Can I boot Linux Ubuntu from a USB flash drive?

Question

My computer doesn't burn CDs and I want to install the Ubuntu operating system. Can I do so from a USB port?

ALSO...

when I install linux will it reformat my HD thereby deleting all my files from WinXP?

I appreciate all your help.

Answer 1

You can install from USB but it's a bit tricky. You need to extract all the files from the Ubuntu CD to the USB key then run a tool called syslinux on the drive to make it bootable. This should work fine - if not there are lots of tutorials about.

And when you install Ubuntu - you have various options but you will most probably delete all your files.

Possibly try looking into something called WUBI (i think) which lets you install ubuntu into a folder through windows but select to run ubunto. best of both worlds there.

Answer 2

As stated above, you have to make your USB drive bootable, which can be a bit of a pain.

Try an external USB CD-ROM drive. They are cheap and you'll find a lot of uses for one

Unbuntu comes as a Live CD, which means you can boot from the CD and run without changing anything. A little slower, but it will let you try Unbuntu before taking the plunge and installing it.

There are many options for installing. If you have room on your hard drive, Unbuntu will suggest a partioning scheme that will just make part of your hard drive for Unbuntu and part for Windows. You'll need about 4 - 6 GB of spare room to do this. Then you do not lose any Windows files and can boot to either OS  

Answer 3

there are already good answers on this already, but another option could be using Wubi. Wubi installs Ubuntu to your hard drive from within windows just like a windows program. If you want to remove it later you just go to the add/remove programs in the control panel. Might be worth a shot because like others have said it is possible to do with a USB drive but a little tricky. Check out http://wubi-installer.org/ for wubi and you might want to check out http://www.pendrivelinux.com out for instructions on the USB if you want to give it a try. That site has good instructions on how to do it if you decide, but i would strongly suggest Wubi especially if just trying out Ubuntu.

Answer 4

Well Ubuntu is a pretty cool one there are several ways you can install it. I'm not experience with using it from a USB but Ubunutu can be install from inside windows and will allow you to create a partition that will keep you from deleting files so that you can dual boot. You might want to get yourself a CDburner drive though they are cheap and it makes it easier to do alot of things. I believe Ubuntu can even be installed on a USB drive but as to booting from a USB device that depends on your computers BIOS check out www.icewalkers.com its a linux community site with tons of info