Just bought a USB drive to play without cd noise. PNY Classic Attaché 16GB 10euro (salesman said 25mbps, but just standard high speed usb2.0)

After formatting for xbox and getting the performance approvement decided to do some kitchen timer benchmarks before installing disk 2 and after. I did all these 3 times but got kinda constant times to the second.

1: Startup time from pressing the play button in dash. Timed from screen going black until being in the game ready to move. Loading Trevor standing outside his house in Sandy Shores

Running from disk 1min41sec

Running from usb 1min20sec

2: Running from Trevors house to the water and drowning. Timed from the screen going black after the wasted message until being outside hospital ready to play.

Running from disk 23sec

Running from usb 22sec

So some improvements in start up but the ingame loading not much. Although the 1sec difference from loading after death was constant. Also loading a retry mission was 14sec and to fast for me to time a difference. Although from gut feeling and watching the loading circle the usb seemed to load the map screen a circle spin faster.

So if you got a 16gb stick recommend using it and kinda feel like the 10dollar/euro price point is worth it, mainly because of the cd sound. But as a PC setting perfectionist its good to know the game is not getting worse and I can play in peace and quiet (damn that old ass cd drive spinning).

is it possible to partition a 500 gig usb drive and use it without deleting all my data ?

@frankiebeanz: When you set the drive up (in the storage menu) you can pick how large of a 360 partition you want (up to 32gig). When you look at the drive on a PC you'll see a folder on the disc that is the 360 stuff.