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By installing Linux on a USB drive, you can use the USB drive on other computers as well. Refer to the steps in the next part of the article on how to install Linux on a USB drive below.
Step 1: Preparation
Prepare the following requirements:
1. A USB drive, minimum capacity of 4GB, 8GB, or more; the larger, the better.
2. Internet connection.
3. A computer running Windows.
Once you've prepared all the necessary requirements, follow the steps below to install Linux on your USB drive.
Step 2: Download Ubuntu and USB Installer
You might be familiar with the term Linux, which is an operating system similar to Windows. Linux comes in various distributions, with Ubuntu being the most popular. Ubuntu is the operating system you'll be installing on your USB flash drive.
Download Ubuntu to your machine here: Download Ubuntu
Click on the Download button to initiate the download. Depending on your Internet connection, the process may complete within a few minutes. Once done, find the downloaded file in the Downloads folder or on your Desktop.
The next step is to download the Universal USB Installer for Ubuntu.
Download the Universal USB Installer to your machine and install it here: Download Universal USB Installer
An ideal solution is to save all files in the same location, such as on the Desktop.
Step 3: Install the Operating System on USB
Now that everything is set up, it's the perfect time to plug in your USB drive and install the operating system. Before you start, remember to back up your files and data on your computer. Note the character name of the USB drive, in this example it's drive G:/, with a capacity of 8GB.
Next, double-click on the previously downloaded USB Installer, click Yes if the UAC window appears on the screen to allow the program. Follow the steps below:
1. On the first screen, click I Agree.
2. Then choose a Linux distribution from the drop-down menu; you select Ubuntu 11.04.
3. Disregard the Download the iso option.
4. Next, click the Browse... button and navigate to the location where you saved the Ubuntu ISO file. Double-click on that file.
5. Be cautious in this step to avoid confusion with other USB drives plugged into your machine. Click the drop-down menu to select the name of your USB drive. In this example, it's drive G:/, but on different computers, the USB drive name may vary.
6. Note the option Format X: Drive (where X is your USB drive character). If available, choose this option to format your USB drive as FAT32. You can then copy everything from the backup.
7. Next, click Create to initiate the installation. A pop-up window will appear; here, click Yes.
8. After completion, click Close. When checking the USB drive, you'll notice a reduced free capacity due to the installed operating system. Additionally, you may see unfamiliar files and folders inside the USB, such as casper, pool, and md5sum; these are Ubuntu files.
Step 4: Test Ubuntu
After installing Ubuntu on the USB, the next step is to test Ubuntu to ensure it's functioning correctly.
Remove your USB drive and shut down the computer. After the computer is off, plug in your USB drive again and turn on the computer. Immediately after pressing the power button, press the F10 key (or F12, depending on your computer) to access the BIOS on the computer. The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) screen may look a bit unfamiliar, and you'll need to use the keys to navigate through the menu.
Some notes with incorrectly configured BIOS settings can lead to various issues
Follow the steps below again:
1. After accessing the BIOS, navigate to the System Configuration menu.
2. Look for Boot Options or similar options to open a new menu.
3. Then access Boot Order or Boot Priority (BIOS layouts differ depending on your computer's motherboard).
4. Once found, change the system order to USB Flash Drive or USB Disk Key, or something similar, at the top of the list.
5. Save the changes and restart your computer (note that some BIOS may boot directly into Windows after you exit, or you may simply need to restart Windows).
Afterward, you'll be greeted by the Ubuntu Installer startup menu; here, choose the first option Run Ubuntu from this USB.
On the screen, you'll see various windows and matrix-style pop-up notifications, indicating that you have successfully installed and run Ubuntu from the USB drive.
Once everything is complete in Ubuntu, click the Power button in the top right corner to display the menu, where you can use it to shut down the computer. Then, remove your USB drive.
The next step now is to install portable applications on your USB drive.
Note: The portable applications mentioned here by Mytour are different from the applications you typically see in Ubuntu; these portable applications are designed to run on Windows, not Ubuntu. Use the USB drive to boot into Ubuntu instead of booting into Windows, and you can copy important files onto a separate drive before reinstalling Windows.
Step 5: Download and Install the Application Package
This step is not too difficult for beginners. Portable application packages, like Linux, come in various forms. The simplest and most useful way is to download and install portable applications from the PortableApps.com Installer website. You can access the website HERE
If you're concerned about insufficient free space, you can opt for smaller-sized versions for installation. Additionally, if your USB drive contains cluttered Ubuntu files, press the Ctrl + A key combination to select all those files. Then right-click on any item, choose Properties, and tick the Hidden checkbox => Apply.
After the installation process is complete, double-click on the installer and follow the steps below:
1. On the first window, click Next.
2. On the next window, click I accept...agreement and then click Next.
3. This step is a bit tricky. Click the Browse button, then on the pop-up window displayed on the screen, select your USB drive; it might be named PENDRIVE as this is the Ubuntu environment.
4. Click OK and then click Install.
5. The installation process may take some time. If it pauses midway, it might be extracting applications from the installer.
After completion, click Finish, and the portable application package will restart for the first time. It's quite similar to the Windows Start Menu, so navigation is not too challenging.
Step 6: Install / Add New Portable Applications
If you're installing the Standard Suite version, it means you have the freedom to choose applications. However, the Chrome browser is not pre-installed in these application packages.
There are two possibilities: one is that portable applications are available on PortableApps.com, and two is that they are available on another website.
Scenario 1: Available on PortableApps.com
1. Search for the desired application on the search bar at the top right corner.
2. Once you've found the application, click on the Download
3. The file is saved as .paf.exe. Double-click on the file to install the application.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions. It will automatically detect your USB drive.
5. There you go! You have completed the process of installing the portable application.
Scenario 2: Available on another website
1. Download the portable application from a different website.
2. Create a folder inside the PortableApps directory on your USB drive, let's say MyApp.
3. Copy the downloaded portable application into the newly created folder.
4. Launch the PortableApps launcher or click on the Options menu, then select Refresh App Icons.
5. So, you've just manually installed a portable application not available on PortableApps.com.
Here, Mytour has guided you on how to install Linux on a USB drive. If you have any questions that need clarification, feel free to leave your comments below the article, and Mytour will respond to your inquiries as soon as possible. Best of luck!
