# Isostick, the USB memory-optical drive



## sygeek (Jul 28, 2011)

*The Isostick Makes A Mockery Of Optical Disk Hegemony​*


> *www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/isostick-beta-348x196.jpg​
> In the old days, you used to have to put something called “optical media” into a “DVD drive” to install software and operating systems. Those days are long over thanks to an odd little USB key called the Isostick.
> 
> Although the project doesn’t officially exist – it’s almost funded on Kickstarter – the IsoStick promises to allow you to load any ISO disk image from any computer just as if it were loading it from an optical disk. Why would you want to do this? Well, some computers can’t boot directly from a USB thumbdrive and the IsoStick solves this by masquerading as an optical drive first and a thumb drive second. Almost any PC will boot from an optical disk, which makes the Isostick so useful.
> ...


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## Vyom (Jul 28, 2011)

Wow... it IS too good to be true.
I would love to ditch DVD drives in favor of ISO Stick.

But I have a concern. Will this ISO stick be able to boot even if there is no option to boot from a flash drive? Theoritically, since computer would think ISO stick as a Disk Drive, it would be able to do so :S


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## sygeek (Jul 28, 2011)

vineet369 said:


> Wow... it IS too good to be true.
> I would love to ditch DVD drives in favor of ISO Stick.
> 
> But I have a concern. Will this ISO stick be able to boot even if there is no option to boot from a flash drive? Theoritically, since computer would think ISO stick as a Disk Drive, it would be able to do so :S


Technically, if the computer recognizes this as an optical drive on the boot-up, it should be able to run fine with the option to boot from a CD/DVD drive. At least that's what this device is based on.


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## Neuron (Jul 29, 2011)

Well its a usb device.So it can't get detected as anything else.I don't know if its much more than a normal flash drive.We already have utilities that can make usb drives boot from isos.This one has that part hardwired in it already.


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## Ishu Gupta (Jul 29, 2011)

The only plus point I see is that we can store multiple OSes on a single USB stick. But its a bit expenive.

You can get a 8GB drive for 450 bucks (that's 1 tenth of this ). Then use unetbootin and you get a bootable USB stick. One iso at a time though.

Edit: Damn you Neuron


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## sygeek (Jul 29, 2011)

Neuron said:


> Well its a usb device.So it can't get detected as anything else.I don't know if its much more than a normal flash drive.*We already have utilities that can make usb drives boot from isos*.This one has that part hardwired in it already.


But it certainly doesn't make them ACT as an optical drive.


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## Neuron (Jul 29, 2011)

There are hardly a few Operating Systems that can't be made to boot from usb.Things might get a bit more easier with this one.Nothing worth 100$ for 8GB.


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## sygeek (Jul 29, 2011)

Neuron said:


> There are hardly a few Operating Systems that can't be made to boot from usb.Things might get a bit more easier with this one.*Nothing worth 100$ for 8GB.*


Well, I agree to that, but I guess you guys are just missing the entire point of this device. It's not this expensive just for the sake of it.


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## Ishu Gupta (Jul 29, 2011)

sygeek said:


> But it certainly doesn't make them ACT as an optical drive.


Almost.
Your PC won't detect it as a CD but it still works as a CD would. And almost every computer supports USB booting.

What makes this worth 10 USB drives with the same capacity?


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## cute.bandar (Jul 29, 2011)

Question: is there something special about the hardware or is it all just software that makes the PC think its dealing with a optical drive and not a USB drive.

btw *there already exist software like unetbootin that would allow one to use usb drive for booting* 
Here is list of windows software that allow adding bootable iso to USB:

* unnetbootin - for linux
* sardu - multiple iso in one
* yumi - multiple iso in one (doesn't have xp option)
* wintoflash - only for windows installation (xp - 7)

personally I have had it with unreliable dvd and dvd players. Now I only use USB sticks to boot and internet to get content.


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## sygeek (Jul 29, 2011)

Ishu Gupta said:


> Almost.
> Your PC won't detect it as a CD but it still works as a CD would. And almost every computer supports USB booting.
> 
> What makes this worth 10 USB drives with the same capacity?


