Creating a Live USB in Ubuntu. Top Live USB Linux Distributions

If you need to install the Linux operating system on your own computer, then the first thing you need for the implementation of this task is a bootable flash drive with a selected distribution in this operating system. For such purposes, the Linux Live USB Creator utility is not suitable.

Linux Live USB Creator is a free utility to create a bootable USB carrier with a distribution of a well-known Linux space-free distribution.

If you have not yet loaded the Linux OS distribution, then this task can be done directly in the program window. You will need only to choose the desired version Distribution, after which you will be prompted to download the system of the system yourself from the official website or automatically (right in the program window).

Copying data on a USB flash drive with CD

If you have a Linux distribution on the disk and you need to transfer it to a USB flash drive, making it loading, then in linux program Live USB Creator provides a special feature that allows you to perform this task, fully moved information from the CD to the loading flash drive.

Using the image file

Suppose you have a downloaded Linux operating system file on your computer. To start creating a boot flash drive, you will need only to specify in the program. this fileAfter which you can start writing an image to a USB carrier.

Run Linux from under Windows

Another interesting features, a program that allows you to run Linux on a computer running Windows. However, it will require the Internet to work this feature (to download additional VirtualBox virtual machine files). In the future, Linux will run on a computer running Windows directly from the flash drive.

Advantages:

1. Convenient and modern interface with the support of the Russian language;

2. Advanced feature set to create a bootable media (compared to the Universal USB Installer program);

3. The utility extends absolutely free.

Disadvantages:

1. Not found.

Linux Live USB Creator is an ideal tool if you have decided to find out what Linux is OS. The program will allow you to create a bootable flash drive for the normal installation of this operating system, and create a Live-CD to start the EEC flash drive using a virtual machine.

Many people I advise you to use the so-called Live CD and Live USB with an alternative Ubuntu operating system. But oddly enough, a well-written manual on creating a bootable flash drive with Ubuntu is not even on the behaient of the manufacturers.

In principle, with medium knowledge of English language This is not a problem, but with the initial level is such a simple action as creating a loading flash drive with Ubuntu It will be just a nightmare.

Why do I take as the basis of the USB flash drive? The answer is quite simple - I have three of them and at hand almost never happen neither clean CD, nor DVD, but the flash drive is please! The second reason for this post was the breakdown of the hard drive on my netbook, which without such a flash drive is just a stand for a cup of tea at the moment.

This manual can be used not only to create Ubuntu Live Flash, but it will also work with other Linux distributions, except very specific.

Create a loading flash drive with Ubunta

1. The first thing that will be needed to install is a distribution system. It is better to download it in advance, since the installation program will download it much slower (apparently configured to jump from the US, and not the nearest server).

At this stage you need to suffer and load an ISO image with Ubunta to your PC. Important aspect to create a loading flash drive with Ubunta - It is impossible to change the name of the image ISO!Most likely it is an outmanding glitch in the installer, but I seriously say you: "The installer will not see the ISO image, if you change the file name."

2. The second step implies the download utility to create the loading flash drive itself. You can download it with me - or the latest version on the site manufacturer. It is not necessary to install it, we can say that this is a portable version 🙂

3. Step Three. You have a disk image with ubuntu and utility, as well as a flash drive with two gigabytes of memory on board.

We do the following:

format a USB flash drive (better than FAT32, default cluster, fast). The utility also provides formatting, but I have difficulty downloading from a flash drive, so I advise you to format it with Windows tools
we start the utility, while it is important that the flash drive is already connected to the PC, otherwise it will not see it.
select the specified distribution in it - the names must match, remember? (Usually this Ubuntu №№ ... ISO)
select the address of the flash card (if you suddenly attach 3 things) and click Create

Now only the expectation of the miracle of the completion of the utility and the flash drive is ready for use.

Loading with USB Live Flash Stick

Now you can try the work of our new flash drive in action, but for this you need to make edits in the BIOS PC, laptop or netbook.

Usually, in BIOS, you can enter the DEL or F2 keys during PC boot. You need to find a boot point or Boot Priority. (There may be combinations with the word setup) and put the flash drive the first bootable place or even better - the only one.

I'll show you on the example of a glood netbook:

What to do if Ubuntu is not loaded from the flash drive?

Additional information provided by Arthur from St. Petersburg, the story can be contemplated in the comments. There were problems with installing Ubuntustudio on a netbook.

So, if the flash drive is not defined as the boot device, you need to "deceive the system" and present it in the form of a hard drive. To do this, we need another specific utility - RmpRepusb.

