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This how to explains '''how to create and use a Live USB drive'''.
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<noinclude>
[[Category:LiveMedia]]
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[[Image:Artwork_DesignService_fedora-iso-usb.png‎|right]]


Note: Lines beginning with "$" indicate commands you should type (do not include the $; this represents the command line prompt); subsequent lines represent typical outputYou will need to run some commands as root.
This page explains '''how to create and use Fedora USB media'''.  A Live USB system stored on flash memory, sometimes called a ''stick'', lets you boot any USB-bootable computer into a Fedora operating system environment without writing to that computer's hard disk.
 
The Live USB stick can include a feature called a ''persistent overlay'', which allows changes made to persist across reboots.  Without a ''persistent overlay'', the stick will return to a fresh state each time it is booted.
 
It can also have a separate area to store user account information and data such as documents and downloaded files, with optional encryption for security and peace of mind.
 
You may also use a ''non-destructive'' method to create the stick, meaning existing files on the stick will not be destroyed.
 
By combining these features, you can carry your computer with you in your pocket, booting it on nearly any system you find yourself using.
 
However, if you do not need the extended features, it is recommended you use the simplest possible "direct write" method to write the stick, as this will provide the best chance of it booting on the widest possible range of systems (though it will destroy all data on the stick). The way to do this is described in the "quick start" sections at the top of this page. If you wish to use the extended features, those methods are described later in the page.
 
With current Fedora releases you can also write the non-live Fedora installation images (the DVD and network installation images) to a USB stick, which many users find more convenient and faster than writing to an optical disc. The "direct write" method is always recommended for writing the installation images.
 
{{anchor|quickstarts}}
== Windows quick start (direct write) ==
 
{{admon/important | Destructive method | This method will destroy all data on the USB stick. Alternative, non-destructive methods are described later in this document.}}
 
# Download a Fedora image, choose a USB stick that does not contain any data you need, and connect it
# Download and run [https://github.com/downloads/openSUSE/kiwi/ImageWriter.exe SUSE Studio ImageWriter] or [http://www.netbsd.org/~martin/rawrite32/ Rawrite32]
# Choose the Fedora image as the '''Image''' (SUSE Studio) or '''Filesystem image''' (Rawrite32) - if the image file is not shown, you may have to change the file selector options or change the image's extension
# Choose the USB stick in the drop-down box by the '''Copy''' button (SUSE Studio) or as the '''Target''' (Rawrite32)
# Double-check you're really, really sure you don't need any of the data on the USB stick!
# Click '''Copy''' (SUSE Studio) or '''Write to disk...''' (Rawrite32)
# Wait for the operation to complete, then reboot your computer, and do whatever you need to do to boot from a USB stick - often this will involve pressing or holding down '''F12''', '''F2''' or '''Del'''.
 
== Linux (GNOME) quick start (direct write) ==
 
{{admon/important | Destructive method | This method will destroy all data on the USB stick. Alternative, non-destructive methods are described later in this document.}}
 
This method is for people running Linux with GNOME, Nautilus and the GNOME Disk Utility installed. A standard installation of Fedora, or a standard GNOME installation of many other distributions, should be able to use this method. On Fedora, ensure the packages {{package|nautilus}} and {{package|gnome-disk-utility}} are installed. Similar graphical direct-write tools may be available for other desktops, or you may use the [[#dd|command line "direct write" method]].
 
# Download a Fedora image, choose a USB stick that does not contain any data you need, and connect it
# Run Nautilus (Files) - for instance, open the Overview by pressing the Start/Super key, and type ''Files'', then hit enter
# Find the downloaded image, right-click on it, go to '''Open With''', and click '''Disk Image Writer'''
# Double-check you're really, really sure you don't need any of the data on the USB stick!
# Select your USB stick as the '''Destination''', and click '''Start Restoring...'''
# Wait for the operation to complete, then reboot your computer, and do whatever you need to do to boot from a USB stick - often this will involve pressing or holding down '''F12''', '''F2''' or '''Del'''.
 
== OS X quick start (direct write) ==
   
{{admon/important | Destructive method | This method will destroy all data on the USB stick. Alternative, non-destructive methods are described later in this document.}}
Unfortunately, there is no known useful graphical tool for a direct write on OS X. The [[#unetbootin|UNetbootin]] utility described later in this document works on OS X, but cannot be guaranteed to produce reliably bootable Fedora images. This console-based method is not as graphically easy as using UNetbootin, but it is more reliable.
# Download a Fedora image, choose a USB stick that does not contain any data you need, and connect it
# Open a terminal
# Run {{command|diskutil list}}. This will list all disks connected to the system, as {{filename|/dev/rdisk1}}, {{filename|/dev/rdisk2}} and so on. Identify - very carefully! - which one corresponds to the USB stick you wish to use. Hereafter, we'll assume it was {{filename|/dev/rdisk2}} - modify the commands as appropriate for your stick.
# Run {{command|diskutil unmountDisk /dev/rdisk2}}
# Type <code>dd if=</code>, then drag and drop the Fedora image file to the terminal window - this should result in its filesystem location being appended to the command. Now complete the command with <code>of=/dev/rdisk2 bs=1m</code>, but ''don't hit Enter yet''. You should wind up with something like {{command|sudo dd if<nowiki>=</nowiki>/Volumes/Images/Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso of<nowiki>=</nowiki>/dev/rdisk2 bs<nowiki>=</nowiki>1m}}
# Double-check you have the correct disk number and you're really, really sure you don't need any of the data on the USB stick!
# Hit Enter
# Wait for the operation to complete, then reboot your computer, and hold down the left Alt/Option key to access the boot menu - you should see a Fedora logo. Click this to boot.
 
