#152 in Computer accessories & peripherals
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Reddit mentions of iodd Iodd2531 - USB3.0 - HDD - SSD - Virtual CD-ROM - Enclosures - Made in Korea … (1 Unit/lot)
Sentiment score: 16
Reddit mentions: 33
We found 33 Reddit mentions of iodd Iodd2531 - USB3.0 - HDD - SSD - Virtual CD-ROM - Enclosures - Made in Korea … (1 Unit/lot). Here are the top ones.
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- Recognized as Bootable ODD (DVD, Blu-ray Rom), for booting by selecting a ISO file.
- Write protect Blocker/Win To Go/Auto Sleep/Safely Removal/Firmware Updater
- VHD - virtual hard disk image to physical drive
- The whole aluminum-body design is elegant and effective against external shock and radiant heat of HDD.
Features:
Specs:
Color | BLACK |
Height | 3.094482 Inches |
Length | 5.334635 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 1 Unit / lot |
Weight | 0.2094391489 Pounds |
Width | 0.515747 Inches |
I got tired of fumbling with flash drives and just got one of these
I personally use an IODD 2531, it's works very similar but you use a menu on the screen to pick an ISO.
Link: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00TDJ4BJU
(Note: It's basically the same as the Zalman enclosures but apparently with better firmware)
As they both support Secure Boot it really doesn't matter which one you use, I prefer the IODD though as I can set it to be only the ISO with no access to the disk.
This little guy with a random ssd in it has saved me many hours
For those that don't know it, the Zalman drives are made by a parent company called IODD. The main difference between the Zalman and the IODD version is that IODD has VHD boot support. So you can create full test environments and boot them over USB3.
https://www.amazon.com/Iodd-Iodd2531-Black-Virtual-Enclosures/dp/B00TDJ4BJU/
I must have over 100 USB sticks now, everything from 512MB up to 1TB. Like you I used a lot of them for bootable ISOs. Had 6-8 of them on a large keyring too, just for emergencies.
Can I make a recommendation, though? Two actually. First is the IODD2531. It's an external USB HDD caddy, but you can drop ISOs on it and you can select them individually from the unit and it'll emulate an optical drive. I've installed everything from Server 2019 on big-box HP and Dell servers, to Windows 98se after some tinkering. You need to supply your own drive, but mine has a 256GB SSD and I've never looked back.
The other is something I've not tried and only found recently called Easy2Boot. I like playing retro games which means retro machines need building, and this comes recommended by lots in the community. Similar idea to the IODD, but USB based.
Edit: For clarity, the IODD box is the OEM version of the Zalman VE350. When I was looking into getting one, I found the Zalman was a similar price, but the stock IODD firmware more flexible. You can flash between the two at will, though.
>First of, yes, this is likely because of the SD card. USB drives can pretend to be DVD drives, and that's how most disks get booted.
USB devices can pretend to be DVD drives but almost all USB flash drives do not (and ones that do market them selves as such). They are just block devices like SD cards and internal HDDs. There should be no difference to booting from them. Additionally a lot of SD cards are on an internal USB port anyway.
There is a chance that they won't work, just like how there are some bad USB flash drives that you cannot boot from. But these are for reasons other than them not pretending to be DVD drives (device firmware issues or too slow to power on/initialize). It might also depend on if your motherboard supports booting from them.
This! I personally recommend the Iodd it has a better firmware.
https://www.amazon.com/Iodd-Iodd2531-Black-Virtual-Enclosures/dp/B00TDJ4BJU/
I've always wanted to get one of these hard drive enclosures that supports mounting an ISO so you can choose what to boot all from one device, like this one. They all seem kind of cheap though, but this one has good reviews and it's an attractive price.
Snappy Driver Installer Origin
Download the application, download the indexes only then download the printer driverpack. Portable program and everything is stored in the file structure and already compressed. Occasionally launch the program to download updates.
Or, in the true spirit of this sub, download the full driverpack torrent and have most (Windows) drivers you could need on a USB stick.
Alternatively, a live USB of a Linux distro that includes CUPS and non-free packages by default (eg. Mint or Solus) will boot on just about anything and print to just about any printer without updates.
Further down the rabbit hole: Get an Iodd 2351 or similar and drop in 120+ GB SSD and have multiple bootable Linux ISOs, a WinPE rescue disc (one I like), every windows install media and all the driverpacks available to any computer that can boot to a USB CD-ROM. Since you're talking apocalypse scenario, better hang onto Windows Updates as well... You never know what you may need, right?
