Howto make USB boot drives

[sudodus]

mkusb version 9.1.5 and mkusb-nox version 7.5.8

There is a bug-fix and a new feature in this new version pair of mkusb/mkusb-nox. (mkusb-bas is not changed.)

• bug-fix: source=${source##*/} ... to manage path in the parameter (broken by "cd to source file's directory" in 9.1.3)
• new feature: Clone a device (typically a CD drive or USB drive)
• new version of the built-in manual

sudo -H mkusb /dev/sr0    # example of CD drive
man mkusb                 # built-in manual

---

Released in the unstable PPA

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/unstable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mkusb

[benny74402]

After looking this tutorial I'm a little bit confused. I was looking for info on how to dual-boot an iBook G4 (394 MB of RAM) with Lubuntu and, since I'm running on OS X when I see this of downloading a PPA file (package) I immediately think of linux (Ubuntu in particular).

Is this mkusb package can be run (adapted to) my laptop?

I guess that since I'm able to run commands from the Terminal and the core of your system (script) is the 'dd' command it's doable here too, am I correct on this?

PS. I already downloaded and checked the MD5SUM of an appropriate mini.iso file and it's standing quietly at the desktop.

Thanks for any info on this! Hope the thread isn't dormant yet...

EDIT: Coming to this thread from https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In..._PowerPC.2A.2A

[sudodus]

@ benny74402

I know very little about Mac computers. Has your ibook a PowerPC or Intel CPU? You need different versions of the Ubuntu mini or Lubuntu depending on the computer architechture. Furthermore, it is gradually getting harder to run current Ubuntu based systems in ageing PowerPC computers. A text based Ubuntu mini system and maybe Lubuntu should install and work with less than 512 MB RAM. See this link (which is focused on Intel architechture) https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lubuntu/AdvancedMethods

I suggest that you start an own thread at our Ubuntu Forums to get relevant help from people who run Lubuntu in the same kind of Mac computer as yours. A good descriptive title helps interested people find it.

-o-

mkusb runs in linux. It uses bash (it is a bash script, that uses some standard linux tools which are available in the main linux distros). So if you already run linux in your Mac computer or another computer, mkusb can be expected to work.

But it does not work in Windows and is not tested in Mac OS (probably does not work). There are some special tools for installing into Mac computers depending on the hardware, and what systems you have already. Unetbootin is an alternative. There are a couple of links about installing into Mac

(in the following general link: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In...e_from_Mac_OSX)

See How to install Ubuntu on MacBook using USB flash drive and this Ubuntu Forum thread by Quackers

[sudodus]

mkusb and mkusb-nox are tested and work in Lubuntu 15.04. I expect them to work in standard Ubuntu and all the flavours Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Xubuntu, Ubuntu Gnome, Ubuntu Mate, Ubuntu Studio, Mythbuntu ... of the currently supported versions 12.04 LTS, 14.04 LTS, 14.10 and 15.04.

[sudodus]

mkusb version 9.1.6

The icons are located according to

http://standards.freedesktop.org/ico...#install_icons

which should make it easier to make it work in various linux distros.

[sudodus]

These systems are downloaded as compressed image files and installed via mkusb

One pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers - Ubuntu 64-bit and Lubuntu 32-bit

There are methods now to make 32-bit Ubuntu family operating systems boot in UEFI mode via grub and iso files, 'grub-n-iso'. This makes it possible to make a USB pendrive with persistence, that is very portable between different computers

A smaller and simpler pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers - 'grub-n-iso' - Lubuntu 32-bit

Multiboot pendrive system for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers

-o-

The system with compressed image files makes it easy for a beginner to install, but it is rather inflexible. So I made a shell-script, that does the main part of the work with the help of a couple of files for the configuration of the booting system. See this link

Build your own single boot or multiboot pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers

[sudodus]

mkusb 9.2 and mkusb-nox 7.5.9

This version tries to unmount only usb drives when usbonly and does not try to unmount drives in fstab. In other words, it avoids unmounting partitions in drives, when not necessary for testing which is a suitable target drive.

It is a rather big change of sensitive parts in the shell-script code, so it will be tested for a while (and is uploaded to the unstable PPA and to phillw.net). See this link

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb/v9#Installation

[sudodus]

I have prepared a new version of the shell-script mk-grub-n-iso and a new shell-script links2check. This will offer a new possibility to make a multiboot pendrive with the same properties as described earlier in this thread: they work in (almost) all PC computers. With and without UEFI independent of 32-bit/64-bit! The systems works in old computers too (they must be powerful enough to run with Lubuntu).

You will be able to manage the daily built iso files of the Ubuntu family flavours, to install and update them incrementally directly in the pendrive, which saves time and effort. So it should be a convenient tool for all you iso-testers as well as for those of you who want to try the bleeding edge version in real hardware and not only in virtual machines.

As usual, it is a convenient option to download a compressed image file and install it with mkusb. Using mk-grub-n-iso will give you more flexibility. The choice is yours.

See the following posts (in the thread One pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers)

Build your own single boot or multiboot pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers

Create or download a portable system with a small footprint with a potential for isotesting

Manage the daily built iso files of your choice

[sudodus]

In order to help beginners to avoid mistakes I write this warning: mkusb will overwrite the the USB pendrive that you are using. Previous file systems, directories and files will not be available. After using the pendrive for this purpose (boot a live linux system and/or install a linux system), you can make a new partition table and file system and use the pendrive for storage and transfer of files again.

Warning about overwriting the target device

mkusb will 'use the whole device', actually only the head end (size of the iso file), but the rest of the device is not available. mkusb simply clones the ISO 9660 file system with its content from the iso file. This ISO 9660 file system works from CD/DVD disks, and also from USB drives. After using a USB pendrive like this, you make a new partition table and file system, if you want to use it for another purpose.

Help selecting the correct target device

The crucial task of mkusb was and is to help selecting the correct device and avoid overwriting other devices.

[sudodus]

mkusb 9.2.1 and mkusb-nox 7.5.9

Two minor tweaks were made

- removed 2 lines (<img class ...) from arrow= for a new html renderer in zenity 3.16.2
- changed the identification of livedrive=$(df |grep /$|cut -c 5-8)

and after testing 9.2 for a month it is ready for the stable PPA, ppa:mkusb/ppa