Pendrive Linux

As the founder of Pen Drive Linux, I dream that some day, a majority of the population might be able to carry Linux with them on a portable USB device such as a flash drive. Boasting the ability to walk up to any PC or terminal, USB boot and run their own operating environment, remove the device when finished, and walk away. Leaving no information behind on the PC or terminal they used.

How to Create a Puppy Linux Live USB Drive

Puppy Linux bootable USB

Create a Puppy Linux Live USB from Windows, Linux, or MacOS. In the following section, I will show you several methods to install, boot, and run a Live Puppy Linux system from a bootable USB flash drive. You can use the YUMI multiboot bootable USB drive maker tool from within Windows or the dd command from Linux or MacOS. Although packed with popular features, this Live Linux distribution aims to remain lightweight and small, allowing it to run exceptionally well on older computer hardware.

Make a GParted Live USB Bootable Flash Drive

GParted USB

Easily create a bootable GParted Live USB flash drive from Windows using YUMI, or using dd in Linux or on macOS. GParted, a popular graphical partition editor developed by Curtis Gedak, is a powerful open source USB partition tool for managing disk partitions. It allows you to create, resize, delete, and reorganize partitions with ease. Additional features include managing boot flags, formatting drives, cloning partitions, and more.

Ubuntu Installer Not Detecting Hard Drive

ubuntu not detecting hard drive

Ubuntu Installer Not Detecting Hard Drive (SATA or NVMe): One of the most frustrating issues when installing Ubuntu is when the installer cannot find your hard drive. This often happens with both SATA HDDs/SSDs and modern NVMe drives. Even if the disk shows up in fdisk -l or GParted, the Ubuntu installer may fail to detect it.

Make a System Rescue USB Bootable Toolkit

system rescue usb

System Rescue USB (formerly known as System Rescue CD) is a Linux based live system toolkit designed for troubleshooting, repairing, and recovering computers. It helps fix unbootable or damaged systems, restore operating systems, repair filesystems, and recover data after crashes.

Make a USB Bootable Linux Mint Flash Drive

Linux Mint bootable USB

Want to create a USB bootable Linux Mint with persistence? This how to tutorial shows you how to create a Linux Mint Live USB with persistence so you can run Linux Mint directly from a USB drive and save your changes between sessions. You'll also learn how to use that same drive to install Mint to your computer's hard drive.

Boot from USB without BIOS Support - PLoP

PLoP Boot Manager

How to Boot from USB Without BIOS Support Using PLoP Boot Manager: If your computer's BIOS does not natively support USB booting, this alternate Boot Manager allows you to boot from USB drives via a CD. This is especially useful for older computers or laptops with limited boot options.

Create a Live Lubuntu Bootable USB with Persistence

Lubuntu bootable USB

How to create a Live Lubuntu bootable USB flash drive with persistence. Lubuntu Linux is an official Ubuntu flavor that uses the lightweight LXQt desktop environment. It is designed to run efficiently on older computers, netbooks, and systems with limited RAM or CPU resources.

Make a Live Bootable USB Kubuntu with Persistence

USB Kubuntu

Want to try a Live USB Kubuntu without installing it on your hard drive? A bootable USB lets you test it in live mode. With persistence enabled, you can save files, settings, and installed software for future sessions. This guide shows how to create a Kubuntu live bootable USB using tools like YUMI, Etcher, and dd, on Windows, Linux, or macOS.

Put Xubuntu on USB Flash Drive | Windows or Linux

Xubuntu bootable USB

Install Xubuntu on USB: Create a bootable Xubuntu Live USB drive using Windows or Linux. In this guide, you'll learn how to easily install Xubuntu onto a USB flash drive using YUMI Multiboot software, Etcher, or the dd command. The YUMI USB boot method also supports persistence, allowing you to save changes between sessions by selecting a persistent file size during setup. This makes the tiny Xubuntu operating system an excellent choice for a portable Linux system you can run on almost any computer.