In the screenshot below shows step-by-step setting Utilities:

Now Read more:

We will need ISO file image and a flash drive for 2 and more gigabytes of memory.
Download the RMPRepusB utility (it is usually the first in the install_rmprepusb_2.1.628full.zip list, but the number may differ).
Install the utility on the PC and run it.
Configure program parameters:

select the "boot sector" - SYSLINUX
fAT32 File System + Boot AS HDD (or USB-ZIP)
mark the item "Copy system files"
we agree with Unpacking ISO and specify the path to our Distribution Ubuntu or what you have there.

Upon completion of the care of the utility, you will have a finished boot flash drive, which will be determined in the system as a hard disk.

What can be done with a loading flash drive with Ubuntu?

First of all, it is already a whole system that will allow you to see, erase or write files to your (or someone else's) PC. At the same time know the password to Windows is not necessary (except for the system disk). The system loading speed will depend directly from PC parameters and a flash card speed.

Also, your PC will be able to connect to the Internet and will allow you to work online without special losses in speed. Wi-Fi also works and you can find my articles about, as well as try to solve your problems.

In addition, you can save your files on the system disk if Windows has ordered to live long.

Using this program, you can format or redistribute disk or other flash drive.

Here is in general and everything that I wanted to write on this issue. Clarifications - in comments!

Developer: Thibaut Lauziere
Distribution: free
Russian interface: present

Program LinuxLive USB Creator Made in the form step by step leadership on the creation of LiveUSB flash drive, and all the steps of creating boot disk Displayed on one screen. A plus for novice users is the fact that the utility has the support of the Russian language.

Consider the items of the utility:

1. First step
The creation wizard offers to choose the media used.

2. Second Step
Specify the location of the image source LiveCD. The source can be the finished LinuxLive image on the hard disk or specify an optical drive with the recorded LiveCD from which you want to create a copy to the USB flash drive. If you do not have a ready-made image, the utility itself will be able to automatically download the image of operating systems from the Internet.

3. Third Step
Defining the settings file. The settings file will allow you to perform some actions with files in the LIVE system and when the session is completed to save the changes made, (you may want to add shortcuts or folders to the LiveUSB system or to make changes to the system). Naturally, when the system loads occurs with a CD or DVD media, the user cannot add data on a CD or DVD and is forced to work in that configuration that was prepared before writing to the disk. The Persistence function is automatically activated when specifying the size of the settings file.

4. Fourth stage
Additional options: In Chekbox, you can specify the program to hide the created files. In the process of recording the loading flash drive, the utility can format the media in FAT32 (all data on the flash drive will be erased!). And the interesting option of the LinuxLive USB Creator program is the ability to run Portable version of the free VirtualBox virtual machine. The user gets a flash drive with virtual machinewhich automatically starts when the media is connected!

Form Ubuntu 12.10 Now it does not fit on cD, so I recommend using it to write it USB Flash Drive. Or simply flash drive of any size. This instruction will offer two options for users. Ubunt / Linux Mintby creating Live USB from Ubuntu 12.10.

Preparation of flash drive

In order to set the distribution on the USB flash drive, it is recommended to format it into the format ext4..
First you need to insert a USB flash drive and determine it using the following command:

In my system, the flash drive is connected as / dev / sdb1

Change / dev / sdb1 However, your flash drive was determined and perform the following commands to format in ext4.:

sudo umount / dev / sdb1

sudo MKFS.EXT4 / DEV / SDB1

You already have to load the image Ubuntu 12.10 from offsite Ubuntu. .

Option 1-y.

Creating a boot disk

The program with the same name is set by default in any distribution. Ubuntu / Linux Mint:

If you have a few on your computer .iso imagesClick the button Overview For selection Ubuntu 12.10, and then Create boot disk.

Option 2nd

Creating a loading flash drive with UnetBootin

UnetBootin.this is a tool with a graphical interface that allows the user to create Live USBwith different distributions. It is not installed by default, but there is Center of Apps.
To install it in Ubuntu / Linux Mint, Run the following command in the terminal:

sudo Apt-Get Install UnetBootin

First of all you need to copy the loaded image with Ubuntu 12.10 and move it to Nautilus.Open with superuser rights:

sudo Nautilus.

Activate Disk image And press the Unnamed button to search for distribution:

Linux is a unique operating system with open source codewhich has many unique features and capabilities. And what important feature do not have other operating systems? Of course live mode. Live USB is the distribution mode from the flash drive, Live CD or Live DVD works from the disk. Data from media is loaded into rAM computer and distribution running without installing on hDD or SSD.

Today, people refuse disks in favor of USB flash drives, so today the best Live distributions will be considered (Live CD, Live DVD and Live USB in essence do not differ in the inner structure of the image, so you can try all distributions from our list in Live mode on supported types of drives).

This distribution fell to our list "Top Live USB Distributions Linux "At least for one reason. Ubuntu has already been able to work in Live mode at one time when other distributions could only dream about it. In Live, Ubuntu mode clearly demonstrates almost all the features and features of the Linux operating system.

