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I spent a while browsing forums and message boards looking for an answer to a simple question. Can I carry a linux distro in my pocket, and one which wasn't an installation media.
I eventually did it and this is how.
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The problem I found, is every post was basically a way to make a Live USB, where you boot from the USB like you would a live cd, you can either try or install. If you jump through hoops you can get a persistent install, where files could be stored but none of the methods worked for me.
Trying to do this on a windows machine made it even harder, so I took an experimental but safe way to install ubuntu gnome http://www.ubuntugnome.org on the USB as if it was the Hard Drive.
If you want to do the same, you need the following.
A Blank DVD - To make a Live DVD to be the installation media
A USB Drive - I used an 8GB Tevion
A copy of the distro you want, I chose Ubuntu Gnome 14.10 but this method should work with most distro’s.
Make the live CD
Firstly, I downloaded Ubuntu Gnome 14.10 from https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuGNOME/GetUbuntuGNOME . Once downloaded I used a DVD Writer to burn an installation DVD. For this i used “Free ISO Burner” http://www.freeisoburner.com.
2) Make your Computer Safe
If you feel safe that you wont wipe out your hard drive by mistake, you can skip this step.
Otherwise, open up your computer and disconnect your Hard Drives. Make sure the computer is off while you do this. I only took this step to make sure I did not lose important files on my main hard drive.
3) Insert your Live DVD and boot
Dependant on your computer, you may need to enable booting from a USB, this is done on first boot and usually has one of the F Keys assigned to a boot menu.
When your distro is booted, plug in your USB Drive and click install.
4) The surprisingly easy install
Even easier with no hard drives connected. Follow the installation wizard of you distro but when it asks you about partitions or how to install, go with “Something Else” or “Manual”. A standard setup will usually create a swap partition to use LIKE ram. With the install being on USB you don't want a swap partition, it will slow you down and eventually kill the usb drive.
Follow the install through to the end, then restart. Make sure you remove the DVD so it does not boot back into the Live DVD.
What's the result? Instead of having a USB Drive which boots to a “Try or Install” screen, you have a linux distro, how you would expect it, except for its on the USB and not your Hard Drive.
I have spent most of the evening using this USB method, even wrote this article while using it. Some things run slower than usual due to being over USB instead if SATA or IDE, but its usable, and I know I can use any PC like my own now.
Possible Benefits
- Always have the OS with you, as you like it with your theme, programs and data
Can be used as a Rescue Disk for debugging other systems
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