Read the context dude, the PC will SEE it both as an CD/DVD and a USB.



cute.bandar said:


> Question: is there something special about the hardware or is it all just software that makes the PC think its dealing with a optical drive and not a USB drive.
> 
> btw *there already exist software like unetbootin that would allow one to use usb drive as an optical drive.*


No, those softwares just write the ISO image to the USB, installs it's bootloader and marks it as bootable.

Due to multiple misconceptions, I've updated the article's context and I'm summing up this device's features:

IsoStick is a USB key that allows you to booting into multiple ISO images.
It acts both as an CD/DVD and an USB, so whatever your hardware supports booting from, it will be 100% compatible with it's BIOS
You can write multiple images into this device just by copy-pasting an ISO image, regardless of their quantity.
You can lock the device as readable so as to mark the operating system persistent/non-persistent with just a simple lock switch on the device.
The isostick is targeted at IT people, computer technicians, and geeks in general that are sick and tired of carrying around lots of discs that always get lost, broken, scratched, or just stop working.
If you're an average user, please don't bother using it, it will be nothing more than a expensive USB to you.
In short, it's a device that acts both as an optical drive and USB while increasing the efficiency by a HUGE extent (and at the same time, it is expensive).

It is not possible for a software like unetbootin (and it's likes) to make a USB, function as the above. If you're not distro hopper like some people, you won't be able to respect it's features (which doesn't include the price).


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## Ishu Gupta (Jul 29, 2011)

sygeek said:


> IsoStick is a USB key that allows you to booting into multiple ISO images. _Or you can buy 10 USB stick and attach them to a keyring(Get the tiny ones). You get 10x the storage and its geekier._
> It acts both as an CD/DVD and an USB, so whatever your hardware supports booting from, it will be 100% compatible with it's BIOS _If your BIOS doesn't support USB booting, this won't work AFAIK. Externel DVD drives don't work._
> You can write multiple images into this device just by copy-pasting an ISO image, regardless of their quantity. _See point 1_
> You can lock the device as readable so as to mark the operating system persistent/non-persistent with just a simple lock switch on the device. _On the hardware level,this IS possible on some USB drives._
> ...


This is not worth the money. If it was $20 for the 8GB, I would say its good but at $100 its taking the ****.


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## sygeek (Jul 29, 2011)

Ishu Gupta said:


> This is not worth the money. If it was $20 for the 8GB, I would say its good but at $100 its taking the ****.


This is not for your everyday picture storage device, yes it is costly, but it certainly can't beat a usual USB feature-wise.


> Or you can buy 10 USB stick and attach them to a keyring(Get the tiny ones). You get 10x the storage and its geekier


As I said, that's NOT the point of this device.



> If your BIOS doesn't support USB booting, this won't work AFAIK. Externel DVD drives don't work.


I don't know how you are so sure. It is certainly not true, try reading the project page and some of the reviews.


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## Ishu Gupta (Jul 29, 2011)

sygeek said:


> This is not for your everyday picture storage device, yes it is costly, but it certainly can't beat a usual USB feature-wise.


XBOOT – Multiboot ISO USB Creator (Windows) | USB Pen Drive Linux
YUMI - Multiboot USB Creator (Windows) | USB Pen Drive Linux

iodd2511 This is dead and has been overtaken by someone else.



> As I said, that's NOT the point of this device.


Isn't the point of this to allow you to boot isos. 

Any PC less than 5 year old can boot from USB. Those PCs are worth less than this USB.
And Admins don't need this either. They can simply use PXE.



			
				sygeek said:
			
		

> I don't know how you are so sure. It is certainly not true, try reading the project page and some of the reviews.


Where does it explicitly say that "It doesn't need USB boot support"
Only BIOS' that support USB booting but are not able to boot into flash drives need something like this.



