How-To Guide: three Ways To Boot Ubuntu Linux From a USB Flash Drive

Jacklyn J. Dyer September 29, 2024

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Option 1: Boot Ubuntu as a Live CD from a USB Flash Drive

Use this option to put in Ubuntu as a Live Install, which allows you to boot from the USB flash force in Ubuntu and enjoy the Linux surroundings; however, it will not retain any adjustments or settings after you close up down. This is an extraordinary manner to get a sense of the OS and check a number of its competencies and traditional hardware compatibility.

Programs you could want to download:

Ubuntu 10.04 Live CD ISO available at ubuntu.Com

Universal USB Installer available at pendrivelinux.Com

What you will need:

Running Windows XP/Vista/7

Fat32 Formatted USB 2.Zero Flash Drive, at least 1GB

PC with a Bios which could boot from USB

With all the necessary components in the vicinity, we can begin to set up our Ubuntu Live USB Drive.

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1. Run the Universal USB Installer using Pendrivelinux.Com, which you downloaded earlier.

2. Choose Ubuntu 9.10/10.04.1 Desktop i386

3. Select the Ubuntu Live CD that you downloaded earlier

4. Choose your Flash Drive

5. In this instance, we will leave the patience option unchecked.

This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour, depending on the speed of your gadget. At one factor, the progress bar will freeze until it’s far performed, which is the lengthiest wait.

Once whole, you may reboot your laptop with the USB flash power inside the USB port, press F12 for the Boot Menu, and pick out the detachable media, and you are in.

As a Live USB, any adjustments you make to the Ubuntu surroundings will no longer persist through a reboot. This is because, strolling on this mode, Ubuntu used to have RAM in place of the Swap and Hard Disk area. This option also contains the installation files you had to install Ubuntu without delay for your computing device if you desire.

Option 2: Boot Ubuntu as a Live CD with Persistence from a USB Flash Drive

This option will install Ubuntu Linux onto your flash pressure with an area for the persistent garage. You might be able to restart the PC, boot lower back into the Linux environment, and all settings or changes made formerly will persist.

NOTE:

This option is tough on Flash Memory, as there may be some analyzing and writing to the Flash Memory.

What you will want:

Running Windows XP/Vista/7

Fat32 Formatted USB 2.0 Flash Drive, at least 2GB

PC with a Bios which could boot from USB

We can start setting up our Ubuntu Live USB Drive with all of the necessary additives in the region.

1. Run the Universal USB Installer by Pendrivelinux.Com, which you downloaded earlier.

2. Choose Ubuntu nine.10/10.04.1 Desktop i386

3. Select the Ubuntu Live CD which you downloaded in advance

4. Choose your Flash Drive

5. Select the Persistence Option of 1GB Casper-RW

This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, depending on your system’s speed. At one point, the progress bar will freeze until it’s far finished, which is the system’s lengthiest wait.

Once entire, you may reboot your computer with the USB flash drive within the USB port, press F12 for the Boot Menu, and pick the detachable media to boot from, and you are in.

As a Live USB with Persistence, any adjustments you make to the Ubuntu environment will be maintained through a reboot. This choice also includes the install documents needed to set up Ubuntu without delay on your computing device.

Option three: Install Ubuntu immediately to a USB Flash Drive

This alternative works via installing Ubuntu to the flash force as an entire installation. It no longer maintains the setup files to put in on some other device. This will help you use Ubuntu precisely as though it had been set up on your own at the tough disk. You can boot from it with any laptop from a USB flash drive.

Note:

This technique requires you to disable your difficult drive in BIOS to save you from overwriting your contemporary running machine and force the setup onto the USB pressure.

What you may want:

USB 2.Zero Flash Drive, at least 4GB

PC with a BIOS that could boot from USB

Blank CD

A Computer with the ability to Burn CD/DVD

Now, we can start the technique with all the vital additives in the vicinity.

1. First, you must burn your Ubuntu ISO to CD using software like ImgBurn, available at ImgBurn.Com. Boot your laptop and press F2 to go into the system BIOS. Within here, you may want to disable your Hard Drive. If this is not a choice for your BIOS, I could advise shutting down your PC and unplugging the electricity and information cables from your difficult drive before intending. NOTE: If you no longer pick disable your tough power, you risk putting Ubuntu on top of your modern OS and can lose precious facts.

3. After disabling your difficult pressure, create the Ubuntu Live CD on your PC and boot from this.

4. At the preliminary boot display, select to attempt Ubuntu, no longer installation.

5. Once Ubuntu loads, plug the favored flash power into the computer.

6. Now, double-click the Install Ubuntu icon that looks at the laptop.

7. The first 3 monitors are language, time zone, and keyboard layout.

8. Now, Ubuntu will notify you that there’s a disk established and asks you to unmount it. This is your flash force. Give it permission to unmount.

9. This is the prepared disk space display. Again, I chose to depart mine at default and allow the installer to take care of the walls needed with the aid of Linux.

10. Now, you’ll see the login and person statistics display.

11. Now you are geared up to install, click installation.

12. At one factor for the setup duration, you can note a bypass button on the bottom left. This is to skip the car update and, sooner or later, the language packs. I selected to cut language packs and replace them.

13. This might also take some time; mine took about 35 mins to complete. When it’s far accomplished, eject the disk and close the PC. Plug your hard power back in if vital, or boot your computer into bios and re-enable it. Reboot your computer and press F12 to enter the boot menu, pick out the flash pressure, and boot into Ubuntu.