My favorite solution: Iodd Iodd2531 Black - Usb3.0 - Hdd -Ssd - Virtual Cd-rom - Enclosures - made in Korea https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TDJ4BJU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kfX5BbJ0XWWHX
Don't get the Zalman one fyi, grab the IODD drive. It's the original one that they licensed from and has WAY more features and better support.
Iodd Iodd2531 Black - Usb3.0 - Hdd -Ssd - Virtual Cd-rom - Enclosures - made in Korea https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TDJ4BJU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ptnryb41KQSFN
I find it's much easier to just drop a ISO into a folder and have it boot like a cd rom drive. You can emulate floppy drives and make persistent linux live installs. I do find some systems that won't recgonize the virtaul cd rom but those systems usually have issues booting USB drives.
https://www.amazon.com/Iodd-Iodd2531-Black-Virtual-Enclosures/dp/B00TDJ4BJU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1498944043&sr=1-1&keywords=iodd
Sounds like you couldn't get one in time to help with this project. But these "Iodd 2531 Black - Usb3.0 - Hdd -Ssd - Virtual Cd-rom" Enclosures come in incredibly handy. It let's you store a bunch of ISO image, you select which image you want to load and then it creates a virtual DVD emulator that loads via USB letting you boot from ISO images. The Iodd version is basically a slightly updated version of the old Zalman that's become difficult to find. One of the best $40 I've spent in IT in a looong time.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TDJ4BJU/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=
I think he is referring to a multi-boot USB, not just selecting a single ISO to 'burn' to the USB. I like xboot myself, but yumi is another one but I wasn't able to get it to work. There is also UNetBootin, but I was also not able to get this one to produce a workable USB. Another one to try is called Easy2Boot. I'm seeing one called multibootusb.org as well, but it looks like it is only linux distros, not just any random ISO file.
Lastly you could invest in something like this, which is a hardware USB that allows you to select which ISO to boot from.
I hope this list helps. Like I said, xboot is the only one that I've been able to successfully boot from windows ISOs as well as linux ones. Good luck :)
Put one in each of these for your IT guys. (https://www.amazon.com/Iodd-Iodd2531-Black-Virtual-Enclosures/dp/B00TDJ4BJU/ref=pd_cp_147_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00TDJ4BJU&pd_rd_r=EP0B7XHJC0EYCQ47XN2Q&pd_rd_w=V86cD&pd_rd_wg=gLtWG&psc=1&refRID=EP0B7XHJC0EYCQ47XN2Q)
And then scrap the rest.
I would guess, something like this
A good screwdriver kit. iFixit Pro or the like; 4 in 1 standard Phillips/flathead screwdriver; Cat5/6 crimpers and ends; cable tester; flashlight; Adapters (HDMI to VGA, etc); universal laptop charger.
One of these is really nice too: https://www.amazon.com/Iodd-Iodd2531-Black-Virtual-Enclosures/dp/B00TDJ4BJU
You can load Windows and such from it easily. I kept a bunch of OSes and a driver install tool on mine.
If you want to do a lot of that kind of thing, and you don't mind spending more (Especially if you have a 2.5 inch drive laying around!) you should consider getting an IODD 2531.
It has a physical switch and menu to mount and unmount ISOs and VHDs, and they show up as actual devices to boot from. I've got mine set up with an old 128GB ssd that I wasn't really using, and I've got all the ISOs I might use with a 60GB VHD windows install with a bunch of repair tools and such on it, as well as a 10GB linux install with the same. Mount VHD, reboot, select to boot from that VHD, and it boots like a regular hard drive. It's only SATA 2 internally, so it doesn't hurt all that bad to stick in an old laptop drive either, but it's still waaay faster than any USB stick you are going to get, even most of the 'ssd with USB bridge' ones you can buy assuming you stick in a cheap-as-possible SSD.
If not for the windows installer having a specific check for installing to a drive connected over USB, you can literally mount a blank VHD and iso, then install windows to the VHD. Linux doesn't care either way, so you can happily do that.
You should consider the [iODD](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00TDJ4BJU/ref=nosim/appleink
). It's one drive that can act as a boot disk for an unlimited number of software installers. Instead of carrying around multiple CDs or USB flash drives, you carry this. It works with multiple Windows, Linux and Mac OS operating system bootable disks. It's similar to your partitioned drive but arguably, more versatile and easier to update. Adding a new OS to the mix is as simple as copying the ISO file to the ISOs directory on the device.
