With Ubuntu 16.04 LTS inching ever closer to release, now feels like a good time to recap how easy it is to make an bootable Ubuntu USB drive. Just like the live CD, a live Linux USB allows you to boot Ubuntu on your machine without needing to install it on your hard-drive. Live images are a useful way to test hardware compatibility (things like Wi-Fi drivers, touch-screens, etc) before committing to a full install. In this article we show you 3 ways of making a bootable thumb drive on the 3 major desktop operating systems: Windows, OS X and Ubuntu. How to Create a Bootable Linux USB Drive on Windows Our preferred tool for creating bootable Ubuntu sticks in Windows is ‘Linux Live USB Creator’ – often called ‘Lili’ for short. The free and open-source app is incredibly straightforward to use. Just follow each step in turn.
Create the Bootable USB Drive To create the USB drive, the command dd is used to copy and convert a file. This is a very powerful command and it should be used with care and caution.
It’ll even download the.iso file for you if you don’t have one to hand. If you don’t like this app (or can’t get it run) there are alternatives, including Rufus ( How to Create a Bootable Linux USB Drive on Mac OS X For an OS that’s prized for its simplicity it’s strange that creating a bootable USB on a Mac is not easy. But it’s not impossible, either. Canonical recommend a command-line method to The instructions are concise though the process is involved. For something less longwinded you could give the open-source, cross-platform UNetBootin app a go. It has to be said that while the success rate of images created using this app is poor (you can’t use the USB’s it creates to boot a Mac, for instance) it is the ‘easiest’ way to create a bootable Ubuntu USB on Mac OS X. Like LiLi above, Unetbootin can even automatically download a Linux distro.iso file, which is handy if you feel the itch to distro hop but don’t know exactly which flavor to try.
Remember that to boot from a USB on a Mac you will need to hold down the Alt/Option’ key during boot. Other GUI alternatives include How to Make a Bootable Linux USB Drive on Ubuntu Ubuntu comes with an app to create live USB drives already installed. Open the Dash and search for ‘USB Startup’. Launch the app, locate your.iso file, choose your USB drive (double check it’s the correct one!) and then hit ‘install’. You can also configure persistence though I’ve never had a USB boot when I’ve enabled this feature.
What’s your preferred method for creating bootable Linux USB drives? Let us know in the comments!
If you've ever wiped your computer without having a proper backup of your operating system, or just wanted to, chances are you've had to rely on Linux to help you out, specifically the distro. Ubuntu doesn't get a lot of love compared to powerhouses like and, but those who do use it are often fans for life. It is currently the most popular Linux distribution and has a dedicated community that's actively working to make it smoother, faster, and more secure. Since it's based off of Linux, it has the ability to boot on pretty much anything, from a USB drive to. While it's pretty impressive that a can handle an entire operating system, it won't help you get your computer up and running.
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In this guide, I'm going to show you how to create a USB drive that contains all of the necessary files to boot your Windows PC or Mac into Ubuntu. To create this bootable USB drive, also known as a live USB, you will need access to a USB drive with at least 2 GB of storage and a functioning computer, but it does not matter if it is a Mac or Windows. In addition, you will also need a copy of the latest version of Ubuntu, which can be downloaded from. Installation for Windows Users If you have access to a Windows machine, the process of creating a live USB is extremely easy. All you have to do is download the from. When it's done, you can boot directly into Ubuntu by selecting the USB drive from your Boot Devices. The way to access the the Boot Devices menu varies between manufacturers, but it can usually be accessed by pressing one of the F keys right after powering on your computer.
Once you select your live USB disk and your system boots up, choose the option to 'Try Ubuntu Without Installing' and wait for the operating system to start. Installation for Mac Users Unfortunately, Mac OS X does not have a tool like Universal USB Installer to create a live USB, but as a Mac user, you should be used to that feeling by now and know that it isn't a big deal. Instead of using a traditional app, we will use. You should now see a list of all the drives attached to your Mac. Look for your USB drive and take note of the number after /dev/disk.
If you are unsure which disk is associated with USB drive, you can unplug your drive, enter the previous command, plug your USB drive back in, enter the command one more time, and then compare the two outputs to find your USB drive's node Once you have that node number, you can use it to flash the the.img file with the following commands. Be sure to replace the # symbols with your node number and run each command separately. When it asks for you admin password, make sure to enter it and continue on. Also, make sure to replace 'Desktop' if your.img file is somewhere else.
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Diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk# sudo dd if=Desktop/Ubuntu.img of=/dev/rdisk# bs=1m diskutil eject /dev/disk#.