Put Xubuntu on USB Flash Drive | Windows or Linux

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.

Xubuntu Live Bootable USB

Running Xubuntu from a USB flash drive lets you test the operating system without modifying your internal hard drive. You can also use it as a portable troubleshooting environment, recovery tool, or daily desktop that fits in your pocket.

What Is Xubuntu?

Xubuntu is a lightweight Linux distribution based on Ubuntu and Debian. It uses the Xfce desktop environment, known for its simplicity, speed, and efficient resource usage.

With a clean desktop layout and low system requirements, Xubuntu is ideal for older laptops, netbooks, or systems with limited RAM. It includes essential applications out of the box and provides access to thousands of additional packages through Ubuntu’s software repositories. Regular releases and long-term support (LTS) versions ensure reliability and long-term updates.

• Official Website: Project Home Page
• Minimum USB Drive Size: 2 GB (4 GB or larger recommended)
• Persistence Supported: Yes (via YUMI or advanced Linux setup)

Why Run Xubuntu from a USB Drive?

• Test Xubuntu without installing it to your PC
• Carry a portable Linux desktop anywhere
• Revive or troubleshoot older hardware
• Create a persistent USB that saves files and settings

What You'll Need

• Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11, or a Linux system
• Xubuntu ISO file
• Fast USB flash drive (USB 3.0 recommended)
• YUMI, dd for Windows, Win32 Disk Imager, or balenaEtcher

Methods to Put Xubuntu on USB (Windows & Linux)

Below is a comparison of the most common tools used to create a bootable Xubuntu USB drive. Choose the method that best fits your experience level and persistence needs.

Creating a Xubuntu Live USB with YUMI

YUMI is the easiest way to create a persistent Xubuntu USB on Windows and also supports multibooting multiple Linux ISOs on one drive.

1. Download and open YUMI.
2. (1) Select your USB drive.
   (2) Choose Xubuntu as the distribution.
   (3) Browse to your downloaded ISO file.
   (4) Choose a persistent file size if desired, then click Create.
   
3. When finished, reboot and select your USB drive from the BIOS or boot menu.

Using dd for Windows to Make a Bootable Xubuntu USB

This method performs a raw write of the ISO to the USB device and is recommended for advanced users.

1. Download the Xubuntu ISO.
2. Insert a USB drive and back up any important files, as they will be erased.
3. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and type:

   diskpart

   Then list connected drives:

   list disk

   Identify the USB drive number.

4. Clean the USB drive:

   select disk X

   clean

5. Download dd for Windows.
6. Write the ISO to the USB:

   dd.exe if=path\to\xubuntu.iso of=\\.\PhysicalDriveX bs=4M

   • if= path to the ISO file
   • of= USB device number
   • bs=4M improves write speed
7. Wait for completion and safely eject the USB drive.

Make an Xubuntu Live USB Using Win32 Disk Imager

1. Download Xubuntu.
2. Get Win32 Disk Imager.
3. Insert the USB drive and launch the program.
4. Select the ISO file and your USB device, then click Write.
5. Confirm overwrite warnings and wait for completion.
   
6. Safely eject the drive when finished.

Create an Xubuntu bootable USB on Linux

Linux users can create an Xubuntu bootable USB using either terminal based or graphical tools.

Method 1: Using dd from the Linux Terminal

1. Download the ISO: Get the latest Xubuntu ISO from the official website.
2. Identify the USB device:

   lsblk

   Locate your USB drive (for example, /dev/sdX).

3. Write the ISO:

   sudo dd if=path/to/xubuntu.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress conv=fsync

4. When complete, run:

   sync

   Then eject:

   sudo eject /dev/sdX

Method 2: Using balenaEtcher (GUI)

1. Install balenaEtcher (AppImage or Snap):

   sudo snap install balena-etcher-electron

2. Open Etcher, select the ISO, choose your USB drive, and click Flash!
3. Once validated, reboot and boot from the USB drive.

Optional: Making a Persistent Xubuntu USB on Linux

Standard dd and Etcher methods do not enable persistence by default.

• Use YUMI for that. As a bonus, you'll be able to create a Multiboot USB drive.
• Advanced users can manually create a casper-rw partition and adjust boot parameters.

Note: For most users, YUMI remains the easiest way to create a persistent Xubuntu USB.

Booting and Troubleshooting

USB Not Detected

Ensure USB booting is enabled in BIOS/UEFI. Try another USB port or disable Secure Boot if necessary.

Failed to Boot

Verify the ISO checksum and recreate the USB using a different tool.

Slow Performance

Use a high quality USB 3.0 or SSD based flash drive for faster boot and load times.

Installing Xubuntu from the USB

To install Xubuntu to a hard drive, boot from the USB and click Install Xubuntu from the desktop. The guided installer will walk you through disk selection, user setup, and system configuration.

Final Thoughts on USB Xubuntu

Creating a Xubuntu bootable USB is fast and flexible using YUMI, dd, Win32 Disk Imager, or Etcher. With optional persistence, excellent hardware compatibility, and low system requirements, it is the perfect lightweight Linux distribution for portable use, system recovery, or breathing new life into older computers.