This is a hardware solution that I use. It's more expensive than multiple pendrives or DVDs, but it boots multiple ISO's in the manner that you are looking for. Note that you need to add your own 2.5" HDD to this.
> You should look into Zalman HDD enclosures. You can grab ISO files directly from the hard drive and mount them as virtual CD drives. No USB burning needed. Ever.
>
>
I was looking at those on amazon and the reviews are awful. This one is similar with much better reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TDJ4BJU/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3DTN7G6WLC6UY
Well, for one thing, I know /u/Steve2926, who is a friend of mine, and who helped me repeatedly in the past.
So I know about Easy2Boot, and the last thing I'll ever do will be to go behind his back, to create a utility that is more or less a clone of his even as he is still actively developing it, to try to undercut all the effort he has put in it. Sorry, but that's just not how it works.
Also, you can read my stance on multiboot in the Rufus FAQ. While I do very much understand why people think they absolutely need multiboot (and while some SysAdmins actually do), I also came to the logical conclusion that it is a complete waste of time for the vast majority of users, who only need to boot a single image right here, right now, and don't go around trying to boot multiple targets computers in the same day. Of course, the people who need multiboot exist, but they are a minority of users and I consider that, since it's very usually their job, and therefore should already have the knowledge required for it, they don't need to get their hand held to achieve the custom multibooting scenario they require (since every single multiboot scenario is different, and comes with its own problems).
So, sorry, but investing a lot of my development time, which is already very limited, to cater to what is actually a small number of people, when I can use it to add features that will be more beneficial to a much larger majority, doesn't seem like a wise investment of my time. As such, I will continue to do what I do and advise people interested in multiboot to look at the current existing solutions, one of which being Easy2Boot, or invest in something like an IODD drive, which is probably what they are really after (since only BIOS/UEFI level CD/DVD-ROM emulation can guarantee your ISO to boot as expected).
Also, it seems that your main issue here is that you don't trust the work that somebody else's did, mostly because their site doesn't use HTTPS, and also, because the application may be closed source, which is a bit silly IMO, especially as I know that Steve makes good use of FLOSS projects like Grub4DOS (even if the application itself might have parts closed).
Besides, as someone who, like Steve, has put a lot of effort in developing their software, I would say that, if you do have an issue with a utility, your first reaction should be to contact the author of that utility and hear what they have to say about it (Maybe Steve is working to add SSL to his website? Maybe he is also planning to do things that will ease your woes?), rather than ask a completely different software developer to go around the back of the first one, and develop a directly competing application. Al in all, what you are asking doesn't sound like a very nice thing to do, unless you have exhausted all other options...
You should put one in an iodd external enclosure:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TDJ4BJU/
You can put ISOs and VHD files on there and select them from the little LCD screen to boot off of them like they were CDs or thumb drives. I have one full of Windows installers, memtest, Linux distros, etc. 128GB SSDs are perfect for this application.
Don't get this one, apparently it has issues. Get the ioDD one https://www.amazon.com/Iodd-Iodd2531-Black-Virtual-Enclosures/dp/B00TDJ4BJU
That's the one I use, it has never failed me.
CD/DVD-R media.
-There are also USB HDD/SSD cases that can make the media look/act like a Optical drive, making it read only as well. It can also load multiple OS
https://www.amazon.com/Iodd-Iodd2531-Black-Virtual-Enclosures/dp/B00TDJ4BJU
Longer tappable link for mobile users
I just copy the latest .iso from the website in to the ISO folder on this thing: https://www.amazon.com/Iodd-Iodd2531-Black-Virtual-Enclosures/dp/B00TDJ4BJU and boot away, I can even keep multiple versions of the SPP, Windows Server ISOs, etc.
I bought one of these a while ago, but it was branded as 'iodd'. It looks identical to that Zalman one.
Link.
Yes, plenty of times, it is an IODD Hard Drive enclosure, highly recommend as you can load as many isos as you want and choose which one to boot from. Great for tech. However I have also tried a regular bookable USB drive on here as well.
I've recently got myself an IODD, which is basically a smart portable SSD enclosure. You can chuck ISOs and VHDs on it and boot from them directly. It can also be used a plain old external harddisk tho
Not free software, but I have heard of people having good luck with this once loaded up:
https://www.amazon.com/Iodd-Iodd2531-Black-Virtual-Enclosures/dp/B00TDJ4BJU/
I replaced DriveDroid with one of these...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TDJ4BJU
It's more expensive now, and you need to install a hdd, but in my line of work, it's very useful