How to Create an Ubuntu install USB stick
If you don't fancy carrying the delicate Ubuntu installation CD around with you, you can copy its contents to a USB key stick and use that to install Ubuntu onto computers (provided those computers can boot from USB, and most modern computers will be able to).
This is also a handy way of creating a portable USB installation of Ubuntu on a small USB key (ie 1/2GB) for use on other computers. The only problem is that the system software can't be updated, and you'll always be running as root user, because that’s how the live distro mode
of the install CD operates.
This tip is only relevant for users of Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) or below. Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) has built-in tools to install to create an installer USB key stick.
To make the process easier, a member of the Ubuntu community created the fantastic Liveusb software that will entirely automate the creation of a USB install stick. To install it, first add his software repository - click System → Administration → Software Sources, select the Third-
Party Software in the window that appears, and then click the Add button. Then type the following into the APT line text field:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/probono/ubuntu hardy main
Click OK, then the Close button in the parent dialog box, and then click to reload the list of packages when prompted. Then use Synaptic to search for and install liveusb. You’ll be told the package isn’t authenticated but this is fine.
Insert the USB stick, insert your Ubuntu install CD, and then start the program by clicking System → Administration → Install Live USB. In the Options section, you can select to install Flash Player on the USB stick, and also whether you want to make the USB stick "persistent",
which is to say, any files you save after booting from it will stick around, rather than being wiped each boot.
Note that a bug in the Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron installation CD means that it is impossible to activate persistent mode on the USB key stick. This has been fixed in the Ubuntu 8.04.1 install CD.
Tags: boot,live install,synaptic,usb
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