# Installing Ubuntu on USB Flash Drive (Not Live)



## Gauravs90 (Jun 23, 2012)

Here I'm going to explain on how to install a fully working linux specifically Ubuntu 12.04 LTS on USB Flash drive

*Pro's of installing linux in a USB flash drive---*

1. Linux is a great OS which can run on a variety of computers without the need of additional drivers unlike windows where you have to install drivers every time you install the OS. So you can say it's a very good OS having very good mobility. ( Now it is challenged by 'windows to go' feature of windows 8 which is going to be released very soon)

2. Linux requires very less hardware to run.

3. In linux, drivers do not conflict unlike windows so it's easy to use same linux installed on USB flash drive to work with different computer.

4. You can carry your personal and customized OS with you anywhere you want on a USB.

5. Various application can be installed on it like avast antivirus, Gparted etc.... which can rescue a broken system.

*Con's of installing linux in a USB Flash drive--*

1. As USB flash drives are slow than Hard Disks so the OS will run really slow. Mind it, it will be annoyingly slow.

2. Installing OS on USB may eat your USB Flash drive soon as Flash drives have limited write cycles.

3. Browsing may seem very slow as browsers waits to read cache from filesystem.

Now as you have seen the pro's and con's now we will proceed on installing linux.

If you have not downloaded ubuntu then download from www.ubuntu.org

After downloading burn the downloaded image on CD or DVD and boot from it.

You need at least 4 GB Flash Drive but 8 GB is recommended.

Here is step by step procedure-

1. Boot from live CD in ubuntu.

2. Insert the USB flash drive in USB Port.

3. On desktop double click on icon 'install ubuntu 12.04'

4. Click on continue and it will ask if you want to unmount the flash drive click on yes

5. Choose some thing else when ask to where to install ubuntu.

6. Next you will see your hard disk partitions and flash drive. Click on flash drive partition and then click on change. Change the partition type to ext4 and mount as to '/'. Click on ok to close the dialogue box.

7. In last you will see a drop down menu on where to install the the boot loader.* Initially it will be showing sdc,sdd but on drop down you must select sdc1 or sdd1*. *Failing  this step you may render your computer unbootable.*

8. Then click on install and linux will be installed on your USB Flash drive.


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## akhilthgreat (Aug 27, 2012)

Thanks !
Nice Tutorial .


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## dead.night7 (Feb 19, 2013)

Sir, can u tell me if the os is installed, then what will happen if we remove the flash drive from pc. my main reason asking this, is user's pc having windows and if we plug in flash drive during the computer is booting on, do we have an Option to choose from the existing Win and flash's linux?


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## Gauravs90 (Feb 19, 2013)

If USB Drive is set in the first booting order then the USB linux will boot in automatically...


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## Sarang\m/ (Feb 21, 2013)

Thanks. Really nice and small tutorial


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## ramakanta (Mar 5, 2013)

Thank you very much for nice tutorial.


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## topgear (Jun 6, 2013)

very nice .. wish if windows can be installed on PD's like this


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## anirbandd (Aug 14, 2013)

very nice tut!!

pity usb drives have limited read write cycles...


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## topgear (Aug 15, 2013)

just get a corsair Flash voyager series usb 2.0 drive [ if you can find one ] with 10 years warranty


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## star (Sep 2, 2013)

Gauravs90 said:


> Here I'm going to explain on how to install a fully working linux specifically Ubuntu 12.04 LTS on USB Flash drive
> 
> *Pro's of installing linux in a USB flash drive---*
> 
> ...



I wonder why things need to be so strict, pedant, austere, galloping, rigorous, severe, stringent, aggregating, astringent  every other site have seen sais between two to four  gb sufficient ,on what you base that 8 gb is recommended ?


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## Skyh3ck (Sep 21, 2013)

corsair now only sell with 5 year warranty and they are too costly as compare to others


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## topgear (Sep 21, 2013)

Corsair is not alone .. is there any manufacturer left which provides 5 years + warranty of USB 3.0 Flash drives ??


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