__TOC__
 
{{admon/important | Creating a live ISO image | A Live USB system is created from the same ISO image file that is used to create CD/DVD media.  You can download ISO images for the official Fedora release from [http://fedoraproject.org/get-fedora the Fedora download site].  Consult [[How to create and use a Live CD]] for more information on creating your own customized live ISO image file.}}
 
{{admon/note | Fedora Guide | The procedure documented in this guide is also detailed at http://docs.fedoraproject.org/readme-burning-isos/ . The Guide may have different content, and be more or less detailed. If you edit this page or find a problem with the Guide, please also file a bug against the guide to have its content updated.}}


== System Requirements ==
== System Requirements ==


* A working computer running Fedora or Windows
* A working computer running GNU/Linux, Windows or OS X.
* A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive USB Flash Drive] with 1 GB or more of storage space (also known as a USB Storage Stick, USB Thumb Drive, or Jump Drive)
* A [[wikipedia:USB flash drive|USB flash drive]], also known as USB stick, thumb drive, pen drive, or jump drive. For most Fedora live images, you will need at least 1 GB or more of storage space. For the network install image, 400 MB or more should be sufficient. For a DVD image, you should have at least 4.7 GB.
* A Fedora ISO file, which you can download from http://fedoraproject.org/get-fedora.
 
=== Ability to boot from USB media ===
 
* Not all computers can boot from USB media, due to different BIOS settings and system capabilities.  If your computer cannot do so, this procedure will not be useful.  If you are not sure and don't mind downloading and installing an image on your USB drive (possibly wiping its data), the only risk is wasting some time.
 
* If your USB stick is not in working order, this procedure may fail.  Watch for error messages during the process.
 
=== UEFI boot of USB sticks ===
 
{{admon/important | Use a 64 bit image for UEFI | UEFI booting is only supported with the 64bit release of Fedora.}}
Whether a Fedora image written to a USB stick will be bootable natively via [[wikipedia:UEFI|UEFI]] is a somewhat complex question which depends on the Fedora release, the type of image (live or non-live), and the method used to write it. The {{command|--efi}} parameter to the [[#litd|livecd-iso-to-disk]] tool attempts to make a stick written with that tool natively UEFI bootable.
 
As of {{FedoraVersion|long|20}}, all sticks written using [[#quickstarts|"direct write" methods]] should be UEFI-bootable, at least some sticks written with [[#luc|liveusb-creator]] should be UEFI-bootable, and all sticks written with {{command|livecd-iso-to-disk --format --reset-mbr --efi}} should be UEFI-bootable. Use of {{command|--efi}} without {{command|--format}} and {{command|--reset-mbr}} can be considered a 'best effort', and may not produce a UEFI-bootable stick. Sticks written with other methods and tools will most probably not be UEFI-bootable.
 
If you boot a Fedora stick in UEFI native mode and install from it, you will get a UEFI native installation of Fedora. If you wish to do a BIOS native installation of Fedora, you must ensure you boot your stick in BIOS compatibility mode, if your firmware has this capability. The interface for choosing the mode used to boot varies between systems, and so we cannot give precise instructions on this. If you have difficulty, you may want to use a method which is known ''not'' to produce a UEFI-bootable stick, and hence force your firmware to boot it in BIOS compatibility mode.
 
== Checking USB disk size / free space ==
 
As noted before, the disk must have a certain amount of storage space depending on the type of image you select. If you use a destructive method, the stick must be at least that size; if you use a non-destructive method, it must have at least that much free space. Whichever operating system you are using, you can usually check this with a file manager, usually by right clicking and selecting ''Properties''. Here is a screenshot of how this looks on GNOME:
 
[[image:Properties_USB_size.png]]
 
== Writing the image ==
 
Remember, the most reliable methods, which are recommended if you do not need to preserve the contents of your stick or use any of the advanced features such as storage persistence, are the "direct write" methods described [[#quickstarts|above]]. Only use these alternative methods if you need to preserve the contents of your stick, or use advanced features.
 
After the "direct write" methods, [[#litd|The livecd-iso-to-disk method]] is the second most reliable, and supports all Fedora images and the full range of advanced features. However, it is a command-line tool, and only available for Fedora. [[#luc|The liveusb-creator method]] is less reliable and cannot write non-live images, but it is graphical, supports data persistence and non-destructive writing, and is easily available for Windows, OS X and Fedora.
 
The reliability, ease of use and feature availability of other methods, including [[#unetbootin|UNetbootin]], is questionable, and Fedora may be unable to offer support for them.
 
{{anchor|luc}}
=== Using liveusb-creator (Windows and Fedora, graphical, non-destructive) ===
 
[[Image:Fedora_Live_USB_creator.png]]
 
Fedora live USB sticks can be created on Windows and Fedora using the [http://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator liveusb-creator] utility. It cannot create USB sticks from the non-live installer images.
 
It is graphical, easy to use, is non-destructive (does not destroy existing data on the stick), and supports [[#Data persistence|data persistence]]. However, please be aware that it is not quite as actively maintained or heavily tested as the "direct write" methods, and can produce a stick that fails to boot on some systems, depending on the pre-existing format of the stick and the system firmware.


===Ability to boot from USB media===
On Fedora, you can use a Fedora graphical software installation tool to install the {{package|liveusb-creator}} package, or use the command line.
For fedora 22 and later versions use [[dnf|DNF]]:
: {{command|su -c 'dnf install liveusb-creator'}}


Though most modern ones can, not all computers can boot from USB media, due to different BIOS settings and system capabilities.  If your computer cannot do so, this procedure will not be useful.  If you are not sure and don't mind downloading an installing an image on your USB drive (possibly wiping it of data), the only risk is wasting some time.
Or for Fedora 21 and earlier versions use YUM:
: {{command|su -c 'yum install liveusb-creator'}}


If your USB stick is not in working order, this procedure may fail. Watch for error messages during the process.
On Windows, you can download the installer from [http://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator the liveusb-creator site].


