installation from usb

[prudra]

I wanted to install on my new 32-bit dell-vostro-1040 laptop on the extended partition. I have downloaded ubuntu-10.10-desktop-i386.iso on my other laptop and wrote it in the usb by the terminal commad:

$dd if=ubuntu-10.10-desktop-i386.iso of=/dev/sda bs=4M

But when I tried the installation the machine just ignored it booted the hdd.
However a usb containing opensuse-11.3.iso by the same command was recognized by the machine and showed the welcome screen.

Why this difference between ubuntu and opensuse? And how shall I make the machine recognize ubuntu?
Thanks.
P.Rudra.

[viralmeme]

I wanted to install .. when I tried the installation the machine just ignored it
Some makes of USBs refuse to boot following this method, a solution is to boot to Windows and use the HP Drive Key Boot Utility (http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?swItem=MTX-UNITY-I23839). This works on other makes of USB devices - sometimes :)

[kio_http]

This method is NOT compatible with Ubuntu's live cd system. You can use Unetbootin to create a live usb key.

[C.S.Cameron]

If UNetbootin does not work for you try Startup disk creator which comes on the Live CD.

[sikander3786]

In addition to Unetbootin, Startup Disk Creator, this page might also help you.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromUSBStick

[prudra]

In addition to Unetbootin, Startup Disk Creator, this page might also help you.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromUSBStick


I am actually working from debian-lenny OS. Shall I partition the usb-stick with the help of gparted and what will be the number and sizes of the partitions? will the file-system will be reiserfs/ntfs? In one of the partitions will, of course, go the ubuntu-xxxx.iso. What files will the other partitions have. Will the writing command be $dd if= xxxx of=/dev/sdb1 bs=4M ?
Thanks. I am just an end-user.
P.Rudra.

[oldfred]

Still another way:

MultiBoot USB with Grub2 (boot directly from iso files)
Basically you just install grub2, create a folder for the isos and edit a grub.cfg to loop mount the isos.
HOWTO: Booting LiveCD ISOs from USB flash drive with Grub2
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1288604

MultiBootUSB - Install and boot multiple Linux from Pendrive / Flash drive / USB disk
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1518273
http://blog.p-mt.net/archives/644
Another - multibooting multiboot055.sh:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1071869
http://multicd.tuxfamily.org/