Install Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) to a USB Drive

Ubuntu NetBook Remix 10.04   Screenshot

How to Install Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) to a USB Drive: Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) is a lightweight version of Ubuntu Linux developed by Canonical Ltd. for netbooks and other low powered computers. Though officially discontinued, it remains an excellent operating system for reviving old netbooks and laptops.

Boot from USB Ubuntu Live with Persistence

usb ubuntu

USB Ubuntu: This tutorial covers how to create a bootable Ubuntu USB drive with persistent storage so your files, settings, and installed applications remain saved between reboots. You can use YUMI on Windows, Etcher with manual persistence setup, or Linux terminal tools like dd depending on your preferred method.

Install Wolvix to a Flash Drive using Windows

Wolvix Frugal Persistent Install

Run Wolvix from a bootable USB flash drive: In the following section, I show you one way to quickly boot and run Wolvix Linux from a USB flash drive using YUMI. Wolvix is a Slackware based Linux distribution that was created by Kenneth 'Wolven' Granerud. It is derived from Slackware and the Linux Live scripts from (SLAX).

Installing GRUB2 on USB from Linux

install grub2 on usb

How to Install Grub2 on USB from Linux to make a BIOS an UEFI bootable USB that can boot on all Machines. In the following tutorial, I'll show you one way of easily installing Grub2 Bootloader to a USB flash drive from an up and running Linux Operating Environment.

Create a Casper-RW Partition Larger than 4GB

GParted   Create a New Ext2 Partition

Let's create a Casper-RW partition larger than 4GB on your USB drive: This tutorial will guide you through the steps to create a writable casper-rw partition larger than 4GB on your USB flash drive. This allows persistent storage beyond the 4GB limit imposed by a casper-rw file, giving you more flexibility for storing files, settings, and configurations on your Ubuntu based Live USB.

Universal USB Installer: Bootable USB Software (UUI)

Universal USB Installer

The Universal USB Installer (UUI) is a free bootable USB creation tool that lets you create bootable USB drives from Windows and Linux ISO files. Use it to install operating systems, run Live Linux distributions, build multiboot USB toolkits, create Windows installation media, or carry portable antivirus and recovery tools on a single USB flash drive.

Create a USB Linux Mint from Live CD

Make a Mint8 USB Flash Drive using USB Startup Disk Creator

Here is one way to create a Live Bootable USB Linux Mint Flash Drive using the USB Startup Disk Creator. This is accomplished while running from a Live CD, but can also be done from a desktop installation. Linux Mint is a remix based on Ubuntu that sports a new look and integrated media codecs.

Create a DBAN Bootable USB Drive (Windows, Linux, macOS)

DBAN Running From USB

Create a DBAN bootable USB flash drive containing a secure disk erasure tool using the YUMI Multiboot USB Creator. This tutorial covers how to run Darik's Boot and Nuke from a USB stick using Windows, Linux, or macOS. The utility is designed to thoroughly wipe traditional hard drives (HDDs) through multiple overwrite passes, ensuring permanent data destruction.

Install Puppy Arcade on a Bootable USB Drive

Puppy Arcade Screenshot

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to install the Puppy Arcade retro gaming Linux distro to a bootable USB flash drive using Windows. Puppy Arcade is a remastered version of Puppy Linux, designed specifically for Linux-based game console emulation. Originally developed by Scott Jarvis, it features a collection of built-in emulators for classic gaming systems.

Create a YlmF OS (StartOS) Bootable USB

YlmF OS Desktop Screenshot

Create a Bootable StartOS (YlmF OS) USB Drive on Windows, Linux, or macOS. Formerly known as YlmF OS, this tiny Linux distribution is modeled to look and feel like Microsoft Windows. Often described as the Linux that looks like Windows, it combines the visual familiarity of Windows with the performance, security, and freedom of open source software.

Run Ubuntu Server from USB

Ubuntu 9.10 Server Edition Installer running from USB

Run Ubuntu Server from USB; Easily create a Live USB Bootable Ubuntu Server using YUMI from within Windows, or using native tools on Linux and macOS. The following guide covers multiple proven methods to install, boot, and run Ubuntu Server from a USB flash drive. Once completed, you can run Ubuntu Server Edition live from USB or install it to an internal hard drive. This is especially useful if your system lacks a CD or DVD drive but supports USB booting.