> Hardware-wise, the Isostick is basically a MicroSD card (non-removable) that’s capable of 12.5MB/sec read (81x and 9.5x in CD/DVD parlance) and 4-6MB/sec write.


12.5MB/sec? That's slow
How about a Normal USB3 drive that can finih installing your distro in 1/10th the time this thing takes?


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## sygeek (Jul 29, 2011)

Ishu Gupta said:


> XBOOT – Multiboot ISO USB Creator (Windows) | USB Pen Drive Linux
> YUMI - Multiboot USB Creator (Windows) | USB Pen Drive Linux
> 
> iodd2511 This is dead and has been overtaken by someone else.


Link me a software which has the exact features as stated in the above post, and I'm not talking about alternatives with limited features.



> Where does it explicitly say that "It doesn't need USB boot support"


The site's main project page..



> Isn't the point of this to allow you to boot isos.


A lot more than that, if you read the context.

Read the Project page and come back with valid arguments.


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## Ishu Gupta (Jul 29, 2011)

Can you quote whatever from that article? So I know specifically what you are talking about.

And thanks for skipping over most of the post.


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## sygeek (Jul 29, 2011)

Ishu Gupta said:


> Can you quote whatever from that article? So I know specifically what you are talking about.


You don't want me to spoonfeed you, do you? Please the read the project page carefully, it is stated in BOLD letters.



> And thanks for skipping over most of the post.


Probably because they weren't valid arguments and I couldn't care less.

*What exactly are you trying to say?*
That the features can be easily overcome with the above mentioned softwares, if you care for it features, it isn't true. If are you saying that it's expensive? Well yes it is! Are you saying that 10 USB drives are better than this? Not at all (i'm excluding the price factor here)! Or if you're saying that it's a worthless device, well, then that statement doesn't follow for everyone.


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## Ishu Gupta (Jul 29, 2011)

sygeek said:


> Link me a software which has the exact features as stated in the above post, and I'm not talking about alternatives with limited features.


XBOOT – Multiboot ISO USB Creator (Windows) | USB Pen Drive Linux

If you can see the first screenie, he is copying BT, Ubuntu, Slax. That's 3 ISOs/Distros.
In the second image you can choose the bootloader. It will allow you to choose an ISO when you boot from your USB.
You can also store your data along with the OSes.
Buy a 32GB external USB for 2k/$40. It will be 2x faster with 4x the space and still cost 60% less.

If you want to use ISO inside your OS, use Daemon Tools. It will be even faster.


Only limitation I see is this won't boot if your PC doesn't support USB booting (And I am still don't think that ISOUSB will boot in that case either. Very few BIOS' support USB booting but can't boot into flash drives (In this case normal USB won't work but isousb will work).).

*AND I can't see anything that says that it'll boot even without the USB booting capabilty. Either you are missing something or I am.*


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## Neuron (Jul 29, 2011)

Even if it does boot in that case someone having a non-usb booting PC is sure not to have enough fortune to buy an 'isostick'.


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## sygeek (Jul 29, 2011)

Ishu Gupta said:


> XBOOT – Multiboot ISO USB Creator (Windows) | USB Pen Drive Linux
> 
> If you can see the first screenie, he is copying BT, Ubuntu, Slax. That's 3 ISOs/Distros.
> In the second image you can choose the bootloader. It will allow you to choose an ISO when you boot from your USB.
> ...


Very well carried out. Yes, you're missing something, these ISO images don't just apply for operating systems, it goes for ANY CD/DVD ISO image. These features are not software-wise but they are built into the hardware, thus even more compatible. You don't have to install tonnes of bloatwares.

Even many windows functions can be replaced by tonnes of other softwares, that doesn't mean you shouldn't use it in the first place.

Let's say a case where you have to use something as a CD/DVD to make it work and you want to customize the contents without re-writing the whole CD/DVD, the USB comes in here too.



Neuron said:


> Even if it does boot in that case someone having a non-usb booting PC is sure not to have enough fortune to buy an 'isostick'.


What if the other person is a computer administrator who wants to fix someone's sh1thole computer? That's where it comes in, IT IS NOT FOR THE AVERAGE USER. 