Some flash drives may not be bootable by default, even if your hardware is capable of doing so. You may need to mark the partition bootable or you may just need to reformat the flash drive. See "Errors and Solutions" below for more information.
To run the tool, look for '''Fedora LiveUSB Creator''' in the system menus, or (in Fedora) run {{command|liveusb-creator}} on the command line.


=== Check the size of your USB device ===
To use the tool, click the refresh button next to the list of images at the top-right (to refresh the list of available images from the Fedora mirrors), then select a Fedora release to download from the drop-down box (or select an ISO you have already downloaded using the ''Browse'' button at top-left), select the USB stick to which you wish to write the image from the ''Target Device'' drop-down box, and hit the ''Create Live USB'' button.


Many USB sticks indicate the size on the packaging or the outside of the device.
You can use the slider at bottom-right to make some space available for data persistence if you choose: see the [[#Data persistence|data persistence]] section for details on how this feature works, and its implications.


If you don't know the size of the device, or want to check it for data, you should be able to auto-mount the USB device by inserting it into a USB port.  You can check the contents and size using the graphical file manager.  In Linux, you can also use the command line:
{{anchor|#device}}


=== Identifying a stick by {{filename|/dev}} name on Linux ===
The following methods will require you to know the {{filename|/dev}} name for your USB stick - e.g. {{filename|/dev/sdc}} - when using them on Linux. To find this out:
# Insert the USB stick into a USB port.
# Open a terminal and run {{command|dmesg}}.
# Near the end of the output, you will see something like:
<pre>
<pre>
$ df -h
[32656.573467] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdX] Attached SCSI removable disk
Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/mapper/VolGroup00-LogVol00
143G  14G  122G  10% /
/dev/sda1              99M  12M  82M  13% /boot
tmpfs                1009M    0 1009M  0% /dev/shm
/dev/sdb1            3.9G  4.0K  3.9G  1% /media/usbdisk
</pre>
</pre>
where sdX will be sdb, sdc, sdd, etc. '''Take note of this label''' as it is the name of the disk you will use. We'll call it ''sdX'' from now on. If you have connected more than one USB stick to the system, be careful that you identify the correct one - often you will see a manufacturer name or capacity in the output which you can use to make sure you identified the correct stick.


USB drives are usually mounted in /media. In this case, the device is /dev/sdb1 and has a 3.9GB capacity, and is almost empty.
{{anchor|unetbootin}}
=== Using [http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ UNetbootin] (Windows, OS X and Linux, graphical, non-destructive) ===


Take note of "/dev/sdb1" or equivalent; you will be specifying the device name if you use the command line method.
{{admon/warning | Reliability not assured | Following each release, Fedora support volunteers receive reports of problems with installation images created by UNetbootin. Using the most recent version of UNetbootin available has been known to improve results. UNetbootin may work in some cases but not others - for instance, it will likely create a stick that is bootable in BIOS mode, but not UEFI mode. Fedora cannot guarantee support for UNetbootin-written images.}}


== How to repartition and format flash drive ==
While your results may vary, it is usually the case that the [[#quickstarts|direct write]], [[#litd|livecd-iso-to-disk]], and [[#luc|liveusb-creator]] methods give better results than UNetbootin. If you encounter problems with UNetbootin, please contact the UNetbootin developers, not the Fedora developers.


'''''CAUTION: This will erase all data on the USB drive!'''''
UNetbootin is a graphical, bootable USB image creator. Using it will allow you to preserve any data you have in the USB drive. If you have trouble booting, however, you may wish to try with a blank, cleanly FAT32-formatted drive.


If the drive has not been partitioned properly (or if you are unsure), use <code>fdisk</code> to repartition it. If the drive is not new, a repartition and reformat is recommended.
If you are running a 64-bit Linux distribution, UNetbootin may fail to run until you install the 32-bit versions of quite a lot of system libraries. Fedora cannot help you with this: please direct feedback on this issue to the UNetbootin developers.


It is also possible to do a non-destructive installation of a LiveUSB image, if you have sufficient empty space. (See "How to install non-destructively" below.)
[[Image:Unetbootin_gtk3.png]]


The <code>fdisk</code> command must be run as root. Include only the drive name in the command, not the partition number. '''''Be sure to select the correct disk, or you may erase important data!''''' Check the output of "df -h" if you are unsure. For example, if your partition will be /dev/sdb1, do:
# Download the latest UNetbootin version from [http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ the official site] and install it. On Linux, the download is an executable file: save it somewhere, change it to be executable (using {{command|chmod ugo+x filename}} or a file manager), and then run it.
# Launch UNetbootin. On Linux, you might have to type the root password.
# Click on '''Diskimage''' and search for the ISO file you downloaded.
# Select Type: USB drive and [[#device|choose the correct device for your stick]]
# Click OK


<pre>
{{admon/note | Drive not visible | If you do not see ''sdX'' listed, you might have to reformat the drive. You can do this from most file manager or disk utility tools, e.g. the GNOME disk utility ("Disks") on Fedora. The FAT32 format is most likely to result in a bootable stick. This will cause you to lose all data on the drive.}}
$ /sbin/fdisk /dev/sdb
 
</pre>
{{anchor|litd}}
=== Command line method: Using the ''livecd-iso-to-disk'' tool (Fedora only, non-graphical, both non-destructive and destructive methods available) ===
 
{{admon/important | Potentially destructive method | This method will destroy all data on the USB stick ''if the '''--format''' parameter is passed''.}}
 
The ''livecd-iso-to-disk'' tool is the most capable, non-destructive, and second most reliable method of writing a Fedora ISO image to a USB stick, but it can be used reliably only from within Fedora. It does not work in Windows or OS X, and is not supported (and will usually fail) in non-Fedora distributions. Please use (in order of preference) [[#quickstarts|the direct write methods]], [[#luc|liveusb-creator]], [[#unetbootin|UNetbootin]] or other third-party tool on other operating systems. It is also not a good idea to try and write a new Fedora release using the version of ''livecd-iso-to-disk'' in a much older Fedora release: It is best to only use a release a maximum of two versions older than the release you are trying to write.


