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So another question i have, is using 2 usbs to install tails still necessary? And is balenaEtcher or gnome-disk better install tails?

So i have a 32gb usb and i trying to get lastet ubuntu and tails installed on my usb and also staying secure. I want tails to also have presistent storage. Also, how do i set up dual boot on a usb? Do i need to partition it myself?

bob
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  • Oh, i was wondering is i could dual boot ubuntu and tails on the same usb stick – bob Oct 22 '20 at 21:21
  • @Nmath: Since when have Dual Boot and Multi Boot installs been Off-Topic on Ask Ubuntu? There are many, many questions about booting Windows alongside Ubuntu and many questions on Multi Boot installs. Please show us in the rules where Dual or Multi boot is Off-Topic. – C.S.Cameron Oct 24 '20 at 06:05
  • @Nmath Official Tails documentation gives details for booting the ISO using GRUB2: https://tails.boum.org/blueprint/usb_install_and_upgrade/archive/ I don't see any information on your link about installing Tails? – C.S.Cameron Oct 24 '20 at 06:25
  • @Nmath Quote: Tails is also not on-topic here. – Nmath yesterday – C.S.Cameron Oct 24 '20 at 06:28
  • Let me clarify to those who are upset: My suggestion is that Tails should probably be installed to its own device for security reasons. (Don't dual boot w/ Ubuntu) Tails is designed for a specific purpose. The whole point of using Tails is due to it being meticulously designed to avoid detection. Explaining how to install Tails on its own is not on topic here, but tails documentation provides very clear and specific instructions for installation. I would not recommend deviating from their instructions if the amnesiac and anonymizing components of Tails are critical for your use case. – Nmath Oct 24 '20 at 06:56
  • @Nmath: Can you document that statement? Ubuntu will not write to the tails partition. Tails will not write to the Ubuntu partition. The Official Tails download site offers an ISO image for virtual machines: https://tails.boum.org/install/ How is a VM more secure than seperate partitions? – C.S.Cameron Oct 24 '20 at 08:00

1 Answers1

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Full Install Ubuntu USB with Tails Persistent ISO Option

There are various methods of making a Ubuntu Full install that boots in both BIOS and UEFI mode: How to Create a Full Install of Ubuntu 20.04 to USB Device Step by Step

The simplest method is to flash a Full install image to the USB: How should I make my partitions for a Full Install USB?

Once the Full install USB has been created, expand the FAT32/NTFS Data partition to fit the Tails ISO file, copy the ISO file to the USB.

Copy The Tails menuentry to /etc/grub.d/40_custom on the USB

menuentry "Tails-4.12-ISO"{
    set isofile="/iso/tails-amd64-4.12.iso"
    loopback loop (hd0,1)$isofile
    linux (loop)/live/vmlinuz boot=live config live-media=removable nopersistence noprompt timezone=Etc/UTC block.events_dfl_poll_msecs=1000 splash noautologin module=Tails slab_nomerge slub_debug=FZP mce=0 vsyscall=none page_poison=1 quiet findiso=$isofile
    initrd (loop)/live/initrd.img
}

Boot the Full install USB and run sudo update=grub to add Tails to your boot menu.

Note that the menuentry will vary with the version of Tails.

Ref: https://tails.boum.org/blueprint/usb_install_and_upgrade/archive/

Persistence

If you start Tails from a USB stick, you can create a Persistent Storage in the free space left on the USB stick. The files and settings stored in the Persistent Storage are saved encrypted and remain available across different working sessions.

See: https://tails.boum.org/doc/first_steps/persistence/index.en.html

Neither Rufus, balenaEtcher or gnome-disk provide for Persistence.

C.S.Cameron
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  • Do you guys recommened ubuntu lts or non lts – bob Oct 25 '20 at 22:16
  • @bob: I prefer lts for my permanent installs but I try non lts on a flash drive or two just to keep up on what is happening. – C.S.Cameron Oct 26 '20 at 00:43
  • also i get a problem when re-installing grub, cannot find efi directory – bob Oct 26 '20 at 01:14
  • in your tutorial i run this command, "sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sdx

    ", but in /mnt/boot there isnt an efi folder in there

     – bob Oct 26 '20 at 02:02
  • yes, but efi and boot are seperate folders and are not in each other – bob Oct 26 '20 at 02:06
  • also should i make a linux swap partition or no – bob Oct 26 '20 at 02:58
  • Ubuntu 20.04 will make it's own swapfile. You miht need to enlarge it in the future if you want hibernation. See https://askubuntu.com/questions/1285207/how-do-you-hibernate-on-ubuntu-20-04/1285218#1285218 when you are ready. – C.S.Cameron Oct 26 '20 at 03:03
  • also what do you recommend to use to encrypt the home folder? or maybe the whole device – bob Oct 26 '20 at 16:09
  • @bob: See https://askubuntu.com/questions/1086309/how-to-make-bios-uefi-flash-drive-with-full-disk-encryption I Have not tried mixing these with Tails, Let us know what works for you. – C.S.Cameron Oct 27 '20 at 01:18
  • Link to a new question about how to make Linux + Tails bootable USB. – karel Oct 28 '20 at 13:05