-2

this is my first post, I feel like this is an issue nobody else has had before but I'm probably wrong.

I created a persistent live bootable USB from windows using Rufus 3.9. I want to install chrome as well as firefox and use apt-get update and apt-get upgrade while keeping the USB persistent. I think this is only possible if I do a complete install of Ubuntu, but I want to keep all of my files on the computer and only install Ubuntu on the USB drive. The USB is 16 GB and I made my persistent storage 8 GB in Rufus. Rufus makes 2 partitions, one for the EFI boot (I think) and the other is a casper-rw. If you're going to point me to a link, please direct me where to look as I have done some of my own research and nothing seems to address my specific case. I hope I'm wrong, but I've tried and nothing seems to look or be the way that my machine is. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. When I run the "Install Ubuntu 19.10" thing on the desktop, there is no "Try Ubuntu" option. I get through the options and then go to the partitions window and that's where I have trouble. My computer is unable to connect to wifi because I think that is an extra feature that comes with the install, so my apt-get requests fail. I want to make sure that none of my computer's files are erased, so I took out the storage from the computer. I tried to unmount the persistent storage using GPartEd, and doing this allowed me to make a new partition table in the last section of the installer GUI, although any changes I made were deleted since there is no longer any persistence. Then I tried installing and got an endless supply of SQUASHFS errors. I am trying to install on a 2010 macbook pro that basically can't be moved when it is powered on, I'm not sure of the cause.

This is for a homework assignment, and I have limited experience in Linux. I've essentially taken an intro to linux course, but other than that I have no real experience with the OS. The teacher says he has a solution key, so if I can't figure this out, I'll update my post with his answer.

notacoolkid12
  • 11
  • This is an easy homework. Just search for "ubuntu persistent rufus". There are howtos with pictures and explanations. I hope you can find them. Good luck. – mikewhatever Mar 27 '20 at 06:09
  • Squashfs errors mean faulty install media, or you removed/unmounted it creating the error yourself, either way squashfs mean your 'live' media is flawed, and you need to return to the validation of ISO stage, or the write to install media (https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/tutorial-how-to-verify-ubuntu#0 and https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/CDIntegrityCheck where CD refers to any media used, be it cd/dvd/hdd/ssd/thumb-drive/compact-flash/..) – guiverc Mar 27 '20 at 06:23

1 Answers1

0

Making a Full install of Ubuntu to USB from a Live install

You can use Ubuntu running in RAM to make a Full install to the USB drive it was booted from, (16GB minimum), or to a second USB.

Boot the USB drive using the toram option, that is, at boot press shift, if it is a SDC or Rufus install, if It is a UNetbootin install, press tab at the boot menu. Press F6, type a space then 'toram'.

The Live USB should be booted in the same BIOS or UEFI mode as the internal drive is.

I prefer going to GParted or Disks to unmount the usb drive partition so I can see what is happening. Unmount it using your preference.

Start Install Ubuntu, at "Installation type" select 'Something else'.

Under 'Device for boot loader installation' select the target drive.

Create a new partition table on the target drive.

Click the plus sign to create a "/" partition.

Complete install and you should have a Full install USB that works on your machine. Run 'sudo update-grub' to add your internal HDD to the USB's boot menu.

For a step by step guide to doing a Full install of Ubuntu on USB see: How to Create a Full Install of Ubuntu 19.10 to USB Device Step by Step

C.S.Cameron
  • 19,519
  • I tried. Here are my issues. When I turn my macbook on, I hold the "option" key to select the drive I want to boot to. I select "EFI partition" with a USB symbol. I can't load into the Grub menu, holding shift doesn't work, pressing escape seems to freeze my computer. I can't change my grub options because I get "Failed to get canonical path of /cow." I can't change the mount path of my boot drive (sda1) because it is already mounted to /cdrom which is why I would need to boot 'toram' correct? @C.S.Cameron – notacoolkid12 Mar 28 '20 at 18:05