Create a DreamLinux Bootable USB from CD

Dreamlinux USB Install Done

How to Create a DreamLinux Bootable USB Flash Drive using the Persistent Dream Installer while running from the Live CD. DreamLinux was a Brazilian remix based on Debian Linux. It was unfortunately discontinued October 2012. It featured many useful applications. Tools such as Firefox, Thunderbird, Inkscape, Gimp, Open Office, Pidgin, Evince, Gthumb, Xsane, Avant-Window-Navigator, Engage, Rhythmbox, SoundJuicer, SoundConverter, Totem Media Player, Avidemux, EasyTag, Brasero and more were included by default.

Create an Ubuntu Rescue Remix Bootable USB

Ubuntu Rescue Remix running from USB

How to Create a Ubuntu Rescue Remix Bootable USB flash drive from within Windows. The following tutorial covers one method of installing and running (URR) Ubuntu Rescue Remix to a USB drive using a Windows PC and the Universal USB Installer to do the Boot creation. Upon completion, the distribution can then be booted and run from your removable device.

How to Boot a USB Flash Drive in VirtualBox

Select existing Virtual Disk usb.vmdk

How to Boot a USB flash drive in VirtualBox. In this segment you will learn how to successfully boot a portable operating system from a USB flash drive or removable external hard drive while still running from within a Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X environment using vbox.

Move WUBI to a USB Flash Drive

Modify WUBI Grub2 Boot Configuration

WUBI on USB? In the following tutorial, I show you how we moved a WUBI Ubuntu install to a USB Flash Drive. This is a follow up of our previous move WUBI to External Hard Drive tutorial as it appears WUBI currently utilizes a different set of features and GRUB2 has replaced GRUB or GRUB4DOS, making the previous tutorial obsolete.

Boot a Portable VirtualBox from USB

Boot a Portable VirtualBox from USB

Can You Boot a Portable VirtualBox from USB? Yes, you can! Want to run VirtualBox directly from a USB drive without installing software on the host PC or restarting the system? Thanks to Portable VirtualBox, it's entirely possible!

Easily Install Gentoo on USB from Windows

gentoo 10 1 desktop screenshot

How to Install Gentoo on USB: The following simple guide explains how to create a Gentoo Live bootable USB flash drive using Windows, a Gentoo Live ISO file, and the Universal USB Installer tool, or dd. By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a portable version of Gentoo Linux that you can boot directly from a USB drive.

Make a USB Boot CD for Linux Mint

create a USB Boot CD for Linux Mint

To make a USB Boot CD for Linux Mint that allows you to boot Linux Mint from a USB flash drive on systems that do not support USB booting directly, follow the steps below. This guide will walk you through creating a CD that uses the GRUB bootloader to load the Linux Mint kernel and initrd, then detects the USB to load the full Linux Mint OS.

How to Install WINE on Ubuntu: Run Windows Apps on Linux

Install Wine on Ubuntu

How to Install WINE on Ubuntu and Run Windows Apps on Linux. Have you ever needed to run a Windows program on your Linux machine? WINE is a powerful compatibility layer that enables Linux users to run Windows executable (.exe) files natively on Linux. By bridging the gap between Windows and Linux, WINE makes it possible to use essential Windows software, tools, and even many games directly from your Linux desktop.

This guide shows in simple steps how to install and configure WINE on Ubuntu, so you can run your favorite Windows applications efficiently and with minimal setup.

Make a Live Bootable KNOPPIX USB Flash Drive

KNOPPIX Live bootable USB drive

Easily create a bootable Live KNOPPIX USB flash drive using the Universal USB Installer. KNOPPIX is a free, open source, Debian based Live Linux distribution. It's well known for its portability, automatic hardware detection, and usefulness in system recovery, diagnostics, and hardware testing.

