DIY : How to Create Portable Ubuntu: Carry a Spare OS

Posted April 14, 2011 by Aseem Pathak in News

What is portable Ubuntu?

Portable Ubuntu is basically the Ubuntu Operating system (linux) which can boot from a pen drive or a portable hard disk. The Portable version is 100% same as the Ubuntu version which is installed on hard disk, the only difference is that one can carry the ‘OS’ around within their portable storage, making things simpler.It can be really useful if your main OS in not functioning properly.

We recommend you to create one, you never know when a virus or malware attacks your computer.

USB Portable OS Creation Prerequisites:

Windows XP/Vista/7 (we used windows 7 to install and tested out the OS on windows XP)
Ensure the pendrive you are using is FAT16/FAT32 formatted ( we used transcend 250 GB hardrive, dosen’t matter though you just need a portable storage device)
Universal USB installer (Download HERE)
PC with a BIOS which can boot from USB

Ubuntu 11.04

How to install Portable Ubuntu Tutorial :

snapshot1 DIY : How to Create Portable Ubuntu: Carry a Spare OS

Download the file universal usb installer as mentioned above.
Open the universal usb installer, and then choose Ubuntu 11.04 (or the latest version), check on “Download the iso” click “yes” in the dialog box which appears (this will automatically open your browser and start downloading the iso file of the OS)
When the download finishes, the “select the iso” will select the iso file which you just downloaded in the steps above.
If it does not find it then close the ”universal usb installer” and relaunch it. If for some reason it still cannot find your ISO manually browse the iso file and select it.
Now, select the ”Show all drives” checkbox and select your pendrive from the drop down menu (formatting the pendrive solely depends on you,we din’t format our hard drive but still ubuntu worked marvelously)
Now, set a persistent file size for storing changes,(change the file size from the slider) (this step is optional )
Now, click on “create”, a black screen will appear with a installation bar, let it complete.
First part is DONE!

ubunto splash 560x420 DIY : How to Create Portable Ubuntu: Carry a Spare OS

Part 2 : How to make it work?

Plug your portable storage device in the computer on which you want to run Linux
Power on the device, press the F12 button to switch to the BOOT slection menu (be quick the screen goes away quickly!)
note : the button to initiate boot selection menu can vary according to the BIOS, if F12 doesn’t work for you, see at the bottom of your screen, you will be able to see which button you have to press (could be “DEL” “F1″ “F2″ “Esc” etc)
Select your portable storage device from the list which appears.
Selection screen will appear , then select “run from hardrive”, the Ubuntu splash screen will show up with a loading bar.
Voila! the OS will boot!

Notes

We tested out web surfing and loaded some images, all worked super smooth (no signs of lag)
Devices such as Mouse, Wifi will work automatically without the need to install new drivers.