Join Log in
Score:-2
avatar Ubuntu

What is the appropriate Ubuntu download to put onto a boot USB stick

cn flag
Sebastian

At https://ubuntu.com/download there are so many options that I am at a loss as to what to download. I just want a Linux O/S to boot from a USB stick when needed.

29
0 + 0
guiverc avatar
cn flag
guiverc
Ubuntu Desktop (which includes *flavors*) are geared for desktop & laptops as they have a GUI or graphical user interface. Ubuntu Server (including Ubuntu Core for IoT or Cloud) have a text interface (TUI) only as are usually used on *headless* devices, and having a GUI just wastes resources. Ubuntu is also available for different architectures (eg. a common *amd64* PC, but also *ppc64el*, *s390x*, *armhf*, *arm64* & other architectures too if you've such a device...)
2
Reply
user535733 avatar
cn flag
user535733
Take a moment to *read* the very brief description of each of those options. It's not time-consuming or difficult. Those descriptions enable you to screen out which options are unsuitable for your proposed use. You will discover that only one or two options are suitable.
0
Reply
Score:1
C.S.Cameron avatar Ubuntu
cn flag
C.S.Cameron

Persistent Install vs Full install to USB

Ubuntu can be installed to a USB in different ways. A Live install does not save between sessions. A Persistent install extracts the OS from a compressed file and saves data to an overlay file or partition each session. A Full install installs the complete OS to the USB just like an install to internal disk.

Comparison between Persistent and Full install USB

Advantages of a persistent install:

  1. You can use the persistent pendrive to install Ubuntu to another computer.

  2. A persistent install takes up less space on the pendrive.

  3. You can reset the pendrive by overwriting the old casper-rw file with a new one.

  4. The install to pendrive takes less time.

  5. Slightly less wear on the drive.

Advantages of a Full install:

  1. You can update and upgrade.

  2. If you have problems or wish to modify, the solution is the same as with an internal install, (You can ask for help in the forums).

  3. No ugly startup / install screen.

  4. Better security, you can use full encryption

  5. You can use proprietary drivers.

  6. Swapfiles and partitions work and Hibernation can be enabled.

  7. Many persistent installs are limited to a 4GB casper-rw and a 4GB home-rw persistence file, to get more persistence requires persistence partitions. Once casper-rw is full, the drive will not boot.

  8. More efficient usage of disk space. Does not require reserved space for persistence.

  9. Faster boot, no automatic disk checking or Try Ubuntu/Install Ubuntu screen.

  10. You can run VBox and use virtual machines.

  11. Generally faster boot than Live or Persistent USB's.

  12. More stable, better for day to day use. I have run Ubuntu off a flash drive for 5 years making only LTS upgrades.

Note that once booted, both methods run at about the same speed. If the computer has lots of RAM Ubuntu should run mainly in RAM and there will not be a big difference between running off internal HDD and USB3 flash drive f.

Full Install Method

A quick and easy method to flash a Full install to USB can be found here: Easy Full Install USB that Boots both BIOS and UEFI

A more traditional methods for creating a Full install USB from scratch can be found here: How to Create a Full Install of Ubuntu 20.04 to USB Device Step by Step

Persistent install method

The following tools can be used to make a Persistent install USB: mkusb - https://help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb, Rufus - https://rufus.ie/en/, Universal USB Installer - https://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/, Ventoy - https://www.ventoy.net/en/index.html, YUMI- https://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/. and others.

mkusb is my favorite tool for making Persistent USB's https://help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb. It creates boot partitions that allow it to boot in BIOS or UEFI mode. It puts the OS on a read only ISO9660 partition that is difficult to corrupt. Persistence goes on an ext4 partition who's size is only limited by USB size and it will make a NTFS data partition so you can save data from a Windows or a Linux computer

0 + 0
ธงชาติไทย
Elon Musk
I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

mangohost

Post an answer

Most people don’t grasp that asking a lot of questions unlocks learning and improves interpersonal bonding. In Alison’s studies, for example, though people could accurately recall how many questions had been asked in their conversations, they didn’t intuit the link between questions and liking. Across four studies, in which participants were engaged in conversations themselves or read transcripts of others’ conversations, people tended not to realize that question asking would influence—or had influenced—the level of amity between the conversationalists.