Make a Casper Persistent File from Windows

PDL Casper RW Persistent-File Creator

You can use this Pen Drive Linux Persistent USB File Creator to make a Persistent Ubuntu USB from Windows: Easily make a casper-rw persistent file or writable overlay file for Ubuntu and Ubuntu based distributions. This tool works from within Windows, letting you quickly create a loopback filesystem image (Overlay Image) that saves and restores Ubuntu changes while booted from a live USB. With persistence enabled, your live Ubuntu USB can remember system settings, installed applications, and personal files across reboots.

Create a RIP Linux USB (Recovery is Possible)

USB RIP Linux

Create a USB Recovery Is Possible (RIP) Linux bootable flash drive using YUMI from within Windows, or use dd on Linux/macOS. RIPLinux is a lightweight, Slackware or Debian based distribution (depending on the version) that was originally created by Kent Robotti. Although it is no longer actively maintained, this once reputable well known rescue distribution is still useful for system recovery and maintenance.

Install SliTaz to USB from Windows

slitaz cooking iso running from usb

How to Install SliTaz to a USB flash drive Using Windows. This tiny Linux distribution is a very fast running, free operating system that can be run entirely from system memory. Founded by Christian Lincoln, it remains one of the smallest portable Linux distributions available and can be stored and run directly from a bootable USB key or other removable storage media.

Make an Easy Peasy USB on Windows, Linux, macOS

Easy Peasy on USB

How to Install Easy Peasy to USB flash drive using Windows, Linux or macOS. EasyPeasy is a remix for Netbooks that is based on Ubuntu. It is a Linux Live portable operating system specifically designed and optimized for use on low resource netbooks.

Clonezilla USB Bootable Flash Drive Creation

Clonezilla Bootable USB Flash Drive

How to make Clonezilla USB bootable flash drive from Windows. Clonezilla software is a free partition or disk clone tool that works similar to Norton Ghost and Partition Image. It can be used to backup (clone) information from media to media.

Linux Live USB Creator (LiLi)

live linux usb creator

Linux Live USB Creator, also known as LiLi USB Creator, is a powerful tool for creating bootable USB flash drives loaded with various Linux distributions. With it, users can easily install different Linux versions to a USB, resulting in a bootable Live USB with optional persistence. LiLi enables users to create a Linux bootable USB flash drive from an ISO image, CD, or IMG file. The utility can even download the ISO or IMG file for you.

Create a MEPIS USB Key using the Live CD

using the mepis usb key program

How to make a MEPIS USB Key using the official "MEPIS System Assistant" to create the bootable USB Flash drive. This USB creation process is accomplished while running from the Live CD. SimplyMEPIS is based on a stable Debian Linux kernel. MEPIS Linux is a product founded by Warren Woodford.

Create a Bootable Simply MEPIS USB

mepis 8 0 10 desktop screenshot

Learn how to create a bootable USB for Simply MEPIS Linux using YUMI (Windows), dd (Linux/Windows), or Terminal on macOS. Simply MEPIS was originally developed by Warren Woodford in 2002 as a user-friendly Debian-based Linux distribution.

Cairo Dock Black Background Fix

cairo dock with emulated transparency

Cairo Dock Black Background Fix: Cairo-Dock is an open source desktop dock for Linux. It provides an application launcher, taskbar, and shortcuts on a desktop-like interface. The dock is designed to be visually appealing and customizable, allowing users to enhance their desktop experience.

How to Install Cairo Dock on Ubuntu 9.10

cairo dock on ubuntu 9 10

In the following tutorial, we will show you how we installed Cairo Dock on Ubuntu 9.10. Cairo Dock is an animated application launcher or desktop dock that works much like the dock used in Mac OS X, but is much more flexible and customizable. Cairo-Dock also supports composition and Open GL rendering, allowing for some fascinating animated effects.

Make a USB Boot CD for Xubuntu

How to Create a USB Boot CD for Xubuntu. The resulting disc can be used to boot a Xubuntu USB flash drive on computers with a BIOS that does not natively support booting from USB. A Boot CD created via this process works by loading the Initial Ram Filesystem along with any USB drivers from the CD. Because the USB drivers are made available from the Boot CD, the system will then attempt to find, decompress and load the final Xubuntu squash filesystem and casper-rw persistence file (if it exists) from the USB flash drive.