Ubuntu is fantastic Linux distribution. It takes jut 600 MB RAM on fresh book. It is much faster than other propitiatory desktop operating systems.
Normally, a home compute have SATA hard disk ( 300 Mbps for SATA 2.0 and 600 MBps for SATA3.0. Now a days, USB 3.0 comes with 150 MBps and upto 200GB !
2-Bring your operating system in where ever you go ! Use your USB to run your own Personal Desktop OS at school, office, Cafe, hotel etc.
Let me share steps.
1- Download latest Ubuntu iso : http://www.ubuntu.com/download
2- Download Rufus . Use it to burn Ubuntu iso on USB flash drive you are intended to use as installer : http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows
3-Boot Ubuntu from installer USB. You may need to change boot order in setup. Usually accessed by F2 key when pressed during POST. F12 - one time boot menu. Turn off Secure Boot if your BIOS has this option.
This installer USB is a FAT32 filesystem and it will not save any changes you will made on this as it similar to live CD. Though, there is work-around to save your changes (if you need) - search for casper-rw. Though, this is not our interest at this moment.
4- (skip this if you can boot with USB installer) If you can not boot from installer USB with all your efforts, possibly, your system does not support USB boot , does not support USB 3.0 or you need to upgrade bios etc. You may try re-burning iso once more. Obviously, if you can not boot installer from USB, you can not install and run Ubuntu from USB too. Stop here !
5- If above fails and you wish to install Ubuntu on free space of existing disk or on second disk :
a- Burn iso on a DVD ( you have bootable DVD, right !)
b- Download macrorit disk partition expert portable version
c- Reduce your disk ( BTW can be use dor USB too) partition to free up around 8 GB
d- Follow steps somewhat similar to below to install Ubuntu ( You do not need BIOS Boot and EFI System partition ESP)
Ubuntu Installation on USB Drive
1-Boot from USB installer media prepared in above step
2- Select "Install Ubuntu". Refer : http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/install-ubuntu-desktop
3- Plug in USB Flash drive on which you are going to install Ubuntu
4-You must select "Something Else" in installation type. It will allow you to manual partition USB Drive
5- USB Partition : You must have minimum 3 partition. swap partition (point c) can be ignored, though it is recommended.
a- A 10 MB partition "BIOS boot" partition - Unformulated, no filesystem on it, no mount point, Set bios_grub flag on it ( it is required by GPT partition type - ignoring details discussion here)
b- A 200 MB fat32 partition, flag "EFI System Partition - ESP". DO NOT select mount poin /boot/efi . Leave mount point blank as installer know what to do with this. More detail is here.
c- 1 or 2 GB Swap partition of "Linux swap" type
d - All remaining space as - ext4 Linux FIlesystem, format it
Important Note #1 :You MUST select your usb drive in "Device for boot loader installation"
6- Select Download updates while installing and Install this third-party software now. It will install many 3rd party packages that Ubuntu repository do not have because of Licensing issues.
7- Go ahead and kick off installation and grab a coffee you deserve ! Once you will be back, Installation might be completed. Take out installation media, label it, keep it safe ( Trust me, you need it in future). Reboot system. If USB is your first boot device, your Ubuntu will be on your screen in 2 minutes. If required, bring one time boot menu, select USB flash drive, boot it.
8-Is your newly installed Ubuntu is portable and you can use it on any other systems ? Hint : If you see UEFI : USB 3.0 ScanDisk (32GB), [ see this image]. It depends how much attention you paid to Important Note #1. Try to boot some other system to boot from USB.
Important Note #2 :Is you do not see a boot option similar to above, it indicate that boot loader was installed on some other existing ( first hard disk) disk that already had a UEFI ESP. Follow steps on my next blog.
Normally, a home compute have SATA hard disk ( 300 Mbps for SATA 2.0 and 600 MBps for SATA3.0. Now a days, USB 3.0 comes with 150 MBps and upto 200GB !