I'm tired of this, let's move on guys :/


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## Ishu Gupta (Jul 29, 2011)

sygeek said:


> These ISO images don't just apply for operating systems, it goes for ANY CD/DVD ISO image.


Really? BTW that software works for ANY iso too.




> These features are not software-wise but they are built into the hardware, thus even more compatible.


OK. This software only copies the content of the live CD to the USB drive. ie there is no software installed on the usb drive.
On the other hand, your usb has a firmware that reports the usb as a cd rom. It uses something that mounts those ISO at boot too 
Of course if you install multiple ISOs, both of them would need a separate botloader.



> You don't have to install tonnes of bloatwares.


OK 1 software is not 'tonnes of bloatware'. AND unetbooting doesn't even needs to be installed. Its a portable exe with no dependencies.
I haven't used XBOOT so can't say about that.

AND BTW your isostick also has a software for configuration. 



> Even many windows functions can be replaced by tonnes of other softwares, that doesn't mean you shouldn't use it in the first place.


Who uses the windows Disk defragmentor?
Who uses Windows Defender?
Who uses Windows Disk Cleanup?



> Let's say a case where you have to use something as a CD/DVD to make it work and you want to customize the contents without re-writing the whole CD/DVD, the USB comes in here too.


Are you even reading my posts?
The edited ISO you need to copy to your isostick can be installed to a normal USB via xboot too. 
If you don't need to boot from that edited ISO, you don't even need to waste time copying it to the slow isostick. Just right click on the ISO and mount with daemon tools.



And you were saying I was giving crap, invalid arguments.


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## Neuron (Jul 29, 2011)

sygeek said:


> What if the other person is a computer administrator who wants to fix someone's sh1thole computer? That's where it comes in, IT IS NOT FOR THE AVERAGE USER.



So this is specifically designed for fixing sh1thole computers.I don't find any other use.


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## cute.bandar (Jul 29, 2011)

xboot isn't the same:  it doesn't support ..


> NOTE: Windows XP, VISTA ,7  install Disks are not supported.So do not try to add them.


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## Ishu Gupta (Jul 29, 2011)

cute.bandar said:


> xboot isn't the same:  it doesn't support ..


YUMI - Multiboot USB Creator (Windows) | USB Pen Drive Linux
This one does.
And
SARDU – Multiboot USB Creator (Windows) | USB Pen Drive Linux

And you don't need these automated softwares. This can be done manually too.


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## ico (Jul 30, 2011)

Just a means of selling flash at an expensive price. More profit.


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## gameranand (Jul 30, 2011)

Whatever this is this is certainly not worth the money. Its just too costly and provide features which are achievable with third party softwares and that too plenty of them so definitely not worth it. Just a marketing and advertising strategy for the company nothing else.


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## MetalheadGautham (Jul 30, 2011)

The only people who will need it are those with really old PCs which when sold second hand will fetch less than this isostick itself


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## thetechfreak (Jul 30, 2011)

$225 for a 32 GB stick is quite high considering it costs only $4 less than a 4th Gen iPod Touch 8 gb
iPod touch $229


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## sygeek (Jul 30, 2011)

Neuron said:


> So this is specifically designed for fixing sh1thole computers.I don't find any other use.


*Yes*, mostly. Of course this is not worth the money. Worth the features/hardware, yes. 

Guys, stop posting about "OHH THIS IZ ZOO COSTLY" "MAN, COSTLY I CANZ NOT AFFORD IT". Of course you can't, I never intended you to buy it straightaway, just as a news about the latest hardwares in the market. So if you can't respect it's features, please stop whining about it's price. It's the same as complaining about Mac/iGadgets outrageous price.



gameranand said:


> Just a marketing and advertising strategy for the company nothing else.


I'm not sure about that, for now, it's not targeted as a company, it's just a project funded by kickstarter. So, I guess it probably goals toward selling enough of these to start and fund their startup. But it's certainly not a advertising strategy.


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