If you don't have fdisk installed, run "yum install util-linux-ng" as root.
Make sure the ''livecd-tools'' RPM is installed with the command:


The following session output from <code>fdisk</code> shows the responses to give to the prompts.  The line starting <code>Last cylinder ...</code> refers to the size of the flash drive, so may be different than in the example.
: {{command|rpm -q livecd-tools}}


<pre>
You will see the name of the RPM and a version number if it is installed, or no output if it is not installed.
Command (m for help): d
Selected partition 1


Command (m for help): n
If ''livecd-tools'' is not installed, install it using this command, or a graphical software installation tool. For Fedora 22 and earlier versions use [[dnf|DNF]]:
Command action
e  extended
p  primary partition (1-4)
p
Partition number (1-4): 1
First cylinder (1-960, default 1):
Using default value 1
Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (1-960, default 960):
Using default value 960


Command (m for help): t
: {{command|su -c 'dnf install livecd-tools'}}
Selected partition 1
Hex code (type L to list codes): 6
Changed system type of partition 1 to 6 (FAT16)


Command (m for help): a
Or for Fedora 21 and earlier versions use [[yum|YUM]]:
Partition number (1-4): 1
: {{command|su -c 'yum install livecd-tools'}}


Command (m for help): w
Detailed usage information is available in the first pages of the [https://github.com/rhinstaller/livecd-tools/blob/master/tools/livecd-iso-to-disk.sh#L27 livecd-iso-to-disk script], which you can also see by running this command:
The partition table has been altered!


Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
: {{command|su -c 'livecd-iso-to-disk --help'}}


WARNING: If you have created or modified any DOS 6.x
: There is also the [https://github.com/rhinstaller/livecd-tools/blob/master/docs/livecd-iso-to-disk.pod packaged manual page documentation],
partitions, please see the fdisk manual page for additional
: {{command|man livecd-iso-to-disk}}
information.
Syncing disks.
</pre>


To finish, the partition must be formatted with an actual file system using <code>mkdosfs</code> as the root user. Unmount the device before using <code>mkdosfs</code>. In the below example, /dev/USBPARTITIONNAME might be, for example, /dev/sdb1.  '''''Be sure to select the correct partition; formatting destroys all data on it!'''''
Basic examples follow. Remember to [[#device|identify your USB stick's device name]] first. In all cases, you can add the parameter {{command|--efi}} to (try to) render the stick bootable in native UEFI mode.


<pre>
To make an existing USB stick bootable as a Fedora image - without deleting any of the data on it - make sure that the USB drive is not mounted before executing the following, and give the root password when prompted:
$ umount /dev/USBPARTITIONNAME
: {{command|su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"}}
$ /sbin/mkdosfs -F 16 -n usbdisk /dev/USBPARTITIONNAME
See [[#Data persistence|Data persistence]] below for how to create Live USB devices with more than temporary storage of user files and settings.
</pre>


If you don't have mkdosfs installed, run "yum install dosfstools" as root.
In case it is not possible to boot from a disk created with the method shown above, before re-partitioning and re-formatting, often resetting the master boot record will enable booting:


== How to install non-destructively ==
: {{command|su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk --reset-mbr Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"}}


Skip the repartitioning and formatting step above, and simply continue with the below steps.  Please keep in mind you should have at least 1GB free.  '''It is highly recommended to make a backup copy of the data on the USB drive before proceeding''' in case something goes wrong.
{{admon/warning | CAUTION: | Using the {{command|--format}} option in the following command will erase all data on the USB drive!  Please read the instructions below ''carefully''.}}


== From a Downloaded Image ==
If necessary, you can have ''livecd-iso-to-disk'' re-partition and re-format the target stick:


=== Download an ISO ===
: {{command|su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk --format --reset-mbr Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"}}


You can use BitTorrent or your web browser to download a bootable image, or ISO, which you will install on your USB drive.  Quick links:
{{anchor|dd}}


* [http://fedoraproject.org/en/get-fedora Supported releases]
=== Command line "direct write" method (most operating systems, non-graphical, destructive) ===
* [http://fedoraproject.org/get-prerelease Pre-releases] (Rawhide)


You are looking for a file with "Live" in the name, usually of the form "F<version>-Live-<architecture>.iso".  For example, "F10-i686-Live.iso" is the Fedora 10 release for 32-bit Pentium Pro and compatible CPUs.  "F11-Alpha-x86_64-Live.iso" is the alpha pre-release version of Fedora 11 for 64-bit Intel-compatible CPUs.  Be sure to choose the right file for your architecture.  (32-bit releases will generally run on 64-bit hardware, but will not be optimized.)
{{admon/important | Destructive method | This method will destroy all data on the USB stick. Alternative, non-destructive methods are described elsewhere in this document.}}


These instructions will also also work for [[Spins Custom|Custom Spins]] of Fedora Live ISO images, including those you make yourself with Pungi, LiveCD Creator, or Revisor.
This method is equivalent to the other "direct write" methods described in the [[#quickstarts|Quickstarts section]], but uses a command line utility named {{command|dd}}. Like the other "direct write" methods, it will destroy all data on the stick and does not support any of the advanced features like data persistence, but it is a very reliable method. The {{command|dd}} tool is available on most Unix-like operating systems, including Linux distributions and OS X, and [http://www.chrysocome.net/dd a Windows port is available].


