I'm looking to get a Live XP install on a USB drive that I can plug in and boot to. I know it'll be a bit slow (and no this isn't for Z170). In googling, I've found that there are tons of methods so I was hoping that someone could share their experience and which method they used.

 

To calarify, I'm not looking to install XP from a USB drive, I'm looking to install XP on a USB drive.

Done it before a long time ago.. it's quite a pain but can be done.

Even better install once with DVD, then ghost it and have a new os in 30 seconds whenever you need.

Trying to bypass SATA and only use PCI and USB on X58.

Out of curiosity: why would someone want that?

 

I tried that too back in the time and even managed to get it to work. But it was a pain in the *** and pretty unstable. I try to find the how to and share it with you...

Pushing BCLK on X58 requires high PCI-E speeds. SATA uses the PCI-E bus on X58 so the high PCI-E speeds that are required (130+) can corrupt drives. I'm trying to bypass that.

I would look into PCI SATA/IDE controller to avoid usage of sata. Performance should be terrible with USB drive

The problem is that I also need PCI for graphics

I think it is easy as hell to just write an image of an os to a usb stick with acronis.

It sees it as a hdd so you just put in it an image of the os you have in your ssd and then the usb becomes bootable with os and everything... yes it is unstable and yes it is very sloooow.

Imho the right way for x58 high pci-e frew is either an external pci controller as mentioned or use the asmedia (or whatever secondary sata controller) your mb has.Allways on ide mode.

lots of older pcie graphics should be capable of high pcie

135MHz+? I've had issues over ~120 or so in my exploits.

I'm dead sure to use 125+ pcie 3D benchable with Abit IP35-E and random 7900GS. You just need a card that does not use pcie clock as a reference for mem/gpu (there were some GF9600 and others that were overclocking with pcie).