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Persistent Storage doesn't work with most Linux distributions, but it's compatible with Ubuntu and Fedora Linux. So, in this Mytour guide, you'll learn how to create a Ubuntu Live USB with Persistent Storage.
How does Persistent Storage work?
When creating a Persistent USB, you need to allocate 4GB of the USB drive for the Persistent overlay file. Any changes made to the system, such as saving files on the desktop, adjusting settings in applications, or installing programs, will be stored in the overlay file. Whenever you boot the USB drive on any computer, the files, settings, and installed programs will be present on that computer.
This is an ideal feature if you want to store a Linux system directly on a USB drive and use it on different computers. You don't have to set up the system from scratch every time you boot. Just install Ubuntu on the USB drive and boot the device from that USB drive.
However, it has some limitations; you can't modify system files like the kernel. Additionally, you can't perform system upgrades or install hardware drivers, but most applications can be installed. You can even update most of the applications you've installed.
Persistence doesn't work with most Linux distributions but is compatible with Ubuntu and Fedora Linux. The process of creating a Ubuntu Live USB with Persistent Storage is similar across all supported Linux distributions. Just download the appropriate ISO file and follow the instructions below if you want to use Ubuntu or Fedora.
Creating Ubuntu Live USB with Persistent Storage
To set up Persistence, you'll need a USB drive with sufficient capacity. Since Ubuntu takes up 2GB of space on the USB drive, you'll need additional space for Persistent Storage. So, if you're using a 4GB USB drive, you can only store 2GB of Persistent Storage. For maximum storage capacity, your USB drive must have a minimum capacity of 6GB.
Unfortunately, the Rufus tool recommended by Ubuntu for creating Ubuntu Live USB drives does not support creating systems with Persistent Storage.
Download the Ubuntu ISO file you want to install on the USB drive and use the Linux Live USB Creator application.
Download the Linux Live USB Creator application to your computer by clicking here: Download Linux Live USB Creator
Insert the USB drive you want to use into the USB port of your computer and launch the Linux Live USB Creator application you just installed.
Select the USB drive you want to use in the 'Step 1: Choose Your Key' box.
Provide the Ubuntu ISO file you previously downloaded. Click the 'ISO / IMG / ZIP' button below the 'Step 2: Choose a Source' box, browse for the .ISO file on your computer, and double-click on it.
Utilize the options in the 'Step 3: Persistence' box to select the available space you want to use for storing Persistent Storage on the USB drive. Drag the slider to the right to choose the maximum storage capacity.
After completing the configuration of the necessary settings, to create a Live USB with Persistent Storage, click the lightning bolt icon in the 'Step 5: Create' box.
Now, just wait for the drive creation tool to finish. When the process is complete, you'll see the message 'Your LinuxLive key is now up and ready!' displayed on the screen. At this point, you can restart your computer and boot from the USB drive or unplug the USB drive and insert it into another computer.
To confirm that Persistent Storage is functioning correctly, boot the USB drive and create a folder on the desktop or save a file on the desktop. Then, shut down the computer, restart the Live USB drive again, and you'll see the folder or file you created on the desktop.
Here, Mytour has just guided you on creating a USB Ubuntu Live with Persistent Storage. Additionally, you can explore more about Ubuntu shortcuts, a compilation of hotkeys useful for quick operations on Ubuntu. Any comments or questions are welcome in the comments section below the article. Don't forget to share your feedback with Mytour.
