Ceci est une ancienne révision du document !
Bootable flash drives (often produced by UNetbootin) offer users the option of having a portable operating system (OS). However, session changes cannot be saved, nor can the OS ever be updated. This has proved problematic, especially in light of recent Ubuntu updates for security patches.
An option is to use a persistent flash drive, i.e. a drive designed to accept changes that are saved for future use. Unfortunately, UNetbootin does not offer persistence yet.
Pendrivelinux.com (www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/) offers Universal USB Installer (hereafter referred to as Installer), and it’s designed to create persistent Linux drives that not only boot to live mode but also save updates and other changes to a flash drive.
This includes drivers, codecs, updates, security patches, programs, music files, and documents. Anything changed during a session is saved back to the flash drive - unless you indicate otherwise (an option to ignore changes is offered).
Installer is unique in that it doesn’t need installation but instead works off the desktop icon (it’s just 900KB), but it has one flaw in being a Windows-only program.
The real curiosity is that it does load and work via Wine, but Installer cannot recognize flash drives unless they are listed by the Windows letter system, something Ubuntu (and Linux in general) does not use. Take my word and don’t bother using Installer with Wine - since the end result is nothing but disappointment.
Bummer. Guess I can’t complain since it’s a free program, but, unless you have XP or 7 running in a VM or dual boot, you’d better plan on borrowing time off a friend’s PC.
Fire up the program and you’ll get a dialog pop-up that doesn’t look like much until you tick the box to open what reads like a Linux family tree. Best as I can figure, roughly 70 versions are listed here - ranging from sub-200MB guppies to 4GB monsters.
Ubuntu is heavily recognized with 9.x to 11.10 versions - along with similar offerings for Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Kubuntu, Edubuntu, Remix, Rescue Remix, and Server. Rounding out these mainly Canonical choices you’ll also see Mythbuntu, Linux Mint (4 varieties), BackTrack (3 choices), or Debian (4 editions).
Installer goes beyond Ubuntu, though, and offers choices range from operating systems to recovery discs, penetration testers, and anti-virus programs (some for Windows, too).
In the drop down list, you’ll also find Acronis Rescue, ArchBang, ArchLinux, ArtistX, AVG Antivirus, Avira, BitDefender, Blackbuntu, CentOS, Clonezilla Maverick, CrunchBang, Dbau, DSL, DrWeb, Dynebolic, EasyPeasy, EEEbuntu, Feather Linux, Fedora, Finnix, FreeDOS, Gentoo, gOS, GParted, Jolicloud (now JoliOS), Hiren’s Boot CD, Kaperksy Rescue Disk, Knoppix, Linux for Kids, Macbuntu, Mandriva, MCNLive, Panda Safe, Parted Magic, PCLinuxOS, Peppermint Linux OS, Ping, Pinguy, PloP, Puppy Linux (4 versions), Redo Backup, Rin, RIP Linux, Runt, Sabayon, Simply Mepis, SLAX, SLiTaz, T(A)ils, TinyCore, Ultimate Boot CD, Ultimate Edition Lite, Linux XP Lite, Wifiway, xPUD, XBMC, YlmF, and Zenwalk.
Forgive me if I missed a couple or misspelled others, but it’s apparent nearly every Linux and desktop variation has a representative in this group somewhere.
Can’t find your favorite? An option at the bottom allows for those not listed, and I understand some techies have managed to use Installer to create bootable Windows XP versions, although I’m sure Microsoft’s attorneys are really interested in that development.
Since this is an Ubuntu-based publication, I’ll stick with those variations.
Lesson number one – don’t even think of using that 1GB flash drive you’ve had hanging around in the desk. If base Ubuntu is pushing 800MB, that leaves no more than 200MB for storage - and that’s not much. And if you plan on using one of the big boys like ArtistX or Ultimate Edition, you can plan on using a much larger flash drive since they start at 3GB.
Consider 2GB the minimum for base Ubuntu, but don’t go over 8GB. Installer limits persistence space to 4GB, so even the largest OS plus persistence won’t exceed 8GB.
Size is not the only consideration, though. Users that computer hop are best served by i386 32-bit versions. 64-bit varieties limit you to that processor, while a 32-bit OS will work on just about any computer out there.
Lesson number two – some online tutorials are out-of-date. A new version of Installer was issued in early April, 2011, so much of the information online from before that month is now outdated.
For example, some of these sources state CD/DVD or flashcard-based .iso images can be used by Installer as the source code; however, I could never get these to work. Don’t know if it’s a program tick, or something changed with the newest version, but Installer would not recognize anything for me unless it was downloaded by the program.
