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["USB"]
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This page is about boot Linux via ["USB"] pendrives in any computer with or without USB-BIOS capability (in this last case, using a BootFloppy). You can install Linux in your USB pendrive or buy it installed.
## page was renamed from BootUsb
#language en
~-[[DebianWiki/EditorGuide#translation|Translation(s)]]: English - [[de/USBBoot|Deutsch]] - [[it/BootUsb|Italiano]] - [[ru/BootUsb|Русский]] -~
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This page is about booting Linux via [[USB]] pendrives in any computer with or without USB-BIOS capability (in this last case, using a [[BootFloppy]]). You can install Linux in your USB pendrive or buy it preinstalled.

If you don't want to learn about the internals but just have Debian on a bootable USB stick, check out [[DebianLive]]
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There are two common BIOS methods for direct USB booting:
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There are two common BIOS methods for direct USB booting:
* One method is called the "USBHDD" method and it is used to support the booting of standard USB mass storage devices that are configured like a normal PC hard drive.
 * The other method is called the "USBZIP" method and it supports booting from a USB storage device that behaves like the original IOMEGA ZIP drive with USB support.
 * One method is called the "USBHDD" method and it is used to support the booting of standard USB mass storage devices that are configured like a normal PC hard drive. The vast majority of machines work this way these days.
 * The other method (necessary on some older machines) is called the "USBZIP" method and it supports booting from a USB storage device that behaves like the original IOMEGA ZIP drive with USB support.
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Most computers (just about all Dells, for example) made today have a BIOS that supports the USBHDD method so it's expect that this will eventually become the standard way to boot a USB device. However, many motherboards will support BOTH methods, and many older motherboards have USBZIP support.

You need a USB device with a standard mass storage interface and with, '''at least, 128 MBytes''' (the distros uses generally 50-64 MB) to work with Linux.
You need a USB device with a standard mass storage interface and with '''at least 128 MB''' storage capacity (the distros generally use between 50 and 64 MB) to work with Linux.
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=== Warning ===
The following instructions refer to /dev/sda. However, if you have serial-ATA harddisks, then the pendrive will probably be /dev/sdc. Do NOT accidentally write to the wrong drive, or you will destroy your main operating system or data!
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Most USB pendrives are located at device node /dev/sda after they are plugged into the USB port.
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Most USB pendrives are located at device name ["sda"] after they are plugged into the USB port.

However, you can verify this location by typing this command inside a ["terminal"] window:
However, you can verify this location by typing this command inside a [[TerminalEmulator|terminal emulator]] window:
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and it should tell you the device name for your USB (SCSI emulated) devices and vendor name. and it should tell you the device name for your USB (SCSI emulated) devices, along with the vendor name.
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See : ["dmesg"]. See: [[dmesg]].
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If you cannot find it, you have to load the UsbStorage ["module"] (type in a ["terminal"] {{{modprobe usb-storage}}}) and ["mount"] the usb FileSystems ({{{mount -t usb-devfs none /proc/bus/usb}}}). If you cannot find it, you have to load the [[USBStorage]] module. In a [[TerminalEmulator|terminal emulator]], type:
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=== Format the USB key ===
Partition the USB pendrive with ["fdisk"] (the USB key must not be mounted!).
{{{
modprobe usb_storage
}}}
and mount the usb filesystems
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Press P to see the list of all ["partition"]s and D to exclude the first partition. Unmark all partitions and clean them. Create a new partition pressing N, P and L . Make it bootable partition selecting the A option (t, 6 to create a FAT16 partition, that detects upto 4 GB volumes) and finally press W to store and exit from fdisk. {{{
mount -t usb-devfs none /proc/bus/usb
}}}
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Using fdisk on SuSE (probably other as well):
Press P to see the list of all ["partition"]s. Use D repeatedly to delete all partitions.
Create a new partition pressing N, P, 1 and accept all defaults concerning the size (minimum partition size necessary will be around 60 MB).
Set bootable flag with A, press T, 6 to create a FAT16 partition and press W to store and exit from fdisk.
Enter {{{mkdosfs /dev/sda1}}} at the prompt to create a filesystem because otherwise the installation steps described under 'Unburned using DSL' later on won't work.
=== Writing an image onto the USB key ===
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The current released versions of Debian Install images and Debian Live
images are built using isohybrid techniques, which means using them
with a USB key is simple and easy, using "dd". See
[[http://www.debian.org/CD/faq/#write-usb|the Debian CD FAQ]] for more
information.
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=== Installation methods ===
There are two installation methods:
Older Debian images were not so easy to use with USB keys and needed a
lot of instructions. Those instructions are no longer helpful, so have
been removed from this page.
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 * Burned: from a LiveCD using the 'Install to USB' utility.
 * Unburned: download the files and install them in the USB pendrive. There are two file types: 'ISO' and 'other'.
----
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==== Unburned using DSL ====
To install DamnSmallLinux download the ISO image and as ["root"] user go the directory with the dsl-*.iso file and type the following:
{{{
  mkdir dsl_temp
  mkdir dsl_usb
  mount -o loop dsl-*.iso dsl_temp
  cp -a dsl_temp/* dsl_usb
  cd dsl_usb
  mv boot/isolinux/* ./
  rm -Rf boot
  mv isolinux.bin syslinux.bin
  mv isolinux.cfg syslinux.cfg
  cd ..
  mkdir usb_pen
  mount -t vfat /dev/sda1 usb_pen
  cp -a dsl_usb/* usb_pen
  umount usb_pen
  syslinux /dev/sda1
}}}

