To install a pirated (unregistered) version of any operating system on your computer, no matter Windows or MacOS, you need to create a boot disk or USB media. The latter option is currently preferred. In the article below, we will discuss several ways to write “Linux” to a bootable USB flash drive.
What is necessary for work?
Actually, not so much is needed. To create bootable media with the Linux operating system, you will need:
- The USB drive itself. 16 GB preferably. So that the operating system distribution fits exactly.
- Well, and the installation file, which can be downloaded from the Internet.
But before you write the Linux image to a USB flash drive, you must perform one required action.
Format Media
Before you begin to record the installer of any operating system on a USB-drive, you must fully format it. To perform this operation, simply follow the algorithm below:
- Open the standard program for viewing disks “My computer”.
- In the list of all media connected to the computer, select the one on which you intend to record the distribution.
- Call up the list of functions by right-clicking on the disk icon.
- Now select the media format string.
- A window will immediately appear with the settings for the drive cleaning process. To later write Linux to a USB flash drive for installation, change the settings.
- The file system must be installed by selecting type FAT32. It goes by default.
- Leave the volume label unchanged.
- From the formatting methods, choose to clear the table of contents. He is "fast."
- Click the start button and just wait for the formatting process to complete.
Now you can safely move on to the very methods of how to write “Linux” to a USB flash drive in “Windows”.
Using UNetbootin
This utility allows you to install Linux on a computer without using disks. It also allows you to create a flash drive with distributions of this system, which were previously downloaded from the Internet. Installation is acceptable both on a Windows system and on Linux itself.
The utility allows you to work with most versions. With it, you can write to a Linux flash drive - Mint, Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Mandriva and other varieties.
UNetbootin Algorithm
It is only necessary to start working with this utility after the drive has been formatted. Once this action has been completed, you can proceed to solving the issue of how to write Linux to a USB flash drive using UNetbootin. To successfully complete the operation, follow the instructions below:
- After formatting the media, start the program.
- In the window, find the line that says “Disk Image”. Place a marker in front of it and activate the ISO Standard option.
- Then specify the path to the drive where the installation file is located.
- Below, select the type of device where you want to record. You must set the "USB format".
- Next is the name of the carrier itself.
- Confirm your actions by pressing the "OK" key.
- After that, the procedure for extracting and duplicating the installer files will start. It will take about ten minutes to wait.
- As soon as the process of working with all the necessary data is completed, the installation of the distribution kit on the USB-drive will automatically start.
- At the end of the work, the utility will signal that the operation is completed.
- Then press the exit button.
If you need to install the operating system on the current computer, then instead of exiting, select the key called "Restart now." Once the device starts to turn on, go to the BIOS. Here, select the method of starting the system from a USB flash drive.
Recording with Universal USB Installer
Now we’ll figure out how to write “Linux” to a USB flash drive using additional software. Its difference is the presence of an additional function. The program independently formats the media before directly writing the distribution to it.
How to work with this utility?
To make an installer from a flash drive with this program, you must follow the following instructions:
- Run the Universal USB Installer program.
- Then you will see a settings window. Here you need to make a few changes.
- Before writing Linux to a USB flash drive, select the version of the operating system whose distribution you downloaded earlier.
- If the desired option is not listed, then use the Try Unlisted Linux ISO parameter.
- Now the path to this installer is indicated. If it was not previously placed in a specific folder, then try to find it in the downloads.
- Specify the media on which the distribution will be recorded. Next to the USB option, put a marker in front of the line for automatically formatting a flash drive in FAT32 format.
- Check all the changes again and press the process start key.
- After that, a warning pops up to close all extraneous windows. Fulfill the requirement and press the "Next" key.
- The program will automatically perform all necessary operations to prepare the media. After that, it will independently record the installer on the USB flash drive.
- All that remains for the user to do is to confirm the operation by clicking the "Yes" button.
- Then a window will open in which the information will be installed on the USB-drive. All this takes about five minutes.
- The entire installation operation will also be completed independently.
Xboot Recording
Let's move on to the last version of how to write Linux to a USB flash drive. Now the Xboot utility will be used. It is not installed on the computer, but simply starts working immediately when the exe-file is activated.
Principle of operation
This utility has several additional functions that will be extremely useful when installing a new operating system. But about them a little later. Now let's start the recording process:
- In the program window, activate the tab called File and select the function to open a new file.
- After downloading the distribution, the path will be indicated to it. Then a window will pop up asking how the image should be perceived. The option for Windows is installed by default. You need to select "Utilitu - Ubuntu".
- It is also worth noting that, in addition to the distribution itself, the utility offers to additionally put various antiviruses and useful software on the media.
- However, unlike the previous version, you need to format the flash drive yourself. Only then can you start working with the program.
- Once the path to the installer and all the additional information has been indicated, find the icon with two keys in the lower right corner.
- You need to select the Create USB function. The first button will create the installation disk, which is not needed now.
- After you select what you want to create, a dialog box pops up in which the desired media is selected.
- Also here you need to select the bootloader. Initially installed Syslinux. However, if an error occurs after selecting it, use Grub4dos.
- Carefully check all changes made. Once you have made sure that the necessary medium is selected, you can confirm your actions by clicking the OK button.
- After that, the operation to write the distribution to the USB flash drive will be launched.
- As soon as it ends, a menu with various useful functions will appear.