There are a range of reasons you may want to be capable to boot Linux from a jump drive. A few are the same as those for using a live CD, for example repairing a file system or else accessing a PC which won't boot to its installed OS. You may need to set up your preferred Linux distribution on a netbook or else additional computer lacking an optical drive. Or else you might desire to be capable to make use of your modified desktop environment on numerous systems without touching the hard drive. For installing to a hard drive or else repairing a machine, tools like Unetbootin or other scripts to make live USB sticks are most favorable, but for a full functioning Linux-on-a-stick system, you'll want to execute an genuine install.

This how-to covers the last selection, a complete bootable Linux set up on a jump drive, and one you can set up software to as well as personalize to your heart's content.

Requirements:

A PC that can be booted from USB devices. (Almost all system built since 2002 can do this.)

An unfilled, quick jump drive, at least 4 GB in size.

An installable Linux live CD.

Getting Started:

Back up your hard drive.

Test that the jump drive works: copy files both ways among the jump drive as well as the hard drive.

Boot the PC from the live CD.

Slot in the jump drive.

Partitioning the Jump Drive:

Start a partition editor; GParted is a good one.

Choose your jump drive.

Shrink or else erase the accessible Fat32 partition depending on whether or else not you want to be able to make use of the jump drive for file storage below additional operating systems. (If you want to be competent to make use of the jump drive usually below Windows as well as for running Linux, the Fat 32 partition needs to be first on the drive.)

Make a new-fangled Ext2 partition in the free space, sized to the maximum offered.

Apply the changes.

Installation:

Launch the installer, nearly all live CDs have moreover a menu item or else a desktop image for this.

Choose the selection that gives you complete control over the set up, most likely called "manual", "expert" or else something comparable.

Set the mount point to "/" with the filesystem type to Ext2.

Set it to set up the bootloader to the jump drive's MBR.

Pursue the directions specified by the installer from this point. If feasible make use of a lightweight desktop setting as a jump drive is both slower as well as smaller than most hard drives. Also make use of KDE or else Gnome if you want to, but expect performance to be fairly slow if you do.

Now restart the PC, and take out the live CD.

And now you can set the BIOS to boot from your jump drive.

The PC should currently boot from the jump drive into a normal Linux environment.

One time booted into the system, you'll have to update it with some security fixes being offered, as well as modify it to outfit your requirements. Voila, your own Linux configuration you can put in your pocket as well as make use of on almost several computers.