Howto make USB boot drives

[macho3]

I was able to get the mounts setup properly to do this. I had to do the following:

$ sudo aptitude install aufs-tools
$ mkdir overlay_mountpoint rofs
$ sudo mount /media/LiveUSB/casper/filesystem.squashfs rofs -t squashfs -o loop # mount the read-only part
$ sudo mount -t aufs -o br=/media/casper-rw/upper:rofs none overlay_mountpoint # mount the overlay

From there I could chroot into overlay_mountpoint and just run:

# adduser --encrypt-home foo

Rebooting to the live USB I can login as foo into an encrypted home.

[sudodus]

You know chrooting much better than I. Thanks for sharing this method to chroot into the overlaid system

[sudodus]

mkusb and mkusb-nox version 11.1.5

- mkusb-nox: mkusb-nox independent [of other files]: echo commands instead of grub-win-install.cfg - mkusb: toram: menuentry with toram added (RAM drive to be used when enough RAM)

There are also some minor bug-fixes.

Notice the differences between the screenshots and how to identify that RAM drive is actually used. An important difference is high-lighted with a red dot for the 'toram case' and an orange dot for the other case.

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You get/update this new version of mkusb from the unstable PPA via the following commands

sudo add-apt-repository universe  # this line only for standard Ubuntu

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/unstable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mkusb mkusb-nox

sudo apt-get install usb-pack-efi  # for persistent live drives that work in UEFI and BIOS mode with 32-bit iso files

and via this link: mkusb/gui#from_phillw.net

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mkusb 11.0.5 is the version uploaded at the stable PPA, ppa:mkusb/ppa.

You get/update that version via the following commands

sudo add-apt-repository universe  # this line only for standard Ubuntu

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mkusb mkusb-nox

sudo apt-get install usb-pack-efi  # for persistent live drives that work in UEFI and BIOS mode with 32-bit iso files

[sudodus]

mkusb and mkusb-nox version 11.1.5

mkusb and mkusb-nox version 11.1.5 are copied to the stable PPA for the Ubuntu releases 16.04 LTS, 16.10 and Zesty (to become 17.04).

mkusb and mkusb-nox version 11.0.5 remain in the stable PPA for the older Ubuntu releases because the new version is not tested enough.

sudo add-apt-repository universe  # this line only for standard Ubuntu

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mkusb mkusb-nox

sudo apt-get install usb-pack-efi  # for persistent live drives that work in UEFI and BIOS mode with 32-bit iso files

Edit: You can install the version 11.1.5 from the unstable PPA into the older Ubuntu releases if you wish. See the previous post.

[C.S.Cameron]

Mkusb is coming along great, For sure it is the most useful Live USB maker out there.

However...

One thing I still like about the original MultiBootUSB is the ability to drag and drop O/S iso files onto it.
This makes it east to upgrade from one version to another, review daily builds, multiboot, etc.
It would (seem to) be a simple option to add to mkusb.
As proof of concept I took a flash drive made using the EFI/GPT option and used gparted to reformat sdb4 to FAT32.
I also split the casper-rw partition in half to add a home-rw partition.
After modifying grub.cfg a bit, I dropped the Ubuntu 16.04 64bit Desktop iso onto the sdb4 partition.
Booting seems to take a little longer but everything else worked OK.

I added some stuff to the home folder, installed a few programs and modified the desktop, the drive was persistent.
Then the 16.04 iso was replaced with a 14.04 64 bit iso.
The disk failed to boot, whining about Low Graphics Mode.
I then deleted the data in casper-rw, but not home-rw, the drive then booted fine.
The data in home was still there but the desktop mods and downloaded programs were missing.
This was repeated using a 12.04 32bit iso which again would not boot until e was pressed at the grub menu and .efi removed from the menuentry.
This time the desktop mods persisted, including the shortcut to install 14.04.
To speed up the tests I renamed the new iso's to match the iso name in grub.cfg so it would not require editing each upgrade. I'm sure there is a more elegant way to do

this.
Another option might be to store the iso('s) on sdb1 so they can also be updated using a Windows machine, but this would not be so simple.

Forgive me if this idea has already been discussed to death or is too much like grub-n-iso, however it would be nice to have all of these options in one tool.

[sudodus]

Thanks for your ideas to improve mkusb, C.S.Cameron

There is a reason why I do not use the iso files as files, but clone them to a partition of suitable size: I was not able to boot some community re-spins from iso files.

But I have another development branch with iso files, also multiple iso files can be used. You have probably seen this link (but I remind you of it),

One pendrive for all PC (Intel/AMD) computers - single-boot dual-boot multi-boot

Recently I have focused very much on mkusb, and I am preparing a new interface, which should be easier to use for beginners, and easier to maintain. You will soon find it

-o-

After that version is debugged, polished and ready for general use, I would have time to look into your ideas, maybe starting from 'One pendrive for all PCs' (and merging it into the same user interface if not too complicated).

I agree, now that big and fast USB pendrives are rather cheap, it is a good idea to have a separate home-rw partition, and that way it should be easy to upgrade or to switch between different iso files and still keep the tweaks and personal files, that are stored in the home directory.