=== Command Line Method - Linux only ===
The first step is to [[#device|identify the name of the USB drive partition.]] If using this method on Windows, with the port linked above, the {{command|dd --list}} command should provide you with the correct name.


In the following examples, replace "/path/to/ISO" with e.g. F10-Live-i686.iso or the full path to the ISO you downloaded, e.g. /tmp/F10-Live-i686.iso.
To write the ISO file directly to the disk, run:


Replace /dev/USBPARTITIONNAME with the appropriate partition name. For example, /dev/sdb1 in the example above ("Check the size of your USB drive"). '''''Be careful to specify the correct device, or you may lose important data!'''''
: {{command|su -c "dd if<nowiki>=</nowiki>/Users/me/Downloads/Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso of<nowiki>=</nowiki>/dev/sdX bs<nowiki>=</nowiki>8M" && sync}}


==== Check livecd-tools ====
Or, if you are running an Ubuntu-based distribution:


Make sure the livecd-tools RPM is installed.
: {{command|sudo dd if<nowiki>=</nowiki>/Users/me/Downloads/Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso of<nowiki>=</nowiki>/dev/sdX bs<nowiki>=</nowiki>8M && sync}}


<pre>
Note that the process will take some time and you will not see any information while it is running. As some Flashdrives do not include flashing indicator light to show I/O is in process, the sync command command at the end of the line will assure that all data is stored onto the flashdrive. Wait for the "new-line" prompt before removing the flashdrive from the computer.
$ rpm -q livecd-tools
</pre>


You will see the name of the RPM and a version number if it is installed, and no output if it is not installed.
=== Creating a USB stick from a running live environment ===


If "livecd-tools" is not installed, install it using yum.
If you are already running a live CD, DVD, or USB and want to convert that into a bootable USB stick, run the following command:
<pre>
$ su -c "yum install livecd-tools"
</pre>


==== Run livecd-iso-to-disk script ====
: {{command|su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk /run/initramfs/livedev /dev/sdX"}}


Make sure that the USB drive is not mounted before executing the following, and give the root password when prompted.
(For versions before Fedora 17, use {{filename|/dev/live}} instead of {{filename|/run/initramfs/livedev}}.)


<pre>
== Booting the image ==
$ su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk /path/to/ISO /dev/USBPARTITIONNAME"
Password:
Copying live image to USB stick
Updating boot config file
Installing boot loader
USB stick set up as live image!
</pre>


==== Data Persistence ====
[[Image:Bios_USB_boot.jpg|thumb|right|Set USB as first boot device. Your BIOS may be different.]]


Data persistence means that your files and settings will remain peristent even after you reboot your live system. Persistence is supported from Fedora 9 (beta) onwards. The primary usage of this feature is booting a USB stick with your live image as well as the persistent changes. You can run the following command:
# Power off the computer.
# Plug the USB drive into a USB port.
# Remove all other portable media, such as CD, DVD, or floppy disks.
# Power on the computer.
# If the computer is configured to automatically boot from the USB drive, you will see a screen that says "Automatic boot in 10 seconds..." with a countdown (unless you do a native UEFI boot, where you will see a rather more minimal boot menu).


<pre>
If the computer starts to boot off the hard drive as normal, you'll need to manually configure it to boot off the USB drive.
$ livecd-iso-to-disk --overlay-size-mb 512 /path/to/ISO /dev/USBPARTITIONNAME
</pre>


where 512 is the desired size (in megabytes) of the overlay. The livecd-iso-to-disk shell script won't accept an overlay size value greater than 2047. You can find the livecd-iso-to-disk shell script in the LiveOS directory at the top-level of the CD image. Note that you'll need to have space on your USB stick for the live image plus your overlay plus any other data you want on the stick.
# Wait for a safe point to reboot safely.
# As the machine starts to reboot, watch carefully for instructions on which key to press (usually a function key or Escape) to enter the boot device selection menu, or "BIOS setup". Press and hold that key.  If you miss the window of opportunity (often only a few seconds) then reboot and try again.
# Use the BIOS setup menu to put your USB drive first in the boot sequence.  It might be listed as a hard drive rather than a removable drive.  Each hardware manufacturer has a slightly different method for doing so.  '''Use caution!'''  Your computer could become unbootable or lose functionality if you change any other settings. Though these settings can be reverted, you'll need to remember what you changed in order to do so. If you have a UEFI firmware, you may see choices to boot the stick in UEFI native mode or BIOS compatibility mode: remember that, if you intend to install Fedora, a UEFI native boot will result in a UEFI native Fedora installation, while a BIOS compatibility mode boot will result in a BIOS native Fedora installation.
# Save the changes, exit, and the computer should boot the Live USB drive.


=== Graphical Method - Windows or Linux ===
== Data persistence ==


Fedora LiveUSB sticks can be created in Windows and Linux using the [http://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator liveusb-creator].
Data persistence means that your files and settings will remain even after you reboot your live system.  You can perform updates just like a regular installation to your hard disk, except that kernel updates require [[#Kernel updates|manual intervention]] and [[#limited overlay|overlay space may be insufficient]]. The primary use of this feature is booting a USB stick with your live image as well as the persistent changes. Note that you will need to have space on your target USB stick for the live image plus your overlay plus any other data you want on the stick.


