How to create a bootable Linux USB flash drive

We all at one point want to test other operating systems, and many often go with Ubuntu as it is free. The required USB size is over 4GB. Here is how you can make a bootable Linux USB drive.

macOS

1. Open Disk Utility via spotlight search
2. Insert your USB after opening the app (be sure that you have View>Show all
3. Select your USB, and select the Erase option from the toolbar to reformat your device in order to make it compatible with macOS. Set the format option to MS-DOS (FAT0, and the scheme option to GUID Partion Map.
4. Inspect everything to make sure it is all correct, and then click Erase to begin the process

We will use the tool named Etcher to create the USB flash drive.

1. Open Etcher from your Mac. If you do not have the app, you may download it from here. You may need to head over to Security and Privacy in system preferences to allow it to open, as macOS does not allow apps from any unidentified developer to run.
2. (you need to make sure that you have the .iso file ready to be used.) First, click the Select image option upon opening Etcher, and find and select the file. Then, click select drive and select your USB drive. Etcher may automatically select the drive if only one is connected.
3. Click Flash! and then wait for Etcher to be completed. (you may need to enter an admin account password)

Once finished, Etcher will run a check to ensure all data has been flashed and will display as finished once checked. Your USB Flash drive with Linux is now ready.

Linux using the GUI

It is very easy to create a new ISO file in Linux, without using the terminal. Here’s how.

1. Insert the USB into your machine. Click Do Nothing if the machine shows a prompt. You can check if your system has recognised the USB by opening the Linux file manager.
2. Launch Startup Disk Creator
3. If you have placed the file in your downloads, Linux will automatically reconginse it. If not, click other, and then select its location.
4. Select the USB that you will be using under Disk to use
   Please note that any files on this USB will be overwritten.
5. Click Make Startup Disk/
6. It may take a 5-15 minutes, and if prompted, you may have to enter your password to log into the machine.
7. You’re done!

Windows 10/11

We will be using Rufus to create the USB Flash drive, as this is one of the most popular options that people often use. You may install it from the link here.

1. Insert your USB
2. Launch Rufus
   Rufus should automatically detect the USB device, unless you have multiple. Then it will prompt you to enter the USB that you have plugged in, and intend to ERASE AND WIPE.
3. If Rufus has automatically detected your device, you may skip this option. If not, select the USB you would like to use from the Device field. You may want to unplug all other USB drives to make this step hassle free.
4. Select the Boot Selection menu, and you will see 2 options. One being FreeDOS, and one called Non Bootable. We will select FreeDOS, and will move on to the next options. The partion scheme and target system should be automatically selected by Windows.
5. Select your ISO file by clicking the SELECT button, and locating the file. Once you have highlighted it, click Open.
6. Once you select it, the options will change. Leave them as they are, and click START.

You will need to download additional modules to complete the writing process. Approve all requests by clicking on the Yes option. If you should see any other warnings, you will have to approve them as well. Rufus will start copying the contents of the ISO file to the USB device. It can take 5-15 minutes to complete the process. Once done, the progress bar will turn green, and will display the text READY. Your USB is now ready.

Terminal / Command Prompt

As you cannot use the Terminal to copy the contents of the ISO file to the USB drive using the Terminal, we will only be doing this on the Command Prompt and Linux’s Terminal.

Windows 10/11 with Command Prompt

1. Insert the USB drive with a size over 4GB
2. Open the Command Prompt as an Admin
3. Run the command:

C:\Windows\system32> diskpart

1. Now run the command to see a list of available disk drives:
   

DISKPART> list disk

1. Select your USB device. You will have to replace X with the number of your disk.

DISKPART> select disk X

1. Now you will have to clean your USB (wipe) by running the command.

DISKPART> clean

1. Run the following command to activate the primary partition

DISKPART> active

1. Run the following command to format your USB drive.

DISKPART> format fs=ntfs quick

1. Diskpart will now assign a drive letter by running the following command:

DISPART> assign

Diskpart will assign a letter to your drive. We will say that is A:/. Your’s will be different. Be sure that you note what yours is as that is essential for the process.

You can now exit DISKPART by running the command exit.

Now we will have to mount the ISO image by running the following command:

C:\Windows\system32> PowerShell Mount-Diskimage

This command will ask for the path to the ISO image. The command has added a drive letter to your ISO file. Take note of it. We will think of it as B:\ Enter the path in to mount the ISO file, such as \ISOFiles\ubuntu.iso

Now that everything has been configured, you may now run the following command to copy the contents of your ISO image to the USB device.

C:\Windows\system32> XCOPY V B:\ *-* /s /e /f A:\

Be sure that you replace B:\ and A:\ with the proper letters.

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