How to create a bootable USB on Ubuntu?

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Creating a Bootable USB on Ubuntu: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Creating a bootable USB drive is a useful skill for anyone who wants to install Ubuntu or other Linux distributions on a device without a traditional installation method. This guide will walk you through the process of creating a bootable USB drive on Ubuntu, covering the necessary steps and tools.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have the following:

  • A computer with a USB drive (at least 4GB in size)

  • Ubuntu installed on your computer (or another Linux distribution)

  • A USB drive with at least 4GB in size

  • A computer with a USB port

Step 1: Download the Ubuntu ISO File

To create a bootable USB drive, you need to download the Ubuntu ISO file. You can download the ISO file from the official Ubuntu website. Here’s how to do it:

  • Go to the Ubuntu website (www.ubuntu.com)

  • Click on the "Download" button and select the "Ubuntu Server" or "Ubuntu Desktop" ISO file

  • Choose the language and architecture you want to install (e.g., English, x86_64)

  • Click on the "Download" button to start the download process

Step 2: Create a Bootable USB Drive

Once you have downloaded the ISO file, you need to create a bootable USB drive. Here’s how to do it:

  • Insert the USB drive into your computer

  • Open a terminal window (you can do this by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T)

  • Type the following command to create a bootable USB drive: 
    sudo dd if=/path/to/Ubuntu-20.04.1-DESKTOP-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdb1 bs=4M

  • Replace /path/to/Ubuntu-20.04.1-DESKTOP-amd64.iso with the path to the ISO file you downloaded earlier

  • Replace /dev/sdb1 with the device name of your USB drive (e.g., /dev/sdb)

  • Replace bs=4M with the block size of your USB drive (e.g., 4M for 4MB blocks)

Step 3: Verify the Bootable USB Drive

To verify that the bootable USB drive is working correctly, you can use the following command:

sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --add-headers=i386-pc --bootloader-id=Ubuntu --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-size=63

  • Replace /dev/sdb with the device name of your USB drive

  • Replace bs=4M with the block size of your USB drive (e.g., 4M for 4MB blocks)

  • Replace --target=x86_64-efi with the target architecture of your USB drive (e.g., x86_64-efi for x86_64)

  • Replace --add-headers=i386-pc with the headers to include on your USB drive (e.g., i386-pc for Intel CPUs)

  • Replace --bootloader-id=Ubuntu with the ID of your boot loader (e.g., Ubuntu for GRUB)

  • Replace --efi-directory=/boot/efi with the directory where your GRUB configuration file is located (e.g., /boot/efi)

  • Replace --bootloader-size=63 with the size of your GRUB configuration file (e.g., 63 for 63MB)

Step 4: Create a Bootable USB Drive with GRUB

To create a bootable USB drive with GRUB, you need to create a GRUB configuration file. Here’s how to do it:

  • Open a text editor (e.g., nano or vim)

  • Create a new file called grub.cfg with the following contents: 
    title Ubuntu
    
root filesystem /dev/sdb1
    
kernel vmlinuz-64
    
append "root=/dev/sdb1 console=ttyS0,115200 console=ttyS0,115200 initrd=/boot/efi/vmlinuz-64 initrd=/boot/efi/initrd.img-64"

  • Replace /dev/sdb1 with the device name of your USB drive

  • Replace vmlinuz-64 with the kernel version you want to use (e.g., vmlinuz-64 for 64-bit kernels)

  • Replace initrd=/boot/efi/vmlinuz-64 with the initial RAM disk file (e.g., /boot/efi/vmlinuz-64)

  • Replace initrd=/boot/efi/initrd.img-64 with the initial RAM disk file (e.g., /boot/efi/initrd.img-64)

Step 5: Verify the Bootable USB Drive

To verify that the bootable USB drive is working correctly, you can use the following command:

sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --add-headers=i386-pc --bootloader-id=Ubuntu --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-size=63

  • Replace /dev/sdb with the device name of your USB drive

  • Replace bs=4M with the block size of your USB drive (e.g., 4M for 4MB blocks)

  • Replace --target=x86_64-efi with the target architecture of your USB drive (e.g., x86_64-efi for x86_64)

  • Replace --add-headers=i386-pc with the headers to include on your USB drive (e.g., i386-pc for Intel CPUs)

  • Replace --bootloader-id=Ubuntu with the ID of your boot loader (e.g., Ubuntu for GRUB)

  • Replace --efi-directory=/boot/efi with the directory where your GRUB configuration file is located (e.g., /boot/efi)

  • Replace --bootloader-size=63 with the size of your GRUB configuration file (e.g., 63 for 63MB)

Troubleshooting

  • If you encounter any errors during the process, check the GRUB configuration file for any syntax errors or incorrect settings.

  • If you encounter any issues with the USB drive, try using a different USB drive or a different computer.

  • If you encounter any issues with the GRUB configuration file, try using a different GRUB version or a different configuration file.

Conclusion

Creating a bootable USB drive on Ubuntu is a straightforward process that requires some basic knowledge of Linux and the GRUB configuration file. By following these steps and troubleshooting any issues that may arise, you can create a bootable USB drive that allows you to install Ubuntu or other Linux distributions on your device.

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