  

See also BootUsb2, IsoBuster, ["Isolinux"], ["Grub"] .


=== USB Debian distros ===

 * Debian:
  * DamnSmallLinux (uses FluxBox as window manager), upon which the majority of Debian USB distros are based.
  * Flonix : based on DamnSmallLinux, but uses IceWM instead of FluxBox .
 * Fedora / RedHat:
  * PuppyLinux, uses FVWM-95 as window manager.
 * Gentoo :
  * SPB-Linux , with XFCE4 environment
=== More information ===
 * [http://damnsmalllinux.org/usb.html USB pendrive with Linux preinstalled].
 * http://br-linux.org/noticias/000156.html
 * http://indiboi.com/history/2003/11/18/2887223
 * http://www.qbik.ch/usb/devices/
 * http://www.linux-usb.org/
=== More aditional links ===

 * [http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/manual/en.powerpc/ch04s04.html Preparing Files for USB Memory Stick Booting] : but use ["zcat"] boot.img > /dev/sda1 ; if the stick doesn't boot, ["cat"] mbr.bin > /dev/sda
 * [http://www.pcquest.com/content/linux/104010505.asp Booting Linux off USB Storage].
 * [http://d-i.pascal.at/Installing Debian Sarge from a USB memory stick (USB key)].
 * http://fuzzymunchkin.dyndns.org/tdot/usbkeyfob/index.php
 * [http://rz-obrian.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de/knoppix-usb/ Boot KNOPPIX from an USB Memory Stick].
 * [http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2004/11/msg01601.html Reboot from USB].
 * [http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Damn Small Linux USB boot].
 * [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bootflashlinux Mail list about booting Debian from a USB flashdrive].

See also:
 * BootingFromFloppyToUsb .
 * ["growisofs"].
CategoryInstall CategoryHardware

Translation(s): English - Deutsch - Italiano - Русский


This page is about booting Linux via USB pendrives in any computer with or without USB-BIOS capability (in this last case, using a ?BootFloppy). You can install Linux in your USB pendrive or buy it preinstalled.

If you don't want to learn about the internals but just have Debian on a bootable USB stick, check out DebianLive

BIOS and USB standard mass storage interface

There are two common BIOS methods for direct USB booting:

  • One method is called the "USBHDD" method and it is used to support the booting of standard USB mass storage devices that are configured like a normal PC hard drive. The vast majority of machines work this way these days.
  • The other method (necessary on some older machines) is called the "USBZIP" method and it supports booting from a USB storage device that behaves like the original IOMEGA ZIP drive with USB support.

You need a USB device with a standard mass storage interface and with at least 128 MB storage capacity (the distros generally use between 50 and 64 MB) to work with Linux.

See StandardPendrive.

Warning

The following instructions refer to /dev/sda. However, if you have serial-ATA harddisks, then the pendrive will probably be /dev/sdc. Do NOT accidentally write to the wrong drive, or you will destroy your main operating system or data!

USB pendrive location and mount

Most USB pendrives are located at device node /dev/sda after they are plugged into the USB port.

However, you can verify this location by typing this command inside a terminal emulator window:

dmesg | grep scsi -A 3

and it should tell you the device name for your USB (SCSI emulated) devices, along with the vendor name.

See: dmesg.

If you cannot find it, you have to load the USBStorage module. In a terminal emulator, type:

modprobe usb_storage

and mount the usb filesystems

mount -t usb-devfs none /proc/bus/usb

Writing an image onto the USB key

The current released versions of Debian Install images and Debian Live images are built using isohybrid techniques, which means using them with a USB key is simple and easy, using "dd". See the Debian CD FAQ for more information.

Older Debian images were not so easy to use with USB keys and needed a lot of instructions. Those instructions are no longer helpful, so have been removed from this page.


?CategoryInstall CategoryHardware