Howto make USB boot drives

[sudodus]

Update:

Unetbootin works from Ubuntu 12.04.5 and 14.04.1 (can make a working USB boot drive for Ubuntu 14.10), so you can make persistent boot drives using Unetbootin.

But the bug is still there in Startup Disk Creator (tested Nov 1 2014 in 12.04.5 and 14.04.1), if you try to create a 14.10 boot drive.

[sudodus]

There are mkusb PPAs ('ppa' and 'unstable') for Vivid (Ubuntu 15.04) now. I tested it in a Lubuntu Vivid i386 live session, and it works as it should.

[sudodus]

mkusb version 9.1.2 and mkusb-nox version 7.5.5
are uploaded to the stable PPA

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/ppa  # and press Enter
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mkusb mkusb-nox

mkusb version 9.1.3 and mkusb-nox version 7.5.6
are uploaded to the unstable PPA

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/unstable  # and press Enter
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mkusb mkusb-nox

---

Several minor improvements and bugfixes are included in these versions. There are also two packages now, one for mkusb and a separate small one for mkusb-nox

[sudodus]

mkusb version 9.1.4 and mkusb-nox version 7.5.7

The final text for wipe-whole-device is improved:

"Done, but you should also
check for the line 'dd: writing '$target': No space left on device',
which means that the whole device is wiped. (Look in the terminal window) "

To wipe-whole-device with mkusb is a very special task, that is not recommended except in very special situations. Other tools are better for HDD and SSD devices. mkusb can be a good alternative for USB pendrives to remove private information completely, to make it impossible to recover that information with tools like PhotoRec.

Run this option from the command line

sudo -H mkusb wipe-whole-device

or

sudo mkusb-nox wipe-whole-device

[Jamsheed_Nabi]

tx it was very helpful..

[sudodus]

You are welcome Jamsheed_Nabi

I'm glad it works well for you

[sudodus]

Ubuntu 12.04 mini.iso works also when copied/cloned/flashed by mkusb to USB.

There are mkusb PPAs for {Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Xubuntu ...} {12.04 LTS, 14.04 LTS, 14.10, 15.04} alias {precise, trusty, utopic, vivid}. mkusb can make working USB installers also from the Ubuntu mini.iso. See this link.

New: You find working mini.iso files for 12.04 LTS (32-bits pae (and non-pae in a subdirectory)) at this link - precise-updates.

[sudodus]

man mkusb

The manual page

man mkusb

is improved. Examples are added:

EXAMPLES
       Make a USB install device from ISO or image file
           sudo -H mkusb
           sudo -H mkusb file.iso
           sudo mkusb-nox file.iso
           sudo -H mkusb "quote file name (1) with special characters.iso"
           sudo -H mkusb "path/file.iso"
           sudo -H mkusb file.img
           sudo -H mkusb file.img.gz
           sudo -H mkusb file.img.xz

       Install from 'file.img.xz', show all mass storage devices
           sudo -H mkusb file.img.xz all

       Wipe the USB device (may take long time)
           sudo -H mkusb wipe-whole-device

       Wipe the first megabyte (MibiByte), show only USB devices
           sudo -H mkusb wipe-1

       Wipe the first megabyte, show all mass storage devices
           sudo -H mkusb wipe-1 all

       Help and Version
           mkusb -h
           mkusb -v

Notice that you need quotes, when you specify the path to the source file as a command line parameter

sudo -H mkusb "path/file.iso"

and

sudo mkusb-nox "path/file.iso"

[sudodus]

One pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers

mkusb in linux (or Win32 Disk Imager in Windows) can install

One pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers

from the compressed image file

http://phillw.net/isos/one-button-in...u32-4GB.img.xz

[sudodus]

New quick start manual for mkusb-nox

mkusb-nox 'No X' with a crude text based interface has been tested in several distros including Arch linux, Debian Wheezy and Debian Jessie. It is very simple and straight-forward to use.

More details can be found at the following links

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb/v7
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/mk...rom_phillw.net

There is a new version of the quick start manual for mkusb-nox