In general, Live mode in Ubuntu is very convenient for newbies, since most people go to Linux still with Windows, and the Ubuntu distribution interface is completely different. In LIVE mode, the user has the opportunity not only to inspect the programs, but also to fully get acquainted with the Unity environment.

This distribution includes many pre-installed software (browser, multimedia, office package, client email And others), which you can use in Live mode. The delivery also includes a driver manager in which you can easily install the driver you need.

In general, almost everything is already done for you if you are new to and want to try Linux, you can safely write the image on the USB flash drive and experiment.

2. NetRunner.

Linux Distribution NetRunner focuses on the desktop environment KDE Plasma and comes with a huge number of pre-installed software. In addition to the standard set, you will find programs such as Skype, Wine, Steam, VitrualBox, VLC and GIMP.

Note: Steam and VirtualBox will not work normally in Live mode for quite understandable reasons.

Why did Netrunner hit our list of the best LIVE USB Linux distributions? The fact is that the Netrunner distribution team managed to optimize the work of KWIN on low-power machines, which also makes this distribution perfect to work in Live mode.

The KDE desktop environment itself in this distribution in principle did not undergo special changes, but they still have. Along with the standard KDE panel in NetRunner, a side panel appeared for more quick access to multimedia control. In addition, you can detect many topics that you will not find in other distributions with the KDE environment.

3. Bunsenlabs Linux

Remember Crunchbang? Eh ... Project, unfortunately, dead. Fortunately, he now came to life in the face of Linux Distribution BunsenLabs. What represents this distribution? BunsenLabs is based on Debian Jessie and uses the OpenBox window manager with the TINT2 panel and the Conky system monitor.

As part of the Bunsenlabs you can detect a huge amount of configurations for Conky. So make the work desk as you want, it will be easier. You can also find a bunch of ideas for customization on custom BunsenLabs forums.

This distribution can work on 32-bit, 64-bit and even ARM computers.

4. Porteus.

Porteus is sufficiently light by weight Linux distribution (about 300 megabytes). A feature of this distribution is modular structure. Unlike most Linux distributions that work with package manager, Porteus uses pre-compiled modules that can be quickly integrated into the working system.

After working with the module is completed, you can disable it, and the module will be removed from the directory structure. With this system, you only use what you need. You can download modules, store and connect them when necessary.

It is also worth mentioning that Porteus is stored in a compressed form, although decompression occurs very quickly. Still in Porteus were reworked upload scenarios, thanks to which the speed of starting and completing the work was increased, so you have a depository for the perfect everyday use of Linux in Live mode.

5. AV Linux

This distribution is designed specifically to create video, audio and graphics, in general, for all kinds of creativity. AV Linux is not a conventional distribution, it is based on the Debian Stretch test branch. As the desktop environment, the developers were chosen by the XFCE shell 4. Since this distribution is for creativity, there are various programs for creating audio and video. Among multimedia-oriented programs you will find Ardour, Audacity, Blender, Cinelerra, Handbrake, Hydrogen, Kdenlive, MuseScore, OpenShot and VLC Media. Player.

But in addition to all this, this operating system uses third-party Linux "RT" and Jack Audio Connection Kit for a reduced audio delay. So if you want to engage in creativity under the Linux operating system, then the AV Linux distribution is perfect for this.

6. Puppy Linux

This distribution fell into our list of the best Linux distributions for USB for two reasons. The first of these is the possibility of full-fledged work from the drive, and the second - this distribution is designed for very weak or cheap computers.

There are three versions of the Puppy Linux distribution. One of them is Slacko Puppy, which is based on Slackware, one of the oldest Linux distributions. Although Slackware is not as popular among the usual users, Slacko Puppy uses many people, while understanding what this version of the distribution is based on.

The following version is built with the use of the Ubuntu 14.04 LTS batch database and is designed for more powerful computers. And called this editors Distribution Tahrpup.

The third version is the main project of Puppy Linux, which was originally founded by Barry Kauler. Latest versions The code name QUIRKY has been developed to further launch the distribution to the USB drive.

7. Gparted Live.

Hard drives are broken into parts, called sections. You can have different sections for different purposes. For example, on the same section you have a system installed, on the second section you store photos, documents, videos and music, and the third section is a swap. In any case, you will ever need to change their size, combine or split.

For the Linux operating system there is very good program To control partitions - Gparted. But what if you need, for example, to change the size of the partition on which you have a system installed? Without unmounting the section, it will not work. That is why Live Distribution of Gparted Live was created. Just be careful, please. Any incorrect action can lead to big problems.

conclusions

So we reviewed our small list of Live USB distributions. It will be very interesting for me to read your comments. You can also ask your questions, I will try to answer.