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View Full Version : [all variants] How to install full version of ubuntu onto a usb flash drive



jonschin
January 4th, 2009, 12:54 AM
When I got my flash drive and I wanted to install ubuntu onto it, I did not want to completely lose functionality of my flash drive on windows machines. I have 2 out of my 8 gigs on my flash drive accessible from any machine. Also, every machine that is capable of booting off a usb that I have tried also works. The installation process is very similar to a standard install, there are only a few minor modifications that make all the difference. Before you start you must unmount your flash drive. The first couple of steps on language are all the same. The first change is when the partitioner comes up. When it asks if you want automated guided or manual, choose manual. (as a side note, under guided you should see not only your hd but also the flash drive. if you don't then you will not see it in the manual) In manual you will choose the flash drive and remove the partitions on it. Then you will create 3 new ones. The order is important, windows machines will only recognise the first partition of a flash drive and it needs to be a fat partition for them to utilise it. The sizes that you choose are up to you however you will need at least 4 gigs for the installation of ubuntu. Therefore, I made the first partition 2 gigs fat32 the second 5.5 gigs ext3 and the last .5 gigs swap. Don't forget to set the first partition as /windows and the second as root. Now that the partitions are set you will continue on until the last step. In the last step where it shows all of what will happen we need to make sure that grub is installed on the flash drive and not onto the hd. To do this click on the advanced button on the bottom. Where it says grub will be installed there is a drop down. Make sure to change it to the flash drive. Also, be sure not to choose any of the partitions on the flash. Once it installs you may need to make one final alteration. Afterwards when I inserted my flash into a windows machine it recognized the 2 gigs I partitioned however I had to reformat that area. As a side note the drop down for installing grub was first introduced in 8.04 and is also present in 8.10, however in older versions you are also able to do this its just a little more complicated.