For a while now I’ve been trying to get a persistant install of Ubuntu on my 2gb USB Stick. I wanted the ability to chop and change programs etc and update the whole system. Basically I wanted a portable, up to date and secure way to have access to my desktop easily. It would also be a cool way to show people Ubuntu on their own PC without having to confuse them explaining what a live CD was.
However, everything I have tried so far has been unsatisfactory. There are, from what I can tell, three differing ways to pursue my aim.
Use Unetbootin to basically create a live USB. This is handy for installing Ubuntu to computers without a CD drive, like my Eee PC. Both links have instructions on how to achieve this. Advantages of this approach are that it is very easy and very fast. Disadvantages, it isn’t persistent.
Follow Pendrivelinux.com’s instructions to create a persistent USB install of Hardy Heron. Advantages of this approach, it does give you a lot of persistence in terms of appearance, programs and some updates. Disadvantages you can’t update everything, some system updates won’t go through. It also requires a lot of command line work, which although relatively straightforward could be intimidating if you aren’t used to it.
Lastly, simply load up an Ubuntu Live CD and install Ubuntu to your USB stick as if you were installing it to your hard drive. There is a slight difference to the normal approach and that is domcumented by Pendrivelinux here. This is the only method I haven’t tried yet because it requires at least a 4gb USB stick. Advantages, should be completely persistent. Disadvantages, requires a large USB stick. There seems to be some debate as to just how portable it would be given that the install would be aimed at the computer your USB stick was plugged into during install, not any subsequent computers.
Anyway, now you can make a better choice that just trial and error.
Update: For a very important caveat to the last option see David Wong’s post below.
You mentioned three methods. I have tried all of them. For the last one, there are two important changes after installation. Firstly, make sure you change the MBR of your USB drive and NOT your hard drive. This is at step 7 and you have to click the “Advanced’ button. Do not click ‘continue’ by default! Very important! Secondly, you have to change the menu.lst located at /boot/grub directory and change the drive to 0 i.e …(hd0,0), then it would take some time to install and things appears to go fine afterward. You can update and install additional packages. No problem.
One concern is the wearing of the USB drive as the swap partition is also installed on it. However, I have tried NOT to use swap partition but the performance will become slow and it takes very long time to do all the update! So it is a trade-in. I do not have better solution to this.
So the choice is up to you!
Cheers for the comment David.
Like I said, this is the only option I haven’t yet tried. I honestly wasn’t sure if swap would be an issue or not speed wise. I would be running without swap merely to save space anyway and most of the computers I would be hovering around are (relatively) up to date.
Either way I’m waiting til I get round to buying a decent USB stick before I try it. But thanks for clearing it up for anyone who may try this route based on my post.
FYI to readers looking for info… As of Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex [8.10.x], this process completely automated. See . I have tested this out and it works correctly.
If you haven’t found a solution yet,
Try this link – http://rudd-o.com/new-projects/portablelinux .
Just tried it with eeebuntu standard on an eee pc 701
Uses GRUB to boot from the USB and leaves the rest of the USB formatted with FAT32 so you can use it to share data with windows.
Apparently you can use it with any brand of Linux that uses casper.
I’m a complete newbie, and it worked for me
Mike Sanderson
Oops – sorry – that should be eeebuntu base! eeebuntu standard ISO is too big!