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    Can you install Linux from a USB flash drive?

    Discussion in 'Linux Compatibility and Software' started by The Fire Snake, Jul 6, 2009.

  1. The Fire Snake

    The Fire Snake Notebook Virtuoso

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    I know that there are ways to install Linux onto a flash drive and boot from it like disk, but my questions are these...

    1.) Can you put an ISO file on a flash drive and install Linux from the flash drive to the harddrive of the machine?

    2.) What must you do to have the flash drive recognized as the primary device to boot from when the machine is booted. This is so the machine boots from the flash drive first before any other device so I can install from it.

    Thanks.
     
    The Fire Snake, Jul 6, 2009
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  2. mr_raider

    mr_raider Notebook Consultant

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    1. Yes. Use a program like unetbootin or win netbootin.

    2. Go in to BIOs and set the USB as first boot device.
     
    mr_raider, Jul 7, 2009
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  3. paper_wastage

    paper_wastage Beat this 7x7x7 Cube

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    unetbootin works for most linux ISOs (well, the program has a download function that has a list of ISOs you can download+'install' to the USB flash drive.... it also has a ISO->USB flash drive function that works sometimes, sometimes not
     
    paper_wastage, Jul 7, 2009
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  4. Primes

    Primes Notebook Deity

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    I know with ubuntu you can use the live cd to install ubuntu to a flash drive (its a menu item), then boot the flash drive on another machine and install.

    I imagine you can do this with pretty much any distro that has a live cd. Its pretty easy to make a linux bootable flash drive using an iso and syslinux.
     
    Primes, Jul 8, 2009
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  5. The Fire Snake

    The Fire Snake Notebook Virtuoso

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    Thanks guys! I just wanted to know if it was possible and it looks like it is. The reason I ask is I might be getting a laptop without an optical drive, but I have a flash drive big enough to store an ISO. I wanted to see if I could load it off of that.
     
    The Fire Snake, Jul 8, 2009
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  6. zephyrus17

    zephyrus17 Notebook Deity

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    Arch has an img version that can install from Flash drives as well
     
    zephyrus17, Jul 8, 2009
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  7. Enunes

    Enunes Notebook Consultant

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    I was just going to say that :(

    Anyway, just to add to it; you don't need any sort of software to put the bootable arch into your usb drive, as long as you have access to a linux distribution (to run the dd command).
    http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Install_from_USB_stick

    And damn, Arch usb drive even offers Space Invaders to play without booting the operating system! :D
     
    Enunes, Jul 8, 2009
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