Burning VM to boot USB

George1981 · Post by **George1981** » Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:51 am

Hello dear friends
I am currently setting up mint 20 on a virtual machine. I want to install pc test and back up software on it.
Then I want to run it as bootable image on external usb flash drive or SSD. I am using virtual box to setup up everything I need. When I finish installation how do I make a boot external drive?
Is there a post explaining how to?

Thanks in advance

rickNS · Post by **rickNS** » Fri Jul 30, 2021 10:55 pm

George1981 wrote: ⤴Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:51 am
Is there a post explaining how to?

For clarification, do you want to make a "custom" bootable (and installable) USB stick, from a running virtual machine,
Or do you want to make a "clone" of the virtual machine on a SSD ?

Your use of the term "bootable image" make me think it is the first thing.
I have done exactly that. I made a custom ISO from a virtual machine, put the image on a usb stick, and deploy the custom installation to multiple laptops.

I'll see if I can find the post....go it.
viewtopic.php?p=1996986#p1996986
My post there is pretty much a tutorial.
and that links to this which doesn't have much info, but a pic.
viewtopic.php?p=1946170#p1946170

Moonstone Man · Post by **Moonstone Man** » Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:05 pm

rickNS wrote: ⤴Fri Jul 30, 2021 10:55 pm ... deploy the custom installation to multiple laptops.

You raise some good points but I'm not sure that's what the poster is attempting to do. It sounds to me like the poster wants to create a virtual machine on a USB floppy and use it to boot from in place of some machine's installed OS. If that's the case then the poster is going about it all wrong.

Moonstone Man · Post by **Moonstone Man** » Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:08 pm

George1981 wrote: ⤴Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:51 am Is there a post explaining how to?

The problem with that question is that your post doesn't explain what or why. You need to clarify what problem you are trying to solve because, at least on my reading of your post, you seem to want a bootable OS in a VM that can be booted on other machines in place of a machine's installed OS. rickNS has made made different assumptions, so that means your post is very unclear about what you are asking for.

Please tell us what problem you are trying to solve. We can take it from there.

George1981 · Post by **George1981** » Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:50 am

I need a boot usb device, ssd or flash drive I care not.
I need to boot an OS in order to back up computers that have corrupted OS. Then I need to run tests on ssd, ram, cpu etc to see what is not working properly to replace it.
So I have prepared a virtual machine with Linux Mint and all the applications I need. Now I need to find a way to load this VM on an external usb device and I need to make it bootable.

Now I guess I wrote it better

Post by **Pierre** » Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:04 am

George1981 wrote: ⤴Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:50 am I need to boot an OS in order to back up computers that have corrupted OS. Then I need to run tests on ssd, ram, cpu etc to see what is not working properly to replace it.

that will require, what is commonly called an "Linux Live Media".
and you would simply write an ISO file to your usb stick / DVD disk in order to obtain that Live Media.

however, you may Not be able to copy your existing Virtual Machine to such an ISO file.
- - at least, not easily - - create what is called an "snapshot" of an running Linux System.

there is Linux Systems that do incorporate such an backup system, within their existing setup,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExVkxXcVDAw
but this LinuxMint System does not have such an basic function, like that.

Moonstone Man · Post by **Moonstone Man** » Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:15 am

George1981 wrote: ⤴Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:50 am So I have prepared a virtual machine with Linux Mint and all the applications I need. Now I need to find a way to load this VM on an external usb device and I need to make it bootable.

You can't use a virtual machine like that unless your target machine already has the VM software installed. You only need a live media, not a VM.

George1981 · Post by **George1981** » Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:27 am

Kadaitcha Man wrote: ⤴Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:15 am
George1981 wrote: ⤴Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:50 am So I have prepared a virtual machine with Linux Mint and all the applications I need. Now I need to find a way to load this VM on an external usb device and I need to make it bootable.
You can't use a virtual machine like that unless your target machine already has the VM software installed. You only need a live media, not a VM.

I have created a live usb. This was the easy part. Download the ISO and then use YUMI to create the flash drive. I cannot install software on it.
Can I use an external ssd to install linux mint and the software I need and use it like that?

Moonstone Man · Post by **Moonstone Man** » Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:30 am

George1981 wrote: ⤴Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:27 am Can I use an external ssd to install linux mint and the software I need and use it like that?

Yes, just don't install proprietary display drivers.

George1981 · Post by **George1981** » Sat Jul 31, 2021 11:08 am

Kadaitcha Man wrote: ⤴Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:30 am
George1981 wrote: ⤴Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:27 am Can I use an external ssd to install linux mint and the software I need and use it like that?
Yes, just don't install proprietary display drivers.

Ok I will do it like this thanks

Moonstone Man · Post by **Moonstone Man** » Sat Jul 31, 2021 11:09 am

George1981 wrote: ⤴Sat Jul 31, 2021 11:08 am ... thanks

It's a pleasure.

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