Embodiments of the present invention are provided that include executing, by a processor, a software stack received from a first boot image, and retrieving and executing, by the processor, a second software stack. A writeable boot device such as a storage device with a removable medium is detected, and the second software stack is saved by replacing, on the writeable boot device, the first boot image with a second boot image comprising the second software stack. The second software stack is saved upon detecting the boot device having no boot image.