

Solid State disks run straight out of the box with most up to date distributions.
I found this article on how to improve performance and durability of your SSDs by tweaking the /etc/fstab
http://tombuntu.com/index.php/2008/0...-state-drives/

There is a HUGE difference between CF and solid state drives. The old solid state drives from M-systems are different than modern ssd's.

CF's based system would likely fail significantly faster than any sata drive. In fact I'd bet that any MTBF on a sata versus a modern ssd would still have the sata as much more reliable.

CF based tend to be useful in some kiosk or embedded systems or ones that one might change the cf every few months.

Thanks guys. So at this point, the recommended alternative to a SATA disk is SSD, and I shouldn't waste time checking other solutions like CompactFlash.

However, SSDs are much more expensive (32Go = 100€). Since price is an issue with this project, I guess I'll go for a 2.5" SATA then.

Thank you.