Ubuntu comes in many flavours but does not have a tool for creating a bootable usb pendrive or SD card.

The first time I tried to create a bootable drive for ubuntu hardy heron on my desktop PC, I messed up my MBR. I wasn’t careful enough and the bootloader was written on the wrong place.

The new distributions came out recently, and I wanted to test out Kubuntu KDE4 on the eee pc.

The easiest way to install it on an eee pc would be the use of an external DVD drive but I do not own one, so I followed another way.

Install Kubuntu on a usb pendrive

In order to install Kubuntu (or any ubuntu based linux dstributions) you can follow these steps:

  1. Download and burn an iso file from http://kubuntu.org/download.php. I chose Kubuntu 8.04 (KDE4 Remix).
  2. Boot your production computer from the DVD-ROM (usually you have to press F12 at boot to get to the multiboot selection menu) and follow the option “Try Kubuntu KDE4 without any change to your computer”.
  3. You will find an install icon on the desktop, insert your USB pendrive and start up the installation process.
  4. In the fourth step of the process you will have to choose where to install. Choose Guided - use entire disk, and then select your USB pendrive (in my case SCSI4 (0,0,0) (sdb) - 4GB Corsair Flash Voyager).

kubuntu install step 4

5. On the Step 6 of 6 you have to click on the Advanced button and uncheck install bootloader. That way your usb pendrive will not be bootable but you will not risk messing up your production computer. Finally, click on install and Kubuntu will be install on your pendrive.

kubuntu install step 6

6. You can use the method described in the following article, about how to boot from a non bootable pendrive.