Install CrunchBang Linux to USB via Windows ▷ USB Crunchbang

Create a CrunchBang Linux Bootable USB drive using Windows. The following tutorial covers the process of installing CrunchBang to a USB flash drive from within Windows. This small distribution was originally a remix based on Debian. It featured a lightweight Open box window manager along with GTK+ applications.

USB CrunchBang running from a Flash Drive

Distribution Page: (Discontinued)
Continued under Bunsenlabs - aka: Beryllium Linux
Original developer: Philip Newborough
Release Date: First released in 2008 (last release 2015)
Minimum flash drive size: 4GB
Persistent Feature: Yes

What is CrunchBang?

CrunchBang, also stylized as #! (hash bang), was a Linux distribution that aimed to provide a lightweight and efficient operating system based on Debian. It was known for its minimalistic design, Openbox window manager, and the use of lightweight applications. Designed purely for speed with functionality in mind, this project was sadly discontinued.

The decision to discontinue the distribution was announced by its creator, Philip Newborough, citing personal reasons and a shift in focus. At that time, Newborough recommended users to consider BunsenLabs Linux, a continuation aimed at carrying on the legacy of CrunchBang. Its influence and design principles live on in various projects that share its ethos of simplicity and performance.

Key features include:

Openbox Window Manager: Openbox window manager, which is known for being lightweight and customizable. Openbox allows users to have a clean and efficient desktop environment.
Debian Base: Built on top of Debian, a stable and well-established Linux distribution. This allowed users to benefit from Debian's extensive package repositories and solid performance.
Lightweight Applications: Aimed to provide a fast and responsive system by including lightweight applications. For example, it once used the Thunar file manager and the Chromium web browser.
Minimalistic Design: The distribution followed a minimalistic design philosophy, focusing on simplicity and efficiency. This made it suitable for older hardware or users who preferred a streamlined computing experience.

BunsenLabs continues in this spirit by providing ongoing development and community support.

Essentials to create a USB Bootable BusenLabs

Crunch Bang or Beryllium Linux ISO file
Windows PC
A Fast USB Flash Drive
Universal USB Imager or using the Linux dd command

Make a CrunchBang Linux Bootable USB from CD

To create a USB CrunchBang or Busenlabs bootable USB drive from within Linux or by using a Bootable CD:

Download Crunchbang ISO file and burn it to a CD.
Reboot your PC from the Live CD.
Insert your USB flash drive.
Open "terminal emulator" and type sudo su
Now type fdisk -l to list available drives/partitions (note which device is your flash drive Example: /dev/sdb). Throughout this tutorial, replace all instances of x with your flash drive. letter. For example, if your flash drive is sdb, replace x with b.
Type fdisk /dev/sdx
- type p to show the existing partition and d to delete it.
- type p again to show any remaining partitions (if partitions exist, repeat the previous step).
- type n to make a new partition.
- type pfor primary partition.
  - type 1 to make this the first partition.
  - hit enter to use the default 1st cylinder.
  - hit enter again to use the default last cylinder.
  - type a to make this partition active.
  - type 1 to select partition 1.
  - type t to change the partition filesystem.
  - type 6 to select the fat16 file system.
  - type w to write the new partition table.
Remove and reinsert your flash drive.
Type umount /dev/sdx1
Type mkfs.vfat -F 32 -n CrunchBang /dev/sdx1
Type apt-get install syslinux
Type syslinux -f /dev/sdx1
Remove and reinsert your flash drive again.
Type cd /live/image
Type cp -rfv .disk dists install isolinux live pool md5sum.txt /media/CrunchBang
Type cd /media/CrunchBang
Type wget pendrivelinux.com/downloads/crunchbang/syslinux.cfg
Type dd if=/dev/zero of=casper-rw bs=1M count=1024
- replacing 1024 with the (size in MB) you wish to use for saving changes persistently.
Type mkfs.ext3 -F casper-rw
Reboot your computer. Then set your BIOS boot priority or Boot Menu to boot from the USB device. Finally, save your changes and proceed to boot from your CrunchBang USB device.

Make a CrunchBang persistent USB drive from Windows

Here's how to create a USB bootable CrunchBang or Busenlabs from within Windows using UUI. Be sure to insert your flash drive before proceeding:

Download Crunchbang ISO
Download and run the Universal bootable USB Installer.
Choose your USB drive from the dropdown list and check the box to prepare this drive.
Select "Try Unlisted ISO" from the list of distros, and then browse to and select your ISO file.
Click Create.
Once the script has finished, restart your PC and set your BIOS or Boot Menu to boot from the USB device, save your changes and then reboot.

If all goes well, you should finally be booting CrunchBang or "Beryllium Linux" from your USB device.

Create a CrunchBang Bootable USB using Linux

The dd command is a powerful utility available on most Linux distributions that can be used to create a bootable USB drive from an ISO file. Here's how you can use dd to create a CrunchBang or BunsenLabs bootable USB:

Important Notes:

Be careful when using the dd command, as it directly writes data to the specified drive. Selecting the wrong drive may result in data loss.
Backup any important data from your USB drive before proceeding, as this process will erase all its contents.

Steps to Create a CrunchBang Bootable USB with dd:

Download the ISO: Start by downloading the CrunchBang or BunsenLabs ISO file from the official or archived source.
Insert the USB Drive: Plug your USB flash drive into your Linux computer.
Identify the USB Drive:
- Open a terminal and type lsblk or sudo fdisk -l to list all storage devices.
- Locate your USB drive. It will typically be labeled as something like /dev/sdb (make a note of the correct device name).
Unmount the USB Drive:
- If your USB drive is mounted, unmount it by typing:
```
sudo umount /dev/sdX1
```
  Replace sdX1 with the appropriate partition (e.g., sdb1).
Run the dd Command:
- Use the following command to write the ISO to the USB drive:
```
sudo dd if=/path/to/iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress
```
  Replace:
  - /path/to/iso with the full path to the CrunchBang or BunsenLabs ISO file.
  - /dev/sdX with your USB drive (e.g., /dev/sdb, not the partition).
- The bs=4M option sets the block size to 4MB for faster processing, and status=progress shows progress during the operation.
Wait for Completion:
- The dd process may take some time. Once it finishes, you will see a summary of the bytes written.
Safely Remove the USB Drive:
- Once the process is complete, eject the USB drive by typing:
```
sudo eject /dev/sdX
```
- Replace /dev/sdX with your USB drive (e.g., /dev/sdb).
Boot from USB: Restart your computer and configure the BIOS or Boot Menu to boot from the USB device. Save your changes and reboot to start CrunchBang or BunsenLabs from your bootable USB.

Why Use dd?

The dd command is a reliable and straightforward method for creating bootable USB drives directly from Linux without requiring additional tools. While it lacks a graphical interface, its simplicity and efficiency make it a favorite for advanced users.

Example Command:

For example, if your ISO file is located in the /home/user/Downloads directory and your USB drive is /dev/sdb, the command would look like this:

sudo dd if=/home/user/Downloads/crunchbang.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=4M status=progress

Once the process is complete, your USB drive will be ready to boot into CrunchBang or BunsenLabs Linux!

Final Notes

CrunchBang Linux may no longer be maintained, but its lightweight, efficient design remains influential in distributions like BunsenLabs. Creating a bootable USB drive allows you to revive this classic OS or explore its modern successor. Whether you're an experienced Linux user or a beginner, this guide will help you take the first step toward using CrunchBang or BunsenLabs on a portable USB device.

For more Linux tutorials and tips, check out the rest of this site. If you have any questions or face issues, feel free to reach out and contact us!