Create a Live USB of ubuntu

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NOTE: this page is outdated, See: usb-creator and cd2usb

In this tutorial I will explain how to easily create a Live USB of ubuntu (wich is a bootable pendrive with an operating system in it), I will do it in VMware Workstation, this way there is no risk to damage a “real system”…
(already updated for ubuntu 8.04)

How to do it

  • 1. download and install VMware Workstation (a free 30 day trial is available)
  • 2. download the latest version of ubuntu, you can get it from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/hardy/daily-live/current/
  • 3. Create a new Virtual Machine with no Hard Drive
  • 4. “mount” the iso of ubuntu on the drive of the Virtual Machine (VM->Settings->CD ROM->"use ISO Image" and then select the location of the iso)
  • 5. Start the Virtual Machine
  • 6. plug your USB pendrive in the computer and then plug it in to the Virtual Machine, in VMware Workstation, click:

VM–>Removable Devices–>USB Devices–>”The name of your device”:


  • 7. reset the Virtual Machine, and then boot from the ubuntu CD (inside the Virtual Machine)
  • 8. You can just install ubuntu with the default settings, it’s a pretty straightforward process… (GRUB is automatically installed to the USB device, since there is only one device detected, so nothing to worry about that…)
  • 9. wait for it to install…
  • 10. If everything goes right, you should have your own Live USB of ubuntu!
  • 11. You can now boot from the Live USB (don’t forget to enable booting from USB devices in the BIOS!) and then install all your favorite programs… (all the settings and data are stored to the pendrive, so it remembers all settings and personal data, like a real installation, and unlike a Live CD)

Notes

  • Some older computers can’t boot from USB devices
  • The first time I tried this, once ubuntu was booted from the USB pendrive, I unplugged it (just to see what happened…), and the system in the Live USB became corrupted, and would not boot anymore… meaning: you shouldn’t trust valuable data to a Live USB, use only in an emergency or something… (or just for the fun of it! ;) )
  • Flash disks have a problem… they “wear out”, meaning: the more you use a USB pendrive, the more it wears out… and this is dramaticaly increased if it is used as a Live USB system…
  • The flash drive should be at least 4GB (even a 2 GB device is not enough) [link to image]

Have fun! :)

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