That isn’t necessarily bad at all. Installer reaches out to the OS of choice website and drags the .iso image back for you. Let’s be realistic and admit not all websites are created equal, and some developers put more flash in their sites than they do their OS. It may take a little while but it beats playing hide-and-go-seek with a buried OS.
Now that you’ve seen what Installer looks like, it’s time to go close up and personal with what it can do. There are 4 progressive steps, i.e. each step cannot be accessed until the previous one is completed successfully.
You will see:
Step 1: Linux distribution selection. Pick the version desired from the massive listing I mentioned earlier. Installer will access the Internet if the “Locale ISO Selected” box is not ticked. Opting for an OS not listed means you’ll have to point Installer to the URL, but, in any case, expect a wait as the OS is downloaded.
Step 2: Here Installer locates the .iso image. By default, it points to what it just downloaded. If not, there is a browse button to help it along.
Step 3: Flash drive (final destination) selection. It defaults to the inserted flash drive. FAT32 is used, and, if you don’t know how your drive is set, count on using “Check this box if you want to format the Drive”.
Make sure Installer picks your intended drive letter! Having the wrong selection can and will delete everything on that drive!
Step 4: Persistence allocation. This doesn’t appear until step 3 is completed. The newest Installer version from April 2011 picks the remaining flash drive space, up to 4GB.
Earlier versions require users to pick persistence space, and this caused confusion since persistence is independent of OS size. Users had to know OS size along with drive size to determine persistence, and choosing the wrong figure could create a fatal error.
The only problem with this system is that it lacks feedback. You have to assume how much of the flash drive is reserved for persistence, and there is no way of telling until after the first boot. I used an 8GB flash drive that never presented a problem since Installer always took 4GB irrespective of OS size.
Lesson number three – no current Ubuntu based OS exceeds 4GB, far as I know. That means an 8GB flash drive is safe for any OS in this category since the fattest version plus 4GB persistence will not exceed flash drive capacity.
Once everything is set, click Create, and take a break. You won’t have to wait more than 5 to 15 minutes before seeing the successful completion notification.
Testing is merely a matter of resetting the BIOS on a computer to boot from the persistent drive. If all goes well, the Ubuntu menu should appear with the first option being “Run Ubuntu from this USB”.
Some reviewers have complained that boot times are sluggish but this isn’t totally true. The first boot requires users to input keyboard style, language, time zone, etc, but once that information is saved, future boot times are within standard live-mode parameters (base Ubuntu 10.10 came up within 1 minute).
Keep in mind you are operating from a flash drive, so lag time is inevitable as programs are accessed, but flash drives are still quicker than comparable DVD versions.
Another thing to remember is that changes will result in garbage file accumulation. Dead kernels and update files will still hang around, so plan on using Computer Janitor or Ubuntu Tweak to get rid of those - or your drive will fill up quicker than you realize.
This is where Disk Usage Analyzer comes into play. Be sure to check it often since there is no feedback on remaining drive space, and you don’t want to find out too late that all your effort cannot be saved because insufficient space exists. If you lack that program, right click the desktop icon or file, and get remaining space information.
Once the command to shut down is given, users are asked to save or ignore changes made, and the computer shuts down just like a live mode CD/DVD would.
Now for the question that I’m sure a few are itching to ask. Is full installation still an option, and will changes made to the original drive transfer?
The “Install Ubuntu x.xx” icon is on the desktop, and everything you’ve added, deleted. or otherwise changed in past sessions, will still be there just as you left it earlier. Full installation is the same as using a live-mode CD/DVD.
No program is faultless, but computer hoppers will have to realize that no two computers are the same. Using the drive on various units means parameters have to be changed for each. For example, wireless codes are not the same, but I did discover that Installer can save multiple codecs, drivers, and even wifi passwords, for various computers, and will adjust itself as it recognizes them.
Ah, but there is another question some have asked. Can Installer create a multi-boot persistent flash drive?
No, it’s a one-OS program, but its cousin, Yumi (Your Universal Multiboot Installer) will. It’s offered on the same website, but I can’t comment on it yet – that’s my next experiment (although my initial peek shows it to be Installer with the added capability of creating multiple partitions on one flash drive).
Using a 5-diamond rating system, I’d give Installer 4 - based upon its ease of use, extensive OS listing, program design, and end results. I dropped it a point for being a Windows only program, and for having a flash drive recognition system that, although better than originally designed, still doesn’t tell users how much storage space they have until after the initial boot.