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**Snoopy8** · 16-May-2025, 12:46 PM

Was helping out in this thread
https://forums.snakeoil-os.net/Thread-Sn...88#pid8188

And discovered that USB boot on the Pi5 is better than microSD. And the difference between the Pi5 and NUC is much smaller, with the NUC now slightly ahead!

***petemac110*** · 16-May-2025, 02:00 PM

(16-May-2025, 12:46 PM)Snoopy8 Wrote: Was helping out in this thread
https://forums.snakeoil-os.net/Thread-Sn...88#pid8188

And discovered that USB boot on the Pi5 is better than microSD. And the difference between the Pi5 and NUC is much smaller, with the NUC now slightly ahead!

Interesting! I will need to try this!

***uglymusic*** · 18-May-2025, 07:21 PM

(16-May-2025, 12:46 PM)Snoopy8 Wrote: Was helping out in this thread
https://forums.snakeoil-os.net/Thread-Sn...88#pid8188

And discovered that USB boot on the Pi5 is better than microSD. And the difference between the Pi5 and NUC is much smaller, with the NUC now slightly ahead!

And, I wonder if NVMe boot is better than USB?

**Snoopy8** · 18-May-2025, 07:50 PM

(18-May-2025, 07:21 PM)uglymusic Wrote: And, I wonder if NVMe boot is better than USB?

Maybe @hkphantomgtr can answer this?

***hkphantomgtr*** · 18-May-2025, 10:36 PM

(18-May-2025, 07:50 PM)Snoopy8 Wrote:
(18-May-2025, 07:21 PM)uglymusic Wrote: And, I wonder if NVMe boot is better than USB?
Maybe @hkphantomgtr can answer this?

I DO boot from USB in one of my Pi5 as I've killed its SD card slot accidentally. Maybe due to psychological influence, I found when a Pi5 with a USB receiver for keyboard, or USB card SD card for boot, the USB output (to DAC) can't produce good sound.

And for NVMe, I didn't boot from it yet, as my NVMe hat got 1 slot only. And I always separate the OS and music library in 2 physical drive as cloning 2T music files takes 6-7 hrs thru my 1000M intranet.

If @uglymusic doesn't mind, may I know why you don't want to use sd card to boot? Or are you planning to put OS and music library in the same drive？ Shy

***agent_kith*** · 19-May-2025, 10:08 AM

(18-May-2025, 10:36 PM)hkphantomgtr Wrote: And for NVMe, I didn't boot from it yet, as my NVMe hat got 1 slot only. And I always separate the OS and music library in 2 physical drive as cloning 2T music files takes 6-7 hrs thru my 1000M intranet.

Are you running NVMe off USB3.0 or off the PCI-e bus?

If you connect a USB DAC, a PCI-e bus to NVMe for OS (and music). Wired internet for music off a NAS might also work (jumbo frames, dedicated network) but it might not be as good (I'm only happy with my PC + NAS setup after moving to an Intel network card and a optical SFP connection).

***hkphantomgtr*** · 19-May-2025, 10:36 AM

(19-May-2025, 10:08 AM)agent_kith Wrote:
(18-May-2025, 10:36 PM)hkphantomgtr Wrote: And for NVMe, I didn't boot from it yet, as my NVMe hat got 1 slot only. And I always separate the OS and music library in 2 physical drive as cloning 2T music files takes 6-7 hrs thru my 1000M intranet.
Are you running NVMe off USB3.0 or off the PCI-e bus?

If you connect a USB DAC, a PCI-e bus to NVMe for OS (and music). Wired internet for music off a NAS might also work (jumbo frames, dedicated network) but it might not be as good (I'm only happy with my PC + NAS setup after moving to an Intel network card and a optical SFP connection).

I run my NVMe hat off the PCI-e bus, NOT USB3.0. Shy

***uglymusic*** · 19-May-2025, 01:50 PM

(18-May-2025, 10:36 PM)hkphantomgtr Wrote:
(18-May-2025, 07:50 PM)Snoopy8 Wrote:
(18-May-2025, 07:21 PM)uglymusic Wrote: And, I wonder if NVMe boot is better than USB?
Maybe @hkphantomgtr can answer this?

I DO boot from USB in one of my Pi5 as I've killed its SD card slot accidentally. Maybe due to psychological influence, I found when a Pi5 with a USB receiver for keyboard, or USB card SD card for boot, the USB output (to DAC) can't produce good sound.

And for NVMe, I didn't boot from it yet, as my NVMe hat got 1 slot only. And I always separate the OS and music library in 2 physical drive as cloning 2T music files takes 6-7 hrs thru my 1000M intranet.

If @uglymusic doesn't mind, may I know why you don't want to use sd card to boot? Or are you planning to put OS and music library in the same drive？

If I boot from NVMe drive, I'll buy one of those two-slot HATs (your thought about time copying is certainly valid). I was hoping that someone might guide me if it's worthwhile to boot from NVMe.

I'm currently booting from USB, which, I agree with @Snoopy8, sounds better than SD card. Maybe it's read/write speed? I don't know. Which leads me to the question about booting from NVMe.

I guess it'll have to wait until one of us tries it.

**Snoopy8** · 20-May-2025, 07:24 AM

(19-May-2025, 01:50 PM)uglymusic Wrote: I guess it'll have to wait until one of us tries it.

Sorry, won't be me. Currently, have 2 NUCs in passive cooling cases with NVME for SO, music on NAS or from Qobuz. Have a KKSB passive cooling case for Pi5. All Pi5 cases with a NVME have a fan.

Also, not encouraged by what I have read about issues using a NVME for the OS.

***uglymusic*** · 20-May-2025, 04:25 PM

(20-May-2025, 07:24 AM)Snoopy8 Wrote:
(19-May-2025, 01:50 PM)uglymusic Wrote: I guess it'll have to wait until one of us tries it.

Also, not encouraged by what I have read about issues using a NVME for the OS.

What have you read? I'm seriously considering it as a next stage for my server.

It's a great deal easier than messing with the clocks Wink