Howto make USB boot drives

[sudodus]

Try to convert to a hybrid iso file

ISO files that can be be cloned to working USB boot drives are called hybrid iso files. I tested and could make working USB boot drives from

- ubuntu flavours 12.04+ (Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Ubuntu, Xubuntu, ... , desktop, alternate and server work, but not mini.iso)
- mini.iso version 13.04. See this link.
- linux mint 13+
- clonezilla
- debian stable
- webconverger

while some other iso files did not work (although they make good CD boot disks). I could convert such an iso file to a hybrid iso (another person's 12.04 LTS re-spin using my own 12.04 LTS system) with the following command

isohybrid downloaded-file.iso

It converts the iso in-place (the file is overwritten), so make a copy before you run isohybrid if you want to keep the original file untouched. See the following link

http://gparted-forum.surf4.info/view...d=30798#p30798

[isa.dsouza]

sudo usb-creator-gtk

opens startup disk creator's GUI

[sudodus]

Yes, the 'command line names' usb-creator-gtk and usb-creator-kde correspond to the 'menu name' Startup Disk Creator (which is translated to the language used) and there is a detailed description of that tool at the wiki page

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In...un_usb-creator

Temporary edit: usb-creator-gtk is buggy in Lubuntu 13.04 and 13.10, and is being debugged. There is project to rewrite it for 14.04 LTS. If you still have problems with usb-creator-gtk, as a temporary workaround, you can try using usb-creator-kde or unetbootin or one of the other tools instead. See details at post #4

[sudodus]

mkusb version 5 is uploaded in a compressed tar file, a tarball.

New in version 5: In response to a user request mkusb will install pv automatically (if not already installed), when the user answers yes; the default in no (y/N).

There is only one attached file at post #1 and it contains the new version 5 of mkusb and also previous versions for users that like simple scripts. Extract the script from the compressed file with one of these commands (or file-roller).

tar -xvOf mkusb-ball.tar.gz mkusb-old-plus-minor-fix > mkusb
tar -xvOf mkusb-ball.tar.gz mkusb3 > mkusb
tar -xvOf mkusb-ball.tar.gz mkusb4 > mkusb
tar -xvOf mkusb-ball.tar.gz mkusb5 > mkusb

I use the file name mkusb, put it into my ~/bin directory and make it executable.

chmod ugo+x mkusb

The current size and md5sum are listed in the next code box. Check that the file is correct before you start using it!

wc -c mkusb;md5sum mkusb  # from mkusb5.gz
11692 mkusb
ab435d9606f30ee0ec0f1a46b849dbc1  mkusb

wc -c mkusb;md5sum mkusb  # from mkusb4.gz
11373 mkusb
6ce8db8c1981e905800dfbb1f500176a  mkusb

wc -c mkusb;md5sum mkusb  # from mkusb3.gz
6119 mkusb
ef16e65a7996cc0b5142fca81d9f9c83  mkusb

wc -c mkusb-old-plus-minor-fix; md5sum mkusb-old-plus-minor-fix
4916 mkusb-old-plus-minor-fix
5fb04df7cdccaf915fac6978c6f6b6f4  mkusb-old-plus-minor-fix

Use the new version 5, or stay with an earlier version for example version 3 with more direct interaction in the terminal window.

[sudodus]

Quick start manual and mkusb

The fastest way to start making USB boot drives is to download the quick start manual and the shell-script mkusb and check the md5sums.

- Download the quick start manual and mkusb http://phillw.net/isos/one-button-installer/scripts/
- View or download the quick start manual http://ubuntuone.com/13HPbV48PmonVgkac8KK3l
- Check the md5sums http://phillw.net/isos/one-button-in...ums-phillw.txt

[turgenjev1]

Thank you for the tutorial, I was just looking for that!

[sudodus]

You are welcome, I hope it works well for you

[sudodus]

A tool that helps boot some computers from [other] USB boot drives - Chainloader

The chainloader is useful for middle-aged computers, for example computers without a CD/DVD drive, where it can be hard to boot from a USB drive, or when you want to run from a fast USB 3 drive that is unwilling to boot.

What is new, why a new tool? Isn't it enough to be able to use mkusb or the other tools?

The answer is in this link to the tutorial Howto help USB boot drives

[sudodus]

mkusb version 6 is uploaded in a compressed tar file, a tarball.

Version 6 contains a bugfix. All calls with sudo in the code are removed, which makes mkusb work in systems that lack the sudo command (but where it is possible to run as the user root).

There is only one attached file at post #1 and it contains the new version 6 of mkusb and also previous versions. Extract the script from the compressed file with one of these commands (or file-roller).

tar -xvOf mkusb-ball.tar.gz mkusb-old-plus-minor-fix > mkusb
tar -xvOf mkusb-ball.tar.gz mkusb3 > mkusb
...
tar -xvOf mkusb-ball.tar.gz mkusb6 > mkusb

I use the file name mkusb, put it into my ~/bin directory and make it executable.

chmod ugo+x mkusb

The current size and md5sum are listed in the next code box. Check that the file is correct before you start using it!

wc -c mkusb;md5sum mkusb  # from mkusb6
11677 mkusb
8c0f0a3cc52a0267036a4a7c78f4a8f6  mkusb

[ager-wick]

The reason that usb-creator-gtk doesn't work may be because the iso file is not on a local file system.
When I selected an iso file on an sshfs mounted filesystem, it refused to create the disk, displaying an error message indicating "Installation failed". Once I moved the .iso file to the local file system it worked without any issues.

This is on xubuntu 13.10