Install a Bootable Linux System on a Flash Drive

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Install a Bootable, PERSISTENT Linux System on a Thumbdrive

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Submitted On: Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 8:04:41 PM

Dodge

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Let me start by saying that some computers won't allow booting from a USB drive. Check in your BIOS for the option. If it's not there, all may not be lost. You might have to have a bootable drive in a USB port for it to give the option. I would follow this article and try it. There's really nothing to lose. Even if it doesn't work, you can wipe the flash drive and use it for storage.
While you're here in the BIOS, set it to boot from the USB drive first now.

This is a simple process, and you should have no problems. If you do run into issues, message me and I will see if I can help.

YOU WILL NEED:

UNetbootin.exe [Freeware] [4.2Mb]
Linux ISO CD Image [I used Ubuntu 9.10, but just about any of the others should work] [Open Source GNU GPL (Free)] [690Mb]
Minimum 1Gb USB flash drive (2+ Gb suggested) [about $7-$35 depending on size and store]
A computer to run Unetbootin and write the ISO to the drive (must have a working USB port {duh}).

*Note- Unetbootin gives the option to download the ISO directly from within the program. You can use this for your first drive, and then use the same downloaded ISO for any further installations. You don't have to redownload it. Or, you can download it through the links above, and tell the program to use that ISO.

**Another note- Be sure to choose the right ISO for your system (AMD64 or i386). One will work, and one will give nothing but errors!

***Yet another note, and an important one- If you are using a drive that is larger than 4Gb, you will need to break the formatting into 2 partitions. FAT32 can't handle a partition larger than 4Gb. There are several methods to do this. I use Gparted in Ubuntu. You can download a bootable ISO of Gparted and burn that to disk. Then boot that disk. It should take you right into the program.
Click the top right button to select your flash drive.
You should see a big rectangle that says something like /dev/sdb1 7.93 GiB. Click that big box.
Now click 'Resize/move'. Drag the right side of the box half way to the right. Fine-tune it with the little up/down arrows next to the numbers. You should wind up at about 3975Mb.
Now click 'Partition', 'Format to', 'FAT32'.
When that's done, click on the free space to the right of your first partition. Then click 'Partition', 'New'. Make it as big as it will allow. That makes all the space on the drive available.
Click 'Add'. Then set the format as you did with the other partition.
Now you can move on... Shut Gparted down, remove the CD and reboot.

I made a 1Gb Sandisk, a 4Gb Lexar and a 4 Gb PNY bootable drive for testing purposes, and an 8Gb Sandisk Cruzer (for me) and 2 4Gb Sandisk Cruzers for my boys. ...

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Tags: bootable, thumb, flash, drive, install, Ubuntu, Linux, USB, thumbdrive, flashdrive, portable

Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 2:43:55 PM #35213

Toasty SysOp Level 40 Posts: 7,353 Submissions: 227	Nice article Dodge! While you're right about the footnote, this is the best way (IMO) to run Linux, as it doesn't destroy my perfectly good Windows install! J/K, I do like seeing these though, it can be useful for testing things out. 5*

Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 6:46:40 PM #35258

teh1337 Member Level 10 Posts: 2,355	Dodge, i'm going to do this with a flash drive tonight. It's been a few years since i've tried using linux (and learned its completely fucking retarded)
	I love men.

Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 11:30:40 PM #35327

teh1337 Member Level 10 Posts: 2,355	I get the Bootmanager is missing error
	I love men.

Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 11:44:37 PM #35335

graboid90 Soldier 'Bandersnatch' Level 20 Posts: 798 Submissions: 10	I got several errors when trying this, but since its a dodge egg, 5*
	When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.

Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 11:47:10 PM #35336

Dodge Site Admin 'Open foot, insert mouth' Level 19 Posts: 1,914 Submissions: 51	What errors did you get, Graboid? Teh1337, I'm working on a solution for you....
	Oowwww. ( ̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅[̲̅ ̲̅]̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅ ̲̅) Uses [view] tag.

Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 1:37:10 AM #35342

teh1337 Member Level 10 Posts: 2,355	got it to work bro. Your guide is good, dont worry. Try formatting the flash drive to fat32, and make sure you get the right version of ubuntu/linux for your computer. The reason i got that error is because i downloaded a version for AMD. I run an intel processor and chipset.
	I love men.

Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 1:41:50 AM #35343

Dodge Site Admin 'Open foot, insert mouth' Level 19 Posts: 1,914 Submissions: 51	Glad you got it to work!
	Oowwww. ( ̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅[̲̅ ̲̅]̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅ ̲̅) Uses [view] tag.

Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 12:33:08 PM #35394

graboid90 Soldier 'Bandersnatch' Level 20 Posts: 798 Submissions: 10	I grabbed the wrong version as well! Thanks Teh1337.
	When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.

Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 2:50:53 PM #35422

Dodge Site Admin 'Open foot, insert mouth' Level 19 Posts: 1,914 Submissions: 51	LoL, simple oversight. I added a comment in the article to be sure to choose the right one. I have noticed a major downfall to using this system to make a bootable flash drive. Any settings are reset after rebooting. You can't save anything within the system. I will be writing another article shortly pertaining to a system that allows saving settings. Sorry if this is an inconvenience. :-(
	Oowwww. ( ̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅[̲̅ ̲̅]̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅ ̲̅) Uses [view] tag.

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 12:34:48 AM #35563

teh1337 Member Level 10 Posts: 2,355	Dodge, make it so i can boot this from a flash drive, save my settings and programs and ill donate points to you.
	I love men.

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 12:39:26 AM #35566

Dodge Site Admin 'Open foot, insert mouth' Level 19 Posts: 1,914 Submissions: 51	My next article will be just that. Not being able to save the settings is rather inconvenient. I have to work in the am, and I have a Dr appt in the pm... I might type the article in the afternoon. If not, definitely after the Dr.
	Oowwww. ( ̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅[̲̅ ̲̅]̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅ ̲̅) Uses [view] tag.

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 10:40:09 PM #35643

Dodge Site Admin 'Open foot, insert mouth' Level 19 Posts: 1,914 Submissions: 51	Got it. Making a new article now.
	Oowwww. ( ̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅[̲̅ ̲̅]̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅ ̲̅) Uses [view] tag.

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 10:57:06 PM #35648

graboid90 Soldier 'Bandersnatch' Level 20 Posts: 798 Submissions: 10	I'm reasonably sure it can't because there's no registry to change entries in, but don't quote me on that.
	When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 11:20:08 PM #35654

Dodge Site Admin 'Open foot, insert mouth' Level 19 Posts: 1,914 Submissions: 51	It has it's own 'registry', of sorts. It works. I was able to save to it. I'm about halfway done with the new article......
	Oowwww. ( ̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅[̲̅ ̲̅]̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅ ̲̅) Uses [view] tag.