Putting the ISO on a USB Thumb Drive as opposed to CD/DVD?

[Robert A. Morin]

I tried burning the Hardy Heron ISO onto a CD/DVD, and went through half my stack before giving up, because the CDs that I try burning it on don't burn half way through, then it just gets stuck, and leaves me with an incomplete installation CD. So that leaves me with either ordering the 8.04 DVD, or trying a USB thumb drive. However, I don't know if there's any way to burn an image onto a thumb drive, that I'm aware of. Anyone recommend a way to do this? It's a bit risky, but I'm willing to try anything at this point...

[ajgreeny]

Have a look at this page and several of the others pointed to in it. It may be that your iso file is corrupt, though that does not usually stop it being burned, just stops it installing when running the live CD.

Note particularly the suggestion of checking the md5sum of the download, and also burning at slow speed.

It is possible to put ubuntu on to a thumb drive but I think you need it on a CD first, so I can't help further on that question.

[prshah]

However, I don't know if there's any way to burn an image onto a thumb drive, that I'm aware of. Anyone recommend a way to do this? It's a bit risky, but I'm willing to try anything at this point...

It's not in the slightest bit risky, it's very easy and cool. There are a number of ways, including one with isotostick.sh (google for it), but I've found the easiest way to be the instructions posted at www.pendrivelinux.com.

I'm currently carrying a persistent Xubuntu 8.04 on a usb stick and loving it!

But, as noted by ajgreeny, you need to be sure that your iso is faultless.

[Pumalite]

You might want to consider unetbootin:
http://lubi.sourceforge.net/unetbootin.html

[davarino]

One reason that you may be unable to burn the Iso is that you may be running your burner at way too fast a speed.

When burning music, for instance, you don't have to worry about data corruption. (At least unless you're a fanatic.) You can run a music burn at 50+x if your drive will do it.

On the other hand, I find on my 2005 CD/DVD drive I can dependably burn an Iso at only 8x. Quite a difference!

So, I would first look at trying to burn at 8x if I were you. Especially because if you have one of the older burners you might also have a computer that won't boot from a flashdrive... like I do.

[Robert A. Morin]

Guess you're right... I'll probably burn it at 4.7x (minimum speed) and do things that way... If not, well, guess I'll just pull out the plastic, and order that $13 DVD from Amazon.