For Windows using the following steps:
Use the [[#luc|liveusb-creator tool]] described above to do this easily. There is a graphical slider in the interface you can use to assign space on the target stick for persistent storage.
* Download liveusb-creator from http://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator
* Double click 'liveusb-creator'


If using the ''livecd-iso-to-disk'' tool, add the {{command|--overlay-size-mb}} parameter to add a persistent data storage area to the target stick. For example:


If you are using Linux, You can use Add/Remove Programs and search for liveusb-creator or on the command line:
: {{command|su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk --overlay-size-mb 512 Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/USBPARTITIONNAME"}}


<pre>
where 512 is the desired size (in megabytes) of the overlay. The ''livecd-iso-to-disk'' tool will not accept an overlay size value greater than 4095 for VFAT, but for ext[234] filesystems it is only limited by the available space.
$ su -c "yum install liveusb-creator"
{{anchor|limited overlay}}
</pre>
{{admon/note | Limited Lifetime of Persistent Overlay | One very important note about using the "primary" persistent overlay for system changes is that due to the way it's currently implemented (as a [[wikipedia:Device mapper|Device-mapper]] copy-on-write snapshot), every single change to it (writes AND deletes) subtracts from its free space, so it will eventually be "used up" and your USB stick will no longer boot (see this [http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel.device-mapper.devel/14644 dm-devel discussion] and [[LiveOS_image#Overlay_recovery|this page]] for emergency recovery). Because of these limitations, it is advisable to use the system-level persistence sparingly, for configuration changes and important security updates only. Or, if you have sufficient disk space available, changes to the LiveOS root filesystem snapshot can be merged into a new copy of the root filesystem.  See [[LiveOS image#Merge overlay into new image|this page section]] for instructions.


If you encounter any issues using this method, please [https://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator/newticket create a ticket] against the liveusb-creator.
See [[#Mounting a Live USB filesystem|this section]] for mounting the root filesystem outside of a boot.


== From a running Live CD/DVD ==
For normal, write-many storage, use the {{command|--home-size-mb}} option to create a home directory filesystem for personal files. Home.img can be re-used and loop mounted outside of the Live USB environment.}}
The persistent overlay status may be queried by issuing this command on the live system:


If you are already running a live CD or DVD and want to convert that into a bootable USB stick, run the following command:
: {{command|dmsetup status live-rw}}


The returned value may look like this:
<pre>
<pre>
$ livecd-iso-to-disk /dev/live /dev/USBDEVICENAME
live-rw: 0 8388608 snapshot 42296/204800 176
</pre>
</pre>
where the fraction after 'snapshot' for the logical volume is that of 512-byte sectors consumed in the overlay.


== How to Boot a Live USB Drive ==
== Troubleshooting ==


* Power off the computer.
=== liveusb-creator problems ===
* Plug the USB drive into a USB port.
* Remove all other portable media, such as CD, DVD, or floppy disks.
* Power on the computer.
* If the computer is configured to automatically boot off of the USB drive, you will see a screen that says "Automatic boot in 10 seconds..." with a countdown.
* If the computer starts to boot off the hard drive, you'll need to manually configure it to boot off the USB drive.
** Wait for a safe point to reboot safely.
** As the machine starts to reboot, watch carefully for instructions on what key to press (usually a function key or Escape) to enter the boot device selection menu, or "BIOS setup".  Press and hold that key.  If you miss the window of opportunity (often only a few seconds) then reboot and try again.
** Use the BIOS setup menu to put your USB drive first in the boot sequence.  It might be listed as a hard drive rather than a removable drive.  Each hardware manufacturer has a slightly different method for doing so.  '''Use caution!'''  Your computer could become unbootable or lose functionality if you change any other settings.  Though these settings can be put back, you'll need to remember what you changed in order to do so.
** Save the changes, exit, and the computer should boot the Live USB drive.


== Errors and Solutions ==
* Try the [http://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator/wiki/FAQ liveusb-creator FAQ].
* Bugs are tracked in [https://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator/ Trac] - see e.g. [https://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator/report/1 existing tickets].  Please [https://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator/newticket open a new ticket] if you encounter any problems that have not already been reported.
* The [https://fedorahosted.org/mailman/listinfo/liveusb-creator liveusb-creator mailing list] has [https://lists.fedorahosted.org/pipermail/liveusb-creator archives] which may also be useful.


=== Partition isn't marked bootable! ===
=== Partition isn't marked bootable! ===
Line 202: Line 287:
If you get the following message, you need to mark the partition bootable.
If you get the following message, you need to mark the partition bootable.
<pre>
<pre>
$ livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-<release>-Live-i686.iso /dev/sdb1
$ su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"
Partition isn't marked bootable!
Partition isn't marked bootable!
You can mark the partition as bootable with  
You can mark the partition as bootable with  
     $ /sbin/parted /dev/sdb
     $ /sbin/parted /dev/sdX
     (parted) toggle N boot
     (parted) toggle N boot
     (parted) quit
     (parted) quit
Line 211: Line 296:
</pre>
</pre>


To mark the partition bootable,
To mark the partition bootable, run parted, and use the 'toggle X boot' command. For example:
<pre>
<pre>
$ parted /dev/sdb
$ parted /dev/sdX
GNU Parted 1.8.6
GNU Parted 1.8.6
Using /dev/sdb
Using /dev/sdX
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) print                                                             
(parted) print                                                             
Model: Imation Flash Drive (scsi)
Model: Imation Flash Drive (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 1062MB
Disk /dev/sdX: 1062MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Partition Table: msdos
Line 229: Line 314:
(parted) print                                                     
(parted) print                                                     
Model: Imation Flash Drive (scsi)
Model: Imation Flash Drive (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 1062MB
Disk /dev/sdX: 1062MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Partition Table: msdos
Line 240: Line 325:
</pre>
</pre>


