create mint bootable usb w/o Universal USB installer

[jcbaduk]

Hi,

I burnt a linux mint 9 iso onto a dvd, is it possible to use the contents of that dvd to create a linux mint bootable usb without using the iso or the Universal USB installer program? I don't understand why it has to use the iso. Also, what is the difference between booting from USB and from CD drive (WIndows vs LInux)? What additional files are needed? Is it possible to fool the computer into thinking that the same contents copied from CD into a USB stick is coming from a CD? Thanks. It would make it easier to understand what http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?p=6017 and https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LiveUsbPendrive ... endrive%29 are about.

[JasonLG]

Hi,

I burnt a linux mint 9 iso onto a dvd, is it possible to use the contents of that dvd to create a linux mint bootable usb without using the iso or the Universal USB installer program?

Without the iso no, without the Universal USB installer yes, the help page mentions installing Ubuntu/Mint directly on to a USB drive just as it was a hard drive.

I don't understand why it has to use the iso.

Because the iso contains all the necessary files to make a complete system.

Also, what is the difference between booting from USB and from CD drive (WIndows vs LInux)? What additional files are needed? Is it possible to fool the computer into thinking that the same contents copied from CD into a USB stick is coming from a CD? Thanks.

As far as I know as long as your computer supports booting from a device all that has to be done is flag the medium as bootable for your computer to at least try to boot from it. I can see no reason why you would want to trick your computer into thinking a USB drive is a CD, I don't know if you could or not.

[jesica]

I just install from usb, you dont need to waste a dvd or cd, well not that it is expensive, I use this program http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/, it make no difference, it still install the same iso file's also.

[vincent]

An .iso file is just an image, i.e. if you uncompress/unpackage it, you'll simply find the directories and files that make up the system, contained within the image file. You could then theoretically just copy over all the directories and files contained in the image file onto your USB, and then proceed to install a bootloader onto that USB, but why not just use Universal USB Installer or Unetbootin to do all that for you?

[jcbaduk]

Yes, the reason why I ask is that I notice that the computer reads initially from autorun.inf from CD during the boot process? so I was trying to see whether it's possible to do the same thing for USB, or maybe the USB uses a similar autorun.inf script to run in the boot process. Thanks.

[dawgdoc]

Also, what is the difference between booting from USB and from CD drive... and https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LiveUsbPendrive ... endrive%29

One thing not mentioned so far is that booting from a persistent LiveUSB allows you to save changes and updates to the USB Pen/Thumb drive. This is not an advantage when installing to a hard drive, but it is useful if running the OS from the USB drive on multiple computers.