The process of loading an Android operating system onto a portable storage device and initiating a device from that storage, rather than the device’s internal memory, allows for a versatile and potentially recoverable computing environment. For example, a user might employ this method to test a custom Android build without overwriting the existing operating system on their device.
Employing external media for system initialization provides several advantages, including the ability to try alternative operating systems without permanently altering the internal storage. This is especially beneficial for testing and development purposes. Historically, this technique has been crucial for system recovery and diagnostics when the primary boot method fails.