=== Partition need a filesystem label! ===
=== Partitions need a filesystem label! ===


If you get the following message, you need to label the partition.
If you get the following message, you need to label the partition.
<pre>
<pre>
$ livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-<release>-Live-i686.iso /dev/sdb1
$ su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"
Need to have a filesystem label or UUID for your USB device
Need to have a filesystem label or UUID for your USB device
Label can be set with /sbin/dosfslabel
Label can be set with /sbin/dosfslabel
Line 250: Line 335:
</pre>
</pre>


To label the partition.
To label the partition:
<pre>
<pre>
$ dosfslabel /dev/sdb1 usbdisk
su -c "dosfslabel /dev/sdX LIVE"
</pre>
</pre>


=== Partition has different physical/logical endings! ===
=== Partition has different physical/logical endings! ===


If you get the following message, you may need to reformat the flash drive.
If you get this message from fdisk, you may need to reformat the flash drive, as described earlier in this guide.
<pre>
$ fdisk -l /dev/sdb
 
Disk /dev/sdb: 2029 MB, 2029518848 bytes
129 heads, 32 sectors/track, 960 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 4128 * 512 = 2113536 bytes
 
Device Boot      Start        End      Blocks  Id  System
/dev/sdb1  *          1        961    1981936    6  FAT16
Partition 1 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(967, 128, 32) logical=(960, 31, 32)
</pre>


=== MBR appears to be blank! ===
=== MBR appears to be blank! ===


If your test boot reports a corrupted boot sector, or you get the following message, you need to install MBR.
If your test boot reports a corrupted boot sector, or you get the following message, you need to install or reset the master boot record (MBR).
<pre>
<pre>
$ livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-<release>-Live-i686.iso /dev/sdb1
$ su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"
MBR appears to be blank.
MBR appears to be blank.
You can add an MBR to this device with
You can add an MBR to this device with
Line 281: Line 354:
</pre>
</pre>


To install or reset MBR:
$ su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk --reset-mbr Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"


To install MBR,
=== Issues using other Linux distributions ===
<pre>
$ cat /usr/lib/syslinux/mbr.bin > /dev/sdb
</pre>


Ubuntu and derivative Linux distributions have a usb-creator program similar to Live USB Creator. This ''does not work'' with Fedora ISO images, it silently rejects them. usb-creator requires the ISO to have a Debian layout, with a /.disk/info file and a casper directory. Do not attempt to use this utility to write a Fedora ISO image.


=== SYSLINUX Boot Error! ===
The livecd-iso-to-disk script is not meant to be run from a non-Fedora system. Even if it happens to run and write a stick apparently successfully from some other distribution, the stick may well fail to boot. Use of livecd-iso-to-disk on any distribution other than Fedora is unsupported and not expected to work: please use an alternative method, such as the [[#quickstarts|"direct write"]] methods described above.


If you were using the script on previous Red Hat or Fedora Release and getting following error message,
== Testing a USB stick using qemu ==
<pre>
SYSLINUX 3.xx ... EBIOS Load error - Boot error
</pre>


You may need to upgrade your syslinux to 3.50 or higher from Peter Anvin's [http://syslinux.zytor.com/faq.php SYSLINUX] .
You can test your stick using QEMU as shown in the screenshot below.


* http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/RPMS/i386/
[[Image:Screenshot_qemu_gtk3.png‎|thumb]]


== Testing Live Image on USB ==
For example, you could type the following commands:
 
<pre>
You can test your Live Image on USB using QEMU as shown in the screenshot on right.
su -c 'umount /dev/sdX1'
qemu -hda /dev/sdX -m 1024 -vga std
</pre>
== Mounting a Live USB filesystem ==


[[Image:FedoraLiveCD_USBHowTo_usb_flash_with_qemu.png|thumb]]
You can use the [https://github.com/rhinstaller/livecd-tools/blob/master/tools/liveimage-mount ''liveimage-mount''] script in the {{package|livecd-tools}} package to mount an attached Live USB device or other LiveOS image, such as an ISO or Live CD.  This is convenient when you want to copy in or out some file from the LiveOS filesystem on a Live USB, or just examine the files in a Live ISO or Live CD.


For example, if your USB flash drive is on /dev/sdb1, you could type following command:
== Kernel updates ==


If you have [[#limited overlay|sufficient overlay space]] to accommodate a kernel update on a Live USB installation, the kernel and initramfs will be installed to the /boot directory.  To put these into service they must be moved to the /syslinux directory of the installation partition.  This is accessible from the running Live USB filesystem at the /run/initramfs/live mount point. The new initramfs (such as initramfs-3.12.5-302.fc20.x86_64.img) and kernel (such as vmlinuz-3.12.5-302.fc20.x86_64) should be moved to replace the /run/initramfs/live/syslinux/initrd0.img and /run/initramfs/live/syslinux/vmlinuz0 files, respectively.
* '''Note''': ''[[dracut]]'' no longer includes the ''dmsquash-live'' module by default. Starting with Fedora 19, ''dracut'' defaults to the {{command|hostonly&#61;"yes"}} option, which precludes the ''dmsquash-live'' module. So, one can add a dracut config file, as root, before updating the kernel:
<pre>
<pre>
$ umount /dev/sdb1
echo 'hostonly="no"
$ qemu -hda /dev/sdb -m 256 -std-vga
add_dracutmodules+=" dmsquash-live "
compress="xz"' > /etc/dracut.conf.d/01-liveos.conf
</pre>
</pre>


