Using wubi to install ubuntu on a usb drive

[LyTningB0LT]

I looked at unetbootin and saw that it creates a live USB instead of a full install. Initially I assumed that a full install would be better, but after doing a little more research I read that it will wear down the usb faster because it's constantly reading/writing to the disk, instead of storing temp files in ram. What are the disadvantages of a live USB versus a full install?

[monkeybrain2012]

If you wish to install to USB and use the drive just for Ubuntu I suggest trying/using unetbootin it will take any iso or other disk image and install it to nearly any USB drive without issue.

Unetbootin doesn't install Ubuntu in a usb drive, it creates a live usb, which is limited in usage even with persistence. It uses FAT and is limited to 4 G as a result and you cannot upgrade system components such as kernel.

[philinux]

To create a bootable usb stick from windows see this.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/help/...ick-on-windows

[monkeybrain2012]

I looked at unetbootin and saw that it creates a live USB instead of a full install. Initially I assumed that a full install would be better, but after doing a little more research I read that it will wear down the usb faster because it's constantly reading/writing to the disk, instead of storing temp files in ram. What are the disadvantages of a live USB versus a full install?

Like I said, live usb is limited to 4 G persistence, you can't upgrade system components (or can't upgrade simply because you run out of space at some point), you can't install proprietary graphic cards (if you need them) etc. A full install uses Ext4 file system and it is a fully functioning Ubuntu installation.

The reading/writing thing is an exaggeration IMO, if you have a modern, good usb flash drive it can survive for longer than 18 months with a full install(the life span of a non LTS Ubuntu release) I have done that before, write and rewrite and install different linux distros and the usb still work for 2+ years (I do so many read/write and rewrite that it is not normal usage). The real disadvantage is performance, if you install in a flash drive it is kind of slow (as oppose to a live usb which runs off ram), but you get the best performance if you install in an external hard drive instead.

When install, you don't have to remove the internal hard drive, just make sure you put the bootloader in the usb drive (/dev/sdb or /dev/sdc usually, /dev/sda is the internal hard drive) during installation (you choose where to install the bootloader on the same page with the partition layout, it is at the bottom of the page)

[LyTningB0LT]

I don't know if I want to invest in an external hard drive yet, so if there's that much difference in performance I think for the time being I'll just use a live usb. Does it matter if I use Universal USB Installer or Unetbootin, or are they pretty much the same thing?