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Is it possible to boot Ubuntu from USB and have it store the changes to settings, created files and installed apps in an enrypted file located on the HDD that is mounted at boot? If so will the process impair bootup speed much? The goal would be maximum security if you make the USB read-only and the peristent store is encrypted.

H3R3T1K
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    Have you considered doing a complete install in the USB stick/drive, rather than making a persistent Live USB? You won't be able to use a complete install in USB to install Ubuntu in the hard drive as with Live USB. However, you can have encryption, passwords, etc. to keep your system secure as well as portable. – user68186 Nov 02 '12 at 13:07
  • Wouldn't this shorten the lifespan of the USB stick by a large degree? – H3R3T1K Nov 05 '12 at 11:17
  • You can reduce writing to the disk by only doing important security updates or no updates at all (I won't recommend that). The data writes will be the same weather you do a persistent install or full install. I have been using an 16GB USB stick wilh full install, fully updated and upgraded and synced via Ubuntu One for a couple of years, without any issues so far. – user68186 Nov 05 '12 at 11:35
  • The answers at How do I install Ubuntu to a USB key? (without using Startup Disk Creator) that involve performing a full normal installation on the USB flash drive should address this. I'm not sure whether or not this should be considered a duplicate of that though; the specific issue of how to encrypt the persistent store seems like it may be a separate topic/question. – Eliah Kagan Jan 10 '14 at 01:52

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