[C.S.Cameron]

No, no, no! I would not remove mkusb's ability to clone to the iso9660 partition, only add a toggle so that dd can copy the .iso file to a read/write FAT32 partition instead, if desired.
I am not so sure about OPFAC, I've been spending quite a bit of time updating old "Ask Ubuntu" posts with the mkusb solution, (and don't want to switch horses mid stream).
It seems there is a team over there that marks new USB boot questions as Duplicates, (often of ten year old questions?), even if they have nothing in common and the original solution no longer works.

[C.S.Cameron]

Since 14.04 home-rw partitions in a persistent install do not seem to be working the same as /home partitions in a Full install.
The home-rw partition contains some folders same as a full install including: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, etc.
Desktop mods are not saved in home-rw unless it is the only, (or possibly first), persistent partition.
Program installs, wireless passwords and such are only stored in casper-rw.
Don't get me wrong, I think a home-rw option would be great in mkusb.

Edit:
If sdb5 is home-rw and sdb6 is casper-rw, desktop mod's, (wallpaper), are preserved in home-rw.

[sudodus]

No, no, no! I would not remove mkusb's ability to clone to the iso9660 partition, only add a toggle so that dd can copy the .iso file to a read/write FAT32 partition instead, if desired.
I am not so sure about OPFAC, I've been spending quite a bit of time updating old "Ask Ubuntu" posts with the mkusb solution, (and don't want to switch horses mid stream).

I see. Well, I will not change mkusb without asking for advice, listening to the advice and thinking twice.

It seems there is a team over there that marks new USB boot questions as Duplicates, (often of ten year old questions?), even if they have nothing in common and the original solution no longer works.

"Ask Ubuntu" is managed in a different way compared to the Ubuntu Forums, Ubuntu wiki pages and Ubuntu help pages. I have also noticed this problem. Maybe there is a bot, that is marking new USB boot questions as Duplicates.

Since 14.04 home-rw partitions in a persistent install do not seem to be working the same as /home partitions in a Full install.
The home-rw partition contains some folders same as a full install including: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, etc.
Desktop mods are not saved in home-rw unless it is the only, (or possibly first), persistent partition.
Program installs, wireless passwords and such are only stored in casper-rw.
Don't get me wrong, I think a home-rw option would be great in mkusb.

Edit:
If sdb5 is home-rw and sdb6 is casper-rw, desktop mod's, (wallpaper), are preserved in home-rw.

I will look closely into the behaviour of home-rw. I agree that it can be useful.

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Extract or copy?

Do you mean to extract the iso file to a read/write FAT32 partition, or to copy the iso file as a file, and to provide grub menuentries to use the iso file?

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You can have a look at the unstable PPA of xenial and newer versions or look at phillw.net, where there is an early version of this new horse, now named dus, 'Do USB Stuff', with the graphical interface guidus. After debugging and polishing it can be renamed to mkusb (maybe it will become mkusb version 12).

You get/update this refurbished version of mkusb from the unstable PPA via the following commands

sudo add-apt-repository universe  # this line only for standard Ubuntu

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/unstable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install dus     # to get a general version provided with dialog menus for text mode
sudo apt-get install guidus  # to get dus with a GUI interface and zenity menus

sudo apt-get install usb-pack-efi  # for persistent live drives that work in UEFI and BIOS mode with 32-bit iso files

and via this link: mkusb/gui#from_phillw.net

The intention is to make it easier to use and easier to maintain. I removed some features, that nobody has commented on and I think very few have used, and I think the user interface is much easier to use compared to mkusb and mkusb-nox. For example, there are no 'toggle' menu entries, and the style is 'wizard' with the tasks following each other. (The 'final checkpoint' is changed for a special reason: The current mkusb version with coloured background is good, but it depends on zenity's support for html, which has failed for long periods of time more than once during a couple of years. The new version (screenshot #5) should be as safe as before, and it is only using basic zenity features: the 'Go' radio button must be selected and the 'Go' button must be pressed).

I hope and think it should work with minimal instructions.

'dus' might not look as good as the current mkusb version, but it is possible to remove some rough edges. Of course we can expect bugs at this stage, but I think it will soon surpass mkusb in user friendliness.

See the attached screenshots, and install dus have a look at the real thing and tell me what you think! Early feedback can make a big difference

[C.S.Cameron]

Is sudodus really just one person? The amount of work produced seems more like it comes from a large team.

Extract or copy?

Do you mean to extract the iso file to a read/write FAT32 partition, or to copy the iso file as a file, and to provide grub menuentries to use the iso file?

I was thinking that if the iso is copied to a FAT32 partition, it can easily be replaced without reinstalling with mkusb, With new versions the info in casper-rw needs to be deleted. This is the grub.cfg I used:

set default="1"
set timeout=10
if loadfont /boot/tools/fonts/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode="640x480"
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
terminal_output gfxterm
if terminal_output gfxterm; then true ; else
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod tga
if background_image /boot/tools/images/bg.tga ; then
set color_normal=blue/black
set color_highlight=red/black
else
set color_normal=white/black
set color_highlight=white/light-gray
fi

GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768x16
insmod vbe

menuentry "ubuntu-16.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso" {
set root=(hd0,4)
loopback loop /ubuntu-16.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso
linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz.efi boot=casper iso-scan/filename=/ubuntu-16.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso noeject noprompt -- persistent
initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
}

Dus is looking good but when it is done I hope you re-name it "mkusb II", or "son-of-mkusb", mkusb is getting a pretty good rep and is gaining quite a following, Please not "new mkusb"
Image 4 is the only one that is at all a little confusing.