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I'm looking for a bit of advice regarding Linux Live booting from USB.
So I tried building a bootable Persistent Ubuntu Live USB the following way:

  • downloaded Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS ISO,downloaded Linux Live USB Creator,
  • followed the LiLi USB Creator wizard, says everything is fine.

I choose USB to boot from and I'm presented with the Ubuntu boot menu.
From there, no matter if I choose Persistence, Live or Integrity Check I always get an error that doesn't allow me to actually get to Ubuntu proper:

black screen with text... ends: initramfs unable to find a medium containing a live filesystem

I'd like to mention that I'm using a fresh Windows 10 and a brand new USB stick (16GB, usb3.0) and my motherboard is MSI 970 Gaming. I'm quite a beginner on Ubuntu.

David Foerster
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Crisan Caius
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  • The questions that this question duplicates are from 2010 and 2012, Ubuntu has changed since then, most of the answers on these threads are obsolete. One of the duplicated questions is not even about flash drives. – C.S.Cameron Oct 05 '17 at 00:31
  • Check the MD5SUM of your downloaded ISO, if OK, follow Sudodus' advice with mkusb. His compressed image file works good if you only have Windows, and it is quick. – C.S.Cameron Oct 05 '17 at 00:37
  • Are you satisfied with the solution to use the USB 2.0 port? – sudodus Oct 05 '17 at 09:50
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    not really, OS is a bit laggy; problem might be that Ubuntu 17.04 doesnt have xhci-hcd module in initramfs; https://superuser.com/a/969639 might be related – Crisan Caius Oct 05 '17 at 09:56
  • Yes, that can be the reason for the problem. And in that case, there is not much to do with that version of Ubuntu. You can try either Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS or Ubuntu Artful Aardvark (to be released as 17.10 during this month). The boot structures of them are different from that of 17.04. – sudodus Oct 05 '17 at 10:07
  • Just tried Ubuntu Artful Aardvark; it works like a charm on USB 2.0, but i run in the same problems when I plug it in USB 3.0. Is there a way to include xhci-hcd module or does said Ubuntu contain it? – Crisan Caius Oct 05 '17 at 10:51
  • Welcome to Ask Ubuntu! If you solved your problem, please don’t put the answer in your question or the comments. I would usually recommend that you answer your own question but your question is closed as a duplicate and the accepted answer of one linked question already contains your exact solution. I'm taking the liberty to revert the edit that adds the answer to your question post. – David Foerster Oct 05 '17 at 11:07
  • I don't know how to include the xhci-hcd module. – sudodus Oct 05 '17 at 13:12

1 Answers1

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Reliable tool to create a persistent live drive - mkusb

I suggest that you try mkusb, which can create persistent live drives from all Ubuntu and Ubuntu community flavour desktop iso files (Kubuntu, Lubuntu, ... Xubuntu).

help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb

help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb/persistent

If you are starting from Windows, you cannot use mkusb directly, but you can download a compressed image file with a system, that is already a Lubuntu persistent live system with mkusb installed. (There are other alternatives too.)

Compressed image file with a persistent live system

Use a cloning tool, for example Disks or mkusb in linux, or 7-zip and Win32 Disk Imager in Windows to expand and {copy/clone/flash/burn/restore/install} this kind of files into a USB pendrive, a flash memory card or a hard disk drive or SSD with at least 8 GB.

  • You can use the Lubuntu system made this way as it is,

  • but if you want standard Ubuntu, you can use mkusb in this Lubuntu system, and install a persistent live Ubuntu system into another USB pendrive.

If you still have problems

  • Use comments to ask about details.

  • Edit your original questions to add information to make it easier to help you.

sudodus
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