I have searched the internet for answers and none of the things that I have tried worked. I have a Sandisk 4GB Cruzer on which I have tried to copy various versions of linux. My latest effort was by using unetbootin, both the linux and windows versions. Everything seems to download properly to my flash drive. When I check the flash drive it has lots of files on it from the download. However when I try to use it in two different laptops with the USB flash drive choice for first loading option set properly, it is ignored.

Is it worthwhile to buy a different brand flash drive? Or am I missing something obvious and basic?

Hey, what's up?
It's pretty easy, but it matters what Linux distro your trying to put on USB and whether your in Windows or Linux OS?

Er...instead of going thru a long tutorial here...
BIOS must be set to boot from usb
if BIOS doesn't support usb boot, get a boot floppy like plop bootmanager to boot usb
USB must be either FAT32 or FAT16, I prefer FAT32.
Set the "boot" flag on the USB, easiest using Gparted(ubuntu).
install distro(s) to USB of your choice.
install syslinux to usb to make it bootable.
"syslinux -s /dev/sdxx" where "xx" is your usb device name-like sdf1/sdb1/sdc1 etc.
to find out there are several ways-
Gparted will list the device name
"fdisk -l" will list the usb name(usb already inserted)
"mount" can also tell you the name.
"dmesg | tail" can too.

If any of the above list differing names for usb, I usually go with Gparted's designation for mine which is (sdf1)
Just make sure you don't install syslinux to HD!

You gotta have syslinux installed-but if you are using Unetbootin-you might already have it and the usb name...

I would not use Unetbootin-unreliable.

I have some USB downloads at my site-just unzip/extract and then put'em on USB, install syslinux and reboot!
Need any more help please post

I am trying to follow the instructions of linus72. Gparted indicates my usb flash drive /dev/sdf1 is bootable. syslinux.cfg is on the flash drive as is a copy of simply mepis.

But my laptops do not boot from it. The BIOS is set to boot from the flash drive first.

Maybe this will help someone to advise me. When I go to the BIOS, the first boot option says "SanDisk Cruzer". The following is a list of all files and folders on my USB drive:


file:///media/disk/boot
file:///media/disk/docs
file:///media/disk/Documents
file:///media/disk/info
file:///media/disk/mepis
file:///media/disk/osx
file:///media/disk/System
file:///media/disk/autorun
file:///media/disk/autorun.bat
file:///media/disk/autorun.inf
file:///media/disk/boot.catalog
file:///media/disk/bootex.log
file:///media/disk/cdrom.ico
file:///media/disk/LaunchU3.exe
file:///media/disk/ldlinux.sys
file:///media/disk/syslinux.cfg
file:///media/disk/ubnfilel.txt
file:///media/disk/ubninit
file:///media/disk/ubnpathl.txt
file:///media/disk/version
file:///media/disk/vesamenu.c32
file:///media/disk/vmlinuz

Nevertheless, it does not boot.

I have two suggestions:

1) Remove U3. Any checksum performed by a booting linux distro will fail if it sees anything in the root directory that it doesnt recognize and will therefore fail to boot.

2) Check out http://www.pendrivelinux.com/
These guys make utilities for every version of linux imaginable that make creating a bootable USB drive a snap.


Hope this helps!!!

I removed the U3, it made no difference.

Mepis/ubuntu's are hard to boot from usb...
can you post the syslinux.cfg for mepis usb??

I removed the U3, it made no difference.

However, the pendrive version works. Thank you.

The pendrive version worked. Thank you.

Pendrive loaded the Ubuntu without trouble. I now have my Asus dual booting Windows XP and Ubuntu, notebook version. Unfortunately when I used the pendrive Ubuntu the syslinux.cfg for Mepis was lost and therefore I cannot comply with your request. In recent years, I have found that Mepis is the most reliable of all systems and would have preferred it.

pendrivelinux has a program to make a bootable Mepis USB flash drive from an iso file. When I followed the instructions, the flash drive got me into a version of Mepis that was too limited to be usable. It was like being in terminal but it did not respond to instructions. Back to the drawing board.

What you want is a true persistent install to usb-right?
Pendrive does have alot of distro's like that-
What do you wanna try now?