Make a Persistent USB Kubuntu Flash Drive using Windows

Make a USB Kubuntu flash drive using Windows. Kubuntu is a fork of Ubuntu, offered by Canonical Ltd. It utilizes a KDE desktop environment. KDE is often preferred over Gnome for its visual appearance and Windows familiar functionality. Once finished, your flash drive will act as a Live Bootable USB, to be used in place of a Live CD. A persistent file can optionally be created for saving and restoring changes on subsequent reboots.

Kubuntu Live Bootable USB with Persistence

USB Bootable Kubuntu — Kubuntu running Live from a bootable USB drive

Distribution Home Page: Distro Project Page
Developer: Canonical Ltd.
Release Date: Kubuntu was first released on April 8, 2005
Persistent Feature: Yes

What is Kubuntu?

Kubuntu is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu, which is itself based on Debian. What distinguishes it from standard Ubuntu is the default desktop environment. While Ubuntu uses the GNOME desktop environment, Kubuntu utilizes the KDE Plasma desktop environment. KDE Plasma is known for its visually appealing interface, customization options, and a wide range of features.

Key Features:

KDE Plasma Desktop: Utilizes the KDE Plasma desktop environment, offering a modern, feature-rich, and customizable user interface.
Ubuntu Based: Inherits the stability and package management system of Ubuntu, which is based on Debian. This ensures access to a large repository of software packages.
Included Applications: Includes a suite of applications from the KDE project, such as the Dolphin file manager, Konsole terminal emulator, and various other utilities.
Software Center: Users can easily install, manage, and update software using the Ubuntu Software Center or the package management tools.
System Settings: Offers a comprehensive system settings application, allowing users to customize various aspects of their desktop environment, appearance, and behavior.
Widgets and Desktop Effects: KDE Plasma supports widgets (known as "Plasmoids") and desktop effects, providing users with a dynamic and interactive desktop experience.
KDE Connect: This feature allows users to connect their Android devices to the desktop environment, enabling seamless integration and interaction between the computer and mobile devices.

Kubuntu Live USB Boot Essentials:

Windows 11, 10, 8 PC (to perform the portable conversion)
Kubuntu ISO
Fast USB Thumb Drive
YUMI (creates the bootable Live USB)

How to Make a Kubuntu Live USB Drive from Windows

You can use YUMI to make a Kubuntu Live USB with Persistence. Here's How:

Download and launch the YUMI Bootable USB Software.
(1.) Select your flash drive from the drop list.
(2.) Next, choose Kubuntu for the distribution.
(3.) Browse and select the ISO file.
(4.) Optionally, set a persistent file size for storing changes, and then Click Create.
Once the YUMI script has finished, restart your PC and set your BIOS or Boot Menu to boot from the USB device, save your changes and reboot.

Create a Kubuntu Bootable USB using DD

Follow these steps to prepare a Kubuntu bootable USB flash drive using dd on Windows:

Note: Exercise caution when using dd on Windows, as it will overwrite all data on the selected drive. Verify that you're targeting the correct USB drive before proceeding.

Download the Kubuntu ISO
Start by obtaining the Kubuntu ISO file from the official website.
Connect Your USB Drive
Insert a USB drive large enough for the ISO file. Backup any essential data on the drive, as this process will erase all existing data.
Determine the USB Drive’s Identifier
To identify the device name assigned to your USB drive, open a Command Prompt with administrative privileges (right-click and choose "Run as administrator"). Enter the following command to start diskpart:
```
diskpart
```
Then, list the disks connected to your system by typing:
```
list disk
```
Identify the disk number for your USB drive. Cross-check using another method, like File Explorer or the Disk Management tool (diskmgmt.msc), to confirm accuracy.
Unmount the USB Drive
Before proceeding with dd, ensure the USB drive is unmounted. Use diskpart to clean and unmount the drive. Replace X with the disk number for your USB drive:
```
select disk X
clean
```
Download and Launch DD for Windows
Download dd for Windows and launch the program.
Write the Kubuntu ISO to the USB Drive
Execute the following command to write the Kubuntu ISO to your USB drive:
```
dd.exe if=path\to\kubuntu.iso of=\\.\PhysicalDriveX bs=4M
```
- if=path\to\kubuntu.iso: Specify the path to the Kubuntu ISO file on your computer. Adjust the path and filename as necessary.
- of=\\.\PhysicalDriveX: Replace X with the disk number of your USB drive, identified in step 3.
- bs=4M: Sets the block size to 4MB. Adjusting this value can speed up the process if needed.
The dd command will take some time to complete. Be patient and wait for it to finish.
Safely Remove the USB Drive
Once the process is done, safely eject the USB drive from your Windows system.

Your bootable Kubuntu USB drive is now ready. To use it, ensure your computer’s BIOS/UEFI is configured to boot from USB, and then boot into Kubuntu.

You should now be able to boot and run Kubuntu Live from the bootable USB flash drive.

Install Kubuntu from USB

It is also worth noting that you can optionally Install Kubuntu from USB to a hard drive. Just use the "Install Kubuntu" shortcut located on the desktop, and then follow the onscreen instructions provided by the installer.