Question about a live linux USB

Hi, what I'd like to know is how does a live USB version of Linux work? Like if I use a 32GB stick will i get to play around with 32GB of space? Or do I to start over every time I boot? I'm just wandering because I want to get to know Linux, starting with Ubuntu.

A virtual machine is a good idea but i want it just boot into the OS and such, i'll take a look at Knoppix.

Which one should I download, the EN one that is 4.3GB?

You can have either. A straight live USB will be a fresh install every time you boot, it effectively forgets ehat hapoened after shut down.

A live USB with persistence will use the rest of whatever remains of the 32gb to keep the changes you made when you boot, effectively have a full working Linux install on a USB. Nice thing to have.

You can set up a persistence file on your USB. here's a link to the ubuntu page on it. It's a guide for Linux, but if you use unetbootin from windows, you'll be able to make Ubuntu persistent with one of the options.

I got LinuxMint 17.3 and Ubuntu 16.forgot on DVD. That is good to boot into the distro but can ONLY manipulate data on connected drives (which is a great thing to recover data from a pc or notebook).

Thank you, I'll use the unetbooting tool and be happy :D

Now I'm having problems with my laptop booting it, I can neither boot from the USB when choosing it in the boot menu or when I change it in the BIOS...

Unetbootin just doesn't work well. It's old and badly maintained. Mediawriter if you're writing from Windows, dd if you're writing from linux, everything else is very hit or miss.

1 Like

Mediawriter crashes when I chose "Fedora Workstation", I did run it as a admin, any thoughts?

http://www.osforensics.com/tools/write-usb-images.html

That'll work. Mediawriter has been updated in the repos, probably not the downloadable Windows build on the site though.

Thanks, I dont have any more time atm but I'll try it tomorrow after work.

I have a 32gb flash drive sliced in two with Ubuntu on one half and Kali on the other for when I need Linux to help when diagnosing issues.

To not start over after each boot, you boot to a live cd and then install your pick of OS onto the flash drive.

Can you do that using the same USB? Like boot from it then install it on it? That would make things really easy.

Sure, it's designed for that

1 Like

I think so? But I always happened to have the cd beforehand, so I have never tried to do it from the flash drive.

sorry just saw that you typed live cd, problem is i cant burn a cd. Stopped using optical drives since 3 years.

Two USBs. One live and one empty.

I think you can install the Live iso to the flash drive then install it on itself once you boot. I just have never done it so i can't say 100% it will work, but it should.

1 Like

Theoretically, if the RAM is big enough, it is possible. It's hairy though.

4 Likes