I've played around a very little bit with Knoppix on a flash drive, and recently attempted to load Ubuntu onto one using Pendrivelinux's Universal USB Installer, but it won't load on 2 different pc's though the BIOS in both is set to boot 1st from USB. Linux seems great, but the number of choices is almost overwhelming. What OS would be best to run from a flash drive (2 or 4 gig size, I have both) and what is the best option for putting it there?

TIA

Fred

Everybody is going to have their own opinion on this. My suggestion? Go for one that is well established and has been around for a while. It's part of the reason I use Debian, it's one of the "original" Linux distributions along with Redhat and Slackware. Most other Linux distributions that are out today were forked from those 3 projects.

If you want to use Ubuntu, I suggest using an older version. In my opinion the newest one (11.04) is crap. It's slow to boot and the default UI is a Beta and unreliable. Even when you switch to Gnome it seems much slower than previous releases.

I've had outstanding stability and performance out of Debian stable, although it's not quite as "user friendly" out of the box as say Ubuntu or Linux Mint.

If you just want a user friendly OS to throw on a thumb drive and surf the web or goof around on while you're out and about using different computers. I suggest Linux Mint or Debian.

Attached is a graphic somebody gave me once demonstrating the history of Linux distributions.

Edit: Apparently the attachment is too big, it got scaled down, here's the original.
http://futurist.se/gldt/

Thanks for the reply. I loaded Linux Mint onto a flash drive, same thing, neither PC will boot from it, again, despite the fact that USB FDD is the 1st boot device in BIOS. This seems pretty basic, Someone here must know the answer. Suggestions, please.

Fred

Hi Fred,
I've found this link quit useful.
Ciao,
jdk

Thanks JDK, I'll take a look at the link!

Fred

I'm not looking at your computer, but "FDD" usually stands for "Floppy Disk Drive", so it may be looking for a floppy drive connected via USB instead of a USB thumb drive. Usually if you have a thumb drive when the system boots, you can press whatever key brings up your boot menu and it will list the thumb drive as a device to boot from.

The best way to install linux on a flash drive is with the installer like a real install would use. You have to be careful. I have loved and used almost all the pendrivelinux deals once or twice but they all tend to have limits. The real install usually works as good as any would. You can update kernel and other files if needed and can change it to your liking.

The most safe way would be to run some iso in a VM to then install your choice. Be sure you know that can't boot to a usb easily in a VM so when it is finished you have to reboot to the flash.

If you load from a live cd booted then be sure you put the loader on the flash drive and don't bork your installed OS.

Thanks DM, that did it. I did wonder about that. The pertinent boot options were "Floppy" (there isn't one), USB FDD, USB ZIP, and USB CD-ROM. Since the drive is a flash, not a zip, I assumed it was "FDD". MOBO in question is a Gigabyte X58A-UD3R, less than a year old.

So now I can get the OS's to open. Played with both Linux Mint & Ubuntu 11.04. Definitely prefer Linux Mint!

Thanks to everyone who replied for all the help!

Fred