Does something like this already exist - Ubuntu image for USB flash drive with power apps?

For at least a couple years I've been wanting to mess with Ubuntu and create a bootable USB flash drive and have the most common apps on it for system diagnostics and drive image and partitioning, preferably everything for free. A whole host of other common apps would be nice to, to get by with in a pinch if your system is down (like web browsing, photo/graphics editing, MS Office type suite, etc)

Does something like this already exist? Or would I have to build and add apps myself? Sorry for the newbish question, but I'd rather use something that's already done than go through the whole process myself.

 

You could make a LiveUSB with a persistence file and install those apps on. The OS basically lives on the flash drive and never gets installed. The persistence file is basically whatever portion of the remainder you want to use for storage. You can install whatever apps you want and keep settings consistent. The only thing is it doesn't always plays nice if you save settings that are really system specific (like video drivers)

 

yes, try running a live usb install like woofer said. It's really easy to do. I would suggest using a 4gb flash drive, but a 2gb will work. ubuntu comes with all sorts of apps; openoffice, firefox, etc. if you use the 4gb flashdrive you'll have room to install other apps from ubuntu's huge app repository.

To do this:
download the ubuntu .iso image.
burn to cd, boot the cd and in the apps menu you'll find the create usb install.
-or-
download the ubuntu .iso and use www.linuxliveusb.com utility which works excellent.

 

Thanks guys, I'll give it a go. I have a spare 8GB drive lying around, but are there size limitations, or can I take advantage of the full 8GB?

 

I haven't seen any size limitations, but I would note that creating a large persistence file slows down the creation process noticeably. You could certainly load up 8GB worth of applications if you wanted to, but I truly doubt you'd need even 2GB to load up a full suite of diagnostic tools and office/productivity software. You could probably swing it on just a 2GB drive.

 

Ok, thanks. I may just get a fast 4GB drive. They're pretty darn cheap these days.

 

It'll be fine on an 8GB drive if that's what you have. I just tend to dump my LiveUSBs onto the smallest flash I have on hand because it seems like a waste of a big drive. Then again, I have a small box of old flash drives to do stuff like this with.

 

just throwing this idea out there,not sure if it would work

but install ubuntu on one of your computers, install whatever apps you would like, then perform a remastersys -dist on your ubuntu for an iso

should work, i think.

 

I want this to be portable and somewhat universal for various machines. I own a couple desktops and a couple laptops (well maybe only one soon). Not to mention helping friends, etc.

 

Check out Parted Magic.