My Objective
1-Being Linux professional, use Ubuntu Linux for all daily work I do at home. So, install and run desktop OS from a USB Flash drive and Propitiatory OS only when firmware need to be upgraded ( most vendor do not release firmware for Linux !). I have achieved it !2-Bring your operating system in where ever you go ! Use your USB to run your own Personal Desktop OS at school, office, Cafe, hotel etc.
Let me share steps.
What you need
1-A 2 GB USB drive to be used as Latest Ubuntu installer media
2-At least 8 GB Usb drive to install Ubuntu . I use ScanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0 Flash drive - 32 GB (SGD 16)
Prepare Install Media
1- Download latest Ubuntu iso : http://www.ubuntu.com/download
2- Download Rufus . Use it to burn Ubuntu iso on USB flash drive you are intended to use as installer : http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows
3-Boot Ubuntu from installer USB. You may need to change boot order in setup. Usually accessed by F2 key when pressed during POST. F12 - one time boot menu. Turn off Secure Boot if your BIOS has this option.
This installer USB is a FAT32 filesystem and it will not save any changes you will made on this as it similar to live CD. Though, there is work-around to save your changes (if you need) - search for casper-rw. Though, this is not our interest at this moment.
4- (skip this if you can boot with USB installer) If you can not boot from installer USB with all your efforts, possibly, your system does not support USB boot , does not support USB 3.0 or you need to upgrade bios etc. You may try re-burning iso once more. Obviously, if you can not boot installer from USB, you can not install and run Ubuntu from USB too. Stop here !
5- If above fails and you wish to install Ubuntu on free space of existing disk or on second disk :
a- Burn iso on a DVD ( you have bootable DVD, right !)
b- Download macrorit disk partition expert portable version
c- Reduce your disk ( BTW can be use dor USB too) partition to free up around 8 GB
d- Follow steps somewhat similar to below to install Ubuntu ( You do not need BIOS Boot and EFI System partition ESP)
Ubuntu Installation on USB Drive
1-Boot from USB installer media prepared in above step
2- Select "Install Ubuntu". Refer : http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/install-ubuntu-desktop
3- Plug in USB Flash drive on which you are going to install Ubuntu
4-You must select "Something Else" in installation type. It will allow you to manual partition USB Drive
5- USB Partition : You must have minimum 3 partition. swap partition (point c) can be ignored, though it is recommended.
a- A 10 MB partition "BIOS boot" partition - Unformulated, no filesystem on it, no mount point, Set bios_grub flag on it ( it is required by GPT partition type - ignoring details discussion here)
b- A 200 MB fat32 partition, flag "EFI System Partition - ESP". DO NOT select mount poin /boot/efi . Leave mount point blank as installer know what to do with this. More detail is here.
c- 1 or 2 GB Swap partition of "Linux swap" type
d - All remaining space as - ext4 Linux FIlesystem, format it
Important Note #1 :You MUST select your usb drive in "Device for boot loader installation"
6- Select Download updates while installing and Install this third-party software now. It will install many 3rd party packages that Ubuntu repository do not have because of Licensing issues.
7- Go ahead and kick off installation and grab a coffee you deserve ! Once you will be back, Installation might be completed. Take out installation media, label it, keep it safe ( Trust me, you need it in future). Reboot system. If USB is your first boot device, your Ubuntu will be on your screen in 2 minutes. If required, bring one time boot menu, select USB flash drive, boot it.
8-Is your newly installed Ubuntu is portable and you can use it on any other systems ? Hint : If you see UEFI : USB 3.0 ScanDisk (32GB), [ see this image]. It depends how much attention you paid to Important Note #1. Try to boot some other system to boot from USB.
Important Note #2 :Is you do not see a boot option similar to above, it indicate that boot loader was installed on some other existing ( first hard disk) disk that already had a UEFI ESP. Follow steps on my next blog.
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