Can i install fedora to a flash drive?
 

I know i can put the .iso on to run a live image, but can i install everything to a large (32 gig) flash drive? So it saves all the files, configurations, etc and it won't just be the live image?

Anyone have a a guide to this?

I've done it many times. It works like installing to a hard drive. Just select the flash drive as the target of the installation.

There are three common ways to install a modern linux to a usb.

One is using a hybrid iso and the command dd to copy the image to the drive. You don't want that in this case.

Second is the many how to's and tools at www.pendrivelinux.com. I don't think that is what you want either.

For you on a 32G, I'd suggest that you power down your system and remove the power to the hard drives. Install your usb and power up to bios. Be sure that usb shows up in bios as a hard drive choice and first in order or hard drives. Be sure that cd/dvd is selected as boot device over hard drive device. Then boot to Fedora and install it as normal to the usb. It will not be as if it were the only drive and should work normally when booted directly on any supported computer.


My way is to use a virtual machine. Create a blank vm without a hard drive. Boot to iso image and attach usb then install. You can't reboot on a vm yet easily to a usb to you have to use real system.

Jefro - why the extra work disconnecting the hard drive(s) for the flash drive install? It's just a normal install with a flash drive as the target instead of the hard drive. I do it all the time with the LXDE spin dd'd to a 1GB flash drive or a CD-RW as the installation source and a 4GB flash drive as the installation target.

The reason is only to protect the users data from an accidental mistake. I suggest that to newbies to help protect them from themselves. Once in a while I get too wild and bork an install but I either don't chance it or can fix my mistakes. That is why I use a VM. So far I haven't messed up a system that way. I used to blame bad installers and it was true at one time. Now I just play it safe. On systems I need, I still never trust it. I play with a production system once in a while and I can fix it anytime but the drive is on a cart so I always still remove it.


Yes, a trained person who knows their OS and installer and knows when to read the instructions can easily install to a usb and never create any issue.