Why would I want too? There are many ways a bootable memory stick might come in useful:

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Bennett Lewis
6 years ago
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1 Build a bootable Live Linux USB memory stick using Linux. (with or without Persistence). Why would I want too? There are many ways a bootable memory stick might come in useful: It allows you to try another version of Linux without installing it. It makes a very powerful recovery tool in the event your current system becomes corrupted. Useful for recovering a users files from crashed Linux or Windows computers. Use it when travelling for browsing and to check without fear of picking up anything nasty from unknown WiFi points. (If you prefer to create one using Windows please read Try Linux from Windows.) The How To below describes how to create a USB Memory Stick that contains a bootable copy of Linux Mint that runs on any computer. You can keep the Stick (hereafter simply Stick ) as a valuable recovery tool should you later have problems. If you create a Stick with Persistence then any changes you make to the Stick while using it will be saved. You can install applications, set up , create documents, save images etc, etc and they will all be there the next time you boot from the Stick. The Stick created in this How To should boot on both older and newer computers although you need to take care to create one correctly for 32 or 64 bit machines, see more on this later. The tool and technique described here should work for almost any version of Linux (Mint, Ubuntu, Debian, Puppy, etc.) but some of the chosen options may differ. Other tools for achieving much the same end are available on the Web, refer to the last page for those I have tried. Is your target computer a 64 or 32 bit machine? The majority of newer ones will be 64, older ones will be 32. The reason this is important is that you need to download the correct file (ISO) for a 32 or 64 bit system and choosing the wrong one will result in failure and much frustration! The following process looks complex but it really isn t as anyone capable of following simple instructions should be able to do it on their own. I suggest you print the document and keep it beside you as you progress. If you need help why not come the the Milford U3A Linux mornings? Getting ready to start: If not already installed, install mkusb : Start Terminal and enter the following lines, pressing Enter each time: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/ppa sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install mkusb mkusb-nox usb-pack-efi Exit Terminal. Go to Menu Administration Software Manager. Enter mkusb in the search box, hit Enter. Double click on mkusb then click on Install and wait for the install to complete. Download the Mint ISO that you wish to install, I suggest Mint 18.3 and I suggest you leave it in your downloads folder. Beware: this is a 1.9Gb file make sure you have the space!

2 Run mkusb and create your bootable USB stick: Go to Menu Administration and click on the mkusb icon: Click Yes The terminal appears with the password dialog: Enter your usual password and click OK From here I will only show the dialogs and will ignore what is going on in Terminal: Note the warning in red and click OK Click the i option and OK Click the p option and OK

Navigate to your Downloads folder select the ISO, click OK Ensure that your USB drive is selected, usually the last option.

Will your USB stick be used on new or old computers? Select msdos for older Select upefi for newer.

If not, simply move the slider to the zero position. If you do then you need to do some arithmetic and make a choice!

Make your choice and click OK. Note: I would always make the Stick persistent unless there was a real reason not to.

3 Navigate to your Downloads folder select the ISO, click OK Ensure that your USB drive is selected, usually the last option. This is VERY important. If you chose the wrong device you could overwrite your hard drive Click OK when you are happy to proceed. Will your USB stick be used on new or old computers? Select msdos for older Select upefi for newer. I suggest try upefi first and then msdos if your stick fails to boot up. Decision Time! Do you want or need persistence? If not, simply move the slider to the zero position. If you do then you need to do some arithmetic and make a choice! Linux takes about 1.8Gb, how much of the remaining space do you want to reserve for persistence? I allowed 4Gb. Make your choice and click OK. Note: I would always make the Stick persistent unless there was a real reason not to. I have mine set up with my home WiFi point, home my and my home printer so that in extremis I can do most things at home using any computer. I can also connect to unknown WiFi points when away from home without risking my laptop.

4 Your last chance to exit having done nothing! If you are happy, select Go and click Go. Enter your password and click OK. This scary screen appears! Everything is OK as Mint is Debian under the hood! Another scary screen. repeating what is above, We are OK this is Mint/Debian. Click OK! The installation progresses...

Several dialogs like this will appear as the install progresses: Nearly done Install complete! Click OK Click Cancel and then close Terminal by clicking on the X in the top right corner.

Most newish computers will recognise the bootable stick and start from it. If yours doesn t then you need to get it to start with the Boot Option Menu and sadly this varies from PC to PC.

5 Several dialogs like this will appear as the install progresses: Nearly done Install complete! Click OK Click Cancel and then close Terminal by clicking on the X in the top right corner. Remove your Bootable Mint USB and try it out on a Computer! Turn off your computer and restart it with the USB stick in place. Most newish computers will recognise the bootable stick and start from it. If yours doesn t then you need to get it to start with the Boot Option Menu and sadly this varies from PC to PC. Most seem to use either the F12 or Esc key. To access Boot Options, switch on and keep pressing one of the above keys (once per second should do) until you see a screen that looks something like: Boot Option Menu Windows Boot Manager USB Device (Kingston Data Traveller) Use the up/down arrows to change option. ENTER to select Once booted, if you opted for Persistence, you can change the desktop background, set up the WiFi details etc and anything else you like. Enjoy! For more information on mkusb:

6 Other tools capable of creating bootable USB sticks mkusb (Described above): which appears to work with most Linux versions and correctly sets up persistence. Unetbootin: (Versions for Linux and Windows) will create bootable sticks with all versions of Mint 17 and 18 and in theory will provide persistence on mint 17.2 but Persistence doesn t work after USB Image Writer: Is already built into Mint, it quickly and easily creates a bootable stick from an iso file or install DVD - But it does not (so far as I can see) create any persistence. Multisystem: Reports that it can create persistence with Mint 18.3 but I ve been unable to even get it to boot after many hours of trying. Rufus: (Windows only) works well and is quick to create a working stick but there is no facility for persistence. Yumi: (Windows only) May or may not work. The resulting stick is not even seen by my laptop, probably because the latop uses UEFI to boot. Universal USB Installer: (Windows) Tried with Mint 17.2 but it only gave errors. Linux Live USB Creator: Creates a stick and boots but there is no persistence. Bob Fearnley, Feb 2018

Making a Bootable Linux USB Flash Drive with the Universal USB Installer.

Making a Bootable Linux USB Flash Drive with the Universal USB Installer. Insert the target USB flash drive into the USB port before starting the installer program. This is the start up screen for the