Ubuntu Forums - View Single Post - [ubuntu] How to install ubuntu on USB drive and carry entire computing system in pocket?

Herman · 05:37 PM

Just install Hardy Heron in your USB flash memory stick in the regular way the same as any other hard drive.
Hardy Heron features the latest Xorg 7.3 Xwindow system from X.Org Foundation. Mine has been able to set itself up automatically for all the different computers and monitors around my house that I have been able to boot a USB with so far. This renders the 'Persistent' type liveCD USB installs obsolete.

All we need to do now is just a regular installation, and select 'guided partitioning' and choose the USB as the disk to install in.
Remember to install GRUB to MBR in the USB device rather than let it go to your first hard disk.
In the 'Desktop' Live/Install CD you do that in step 7 of 7 by pressing the 'advanced' button and selecting which partition (boot sector) or which hard disk (MBR) for GRUB to be installed in, and select your USB's MBR.
If you are using the 'Alternate CD' to install with, you click 'No' when it asks you if it can install GRUB to MBR in the first hard disk, and specify your USB's MBR.

Normally, you won't have a lot of room for files in a USB jump drive, but those are available in large enough sizes these days for at least a few files. You probably need at least a 4.0 GB memory stick, but bigger is better. I don't think 2.0 GB would be big enough really.

1st EDIT: This how-to might be helpful to try to keep the operating system's disk space usage down to a minimum and let you have the maximum space in your USB for files, HOWTO: Cleaning up all those unnecessary junk files... - By WhackToMack

2nd EDIT: I recommend using the Reiser File System for flash memory installations, for better disc write performance, for more details jump to post #69

3rd EDIT: I like this: HOWTO: Use swapfile instead of partition and hibernate - by iva2k

4th EDIT: Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex and later feature the uuid command in the latest GRUB.
With UUID booting, you can boot a USB no matter what number the BIOS wants to give the USB drive.
No matter how many other USB drives and other kinds of hard drive you might have plugged in to a computer at the same time, with GRUB's new uuid command, GRUB will always be able to find the right root and boot partition and boot your USB for you.

If you have Ubuntu in your home computer, you can set up SSH Networking with port forwarding and use that over the internet to access all the files in your home computer from anywhere in the world, so you can then actually do much more with Ubuntu in a flash memory stick that you can carry around in your pocket than most people can with a whole computer.

See my first sig link for illustrated examples of how to install Ubuntu.

Regards, Herman

May 10th, 2008	#3
Herman Ubuntu addict and loving it Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Hughenden, Australia Beans: 4,088 Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope	Re: How to install ubuntu on USB drive and carry entire computing system in pocket? Just install Hardy Heron in your USB flash memory stick in the regular way the same as any other hard drive. Hardy Heron features the latest Xorg 7.3 Xwindow system from X.Org Foundation. Mine has been able to set itself up automatically for all the different computers and monitors around my house that I have been able to boot a USB with so far. This renders the 'Persistent' type liveCD USB installs obsolete. All we need to do now is just a regular installation, and select 'guided partitioning' and choose the USB as the disk to install in. Remember to install GRUB to MBR in the USB device rather than let it go to your first hard disk. In the 'Desktop' Live/Install CD you do that in step 7 of 7 by pressing the 'advanced' button and selecting which partition (boot sector) or which hard disk (MBR) for GRUB to be installed in, and select your USB's MBR. If you are using the 'Alternate CD' to install with, you click 'No' when it asks you if it can install GRUB to MBR in the first hard disk, and specify your USB's MBR. Normally, you won't have a lot of room for files in a USB jump drive, but those are available in large enough sizes these days for at least a few files. You probably need at least a 4.0 GB memory stick, but bigger is better. I don't think 2.0 GB would be big enough really. 1st EDIT: This how-to might be helpful to try to keep the operating system's disk space usage down to a minimum and let you have the maximum space in your USB for files, HOWTO: Cleaning up all those unnecessary junk files... - By WhackToMack 2nd EDIT: I recommend using the Reiser File System for flash memory installations, for better disc write performance, for more details jump to post #69 3rd EDIT: I like this: HOWTO: Use swapfile instead of partition and hibernate - by iva2k 4th EDIT: Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex and later feature the uuid command in the latest GRUB. With UUID booting, you can boot a USB no matter what number the BIOS wants to give the USB drive. No matter how many other USB drives and other kinds of hard drive you might have plugged in to a computer at the same time, with GRUB's new uuid command, GRUB will always be able to find the right root and boot partition and boot your USB for you. If you have Ubuntu in your home computer, you can set up SSH Networking with port forwarding and use that over the internet to access all the files in your home computer from anywhere in the world, so you can then actually do much more with Ubuntu in a flash memory stick that you can carry around in your pocket than most people can with a whole computer. See my first sig link for illustrated examples of how to install Ubuntu. Regards, Herman __________________ Illustrated Dual Boot Site \| GRUB Page \| GRUB II Pages \| LiLo Page \| GAG Page \| Super Grub Disk Page Last edited by Herman; March 14th, 2009 at 05:37 PM..