How can I make Ubuntu completely portable?

Question

I want to install Ubuntu on my USB drive so that I can use it without any restrictions with any PC having any other operating system installed.

I tried to do so but whenever I installed to USB through a bootable USB drive it doesn't run in PCs having an operating system other than Ubuntu or other Linux distros, for example Windows and Macintosh, etc.

See the following links, Try Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Xubuntu, ... before installing it and Reliable tool to create a persistent live drive - mkusb and Boot Ubuntu from external drive; So you can try both a persistent live system (more portable), and installed like into an internal drive but into a USB drive; more stable). — sudodus, Mar 06 '18 at 10:31
What OS are you using to do this? Also, how did you "install" Ubuntu to the USB drive? Did you actually run the Install process from another live USB? — devius, Mar 06 '18 at 10:33
You must also make the computer boot from USB. This is done in the UEFI/BIOS system, either with a hotkey to get a temporary boot menu, where you can select USB, or by changing the boot order in some menu. If UEFI mode, you may have to turn off secure boot. In Windows it may help to turn off fast startup (a kind of semi-hibernation). There are many versions of UEFI/BIOS systems, and you must learn how to manage the systems in the computers, where you want to boot your portable Ubuntu system. (This belongs to the computer and is independent of Ubuntu.) — sudodus, Mar 06 '18 at 10:52
Possible duplicate of How do I make a persistent live USB of Ubuntu 16.04? — karel, Mar 07 '18 at 09:00

score 2 · Answer 1 · edited Mar 10 '18 at 10:03

You could use something like unetbootin or Rufus to create a LiveUSB and that should do it just fine. I use them all the time.

You can even create one with persistence and save files to it.

If you have followed that step and it is still not working you have to realize that just plugging in the drive is not enough. You have to boot it up that way (which may require F2 at the logo splash screen to make sure you can boot from the stick).

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited Mar 10 '18 at 10:03

You can start with two USB flashes.

First USB-flash should be prepared with Unetbootin or something similar and contain installation media of Ubuntu (let's name it install-flash).

Second should be fast, empty, with >= 16Gb capacity. You can install Ubuntu on it (let's name it target-flash).

Then boot from install-flash, select target-flash as destination for / (and /home, but do not create swap area here), install GRUB on it.
After such installation you will have Ubuntu installed on this flash.

You can insert this target-flash into PC or laptop and temporary change its boot-order in BIOS or UEFI (this operation is different for various vendors - may be one of the Esc, F8, F10, F12 and so on).

Note: I have such flash and external SSD - they work as expected on various hardware.

How can I make Ubuntu completely portable?

2 Answers2