== See also ==
The following commands will move the new kernel and initramfs files to the device's /syslinux directory:
[http://www.redhatmagazine.com/2007/11/07/i-am-fedora-and-so-can-you/ Red Hat Magazine | I am Fedora, and so can you!]
<pre>
bootpath=run/initramfs/live/syslinux
new=3.12.5-302.fc20.x86_64


== References ==
cd /
mv -f boot/vmlinuz-$new ${bootpath}/vmlinuz0
mv -f boot/initramfs-${new}.img ${bootpath}/initrd0.img
</pre>


* http://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-test-list/2007-May/msg00308.html
== See Also ==
* http://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-livecd-list/2007-April/msg00029.html
* [[Adobe Flash]]

Revision as of 07:15, 7 November 2015

This page explains how to create and use Fedora USB media. A Live USB system stored on flash memory, sometimes called a stick, lets you boot any USB-bootable computer into a Fedora operating system environment without writing to that computer's hard disk.

The Live USB stick can include a feature called a persistent overlay, which allows changes made to persist across reboots. Without a persistent overlay, the stick will return to a fresh state each time it is booted.

It can also have a separate area to store user account information and data such as documents and downloaded files, with optional encryption for security and peace of mind.

You may also use a non-destructive method to create the stick, meaning existing files on the stick will not be destroyed.

By combining these features, you can carry your computer with you in your pocket, booting it on nearly any system you find yourself using.

However, if you do not need the extended features, it is recommended you use the simplest possible "direct write" method to write the stick, as this will provide the best chance of it booting on the widest possible range of systems (though it will destroy all data on the stick). The way to do this is described in the "quick start" sections at the top of this page. If you wish to use the extended features, those methods are described later in the page.

With current Fedora releases you can also write the non-live Fedora installation images (the DVD and network installation images) to a USB stick, which many users find more convenient and faster than writing to an optical disc. The "direct write" method is always recommended for writing the installation images.

Windows quick start (direct write)

Important.png
Destructive method
This method will destroy all data on the USB stick. Alternative, non-destructive methods are described later in this document.
  1. Download a Fedora image, choose a USB stick that does not contain any data you need, and connect it
  2. Download and run SUSE Studio ImageWriter or Rawrite32
  3. Choose the Fedora image as the Image (SUSE Studio) or Filesystem image (Rawrite32) - if the image file is not shown, you may have to change the file selector options or change the image's extension
  4. Choose the USB stick in the drop-down box by the Copy button (SUSE Studio) or as the Target (Rawrite32)
  5. Double-check you're really, really sure you don't need any of the data on the USB stick!
  6. Click Copy (SUSE Studio) or Write to disk... (Rawrite32)
  7. Wait for the operation to complete, then reboot your computer, and do whatever you need to do to boot from a USB stick - often this will involve pressing or holding down F12, F2 or Del.

Linux (GNOME) quick start (direct write)

Important.png
Destructive method
This method will destroy all data on the USB stick. Alternative, non-destructive methods are described later in this document.

This method is for people running Linux with GNOME, Nautilus and the GNOME Disk Utility installed. A standard installation of Fedora, or a standard GNOME installation of many other distributions, should be able to use this method. On Fedora, ensure the packages Package-x-generic-16.pngnautilus and Package-x-generic-16.pnggnome-disk-utility are installed. Similar graphical direct-write tools may be available for other desktops, or you may use the command line "direct write" method.

  1. Download a Fedora image, choose a USB stick that does not contain any data you need, and connect it
  2. Run Nautilus (Files) - for instance, open the Overview by pressing the Start/Super key, and type Files, then hit enter
  3. Find the downloaded image, right-click on it, go to Open With, and click Disk Image Writer
  4. Double-check you're really, really sure you don't need any of the data on the USB stick!
  5. Select your USB stick as the Destination, and click Start Restoring...
  6. Wait for the operation to complete, then reboot your computer, and do whatever you need to do to boot from a USB stick - often this will involve pressing or holding down F12, F2 or Del.

OS X quick start (direct write)

Important.png
Destructive method
This method will destroy all data on the USB stick. Alternative, non-destructive methods are described later in this document.

Unfortunately, there is no known useful graphical tool for a direct write on OS X. The UNetbootin utility described later in this document works on OS X, but cannot be guaranteed to produce reliably bootable Fedora images. This console-based method is not as graphically easy as using UNetbootin, but it is more reliable.

  1. Download a Fedora image, choose a USB stick that does not contain any data you need, and connect it
  2. Open a terminal
  3. Run diskutil list. This will list all disks connected to the system, as /dev/rdisk1, /dev/rdisk2 and so on. Identify - very carefully! - which one corresponds to the USB stick you wish to use. Hereafter, we'll assume it was /dev/rdisk2 - modify the commands as appropriate for your stick.
  4. Run diskutil unmountDisk /dev/rdisk2
  5. Type dd if=, then drag and drop the Fedora image file to the terminal window - this should result in its filesystem location being appended to the command. Now complete the command with of=/dev/rdisk2 bs=1m, but don't hit Enter yet. You should wind up with something like sudo dd if=/Volumes/Images/Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso of=/dev/rdisk2 bs=1m
  6. Double-check you have the correct disk number and you're really, really sure you don't need any of the data on the USB stick!
  7. Hit Enter
  8. Wait for the operation to complete, then reboot your computer, and hold down the left Alt/Option key to access the boot menu - you should see a Fedora logo. Click this to boot.
Important.png
Creating a live ISO image
A Live USB system is created from the same ISO image file that is used to create CD/DVD media. You can download ISO images for the official Fedora release from the Fedora download site. Consult How to create and use a Live CD for more information on creating your own customized live ISO image file.
Note.png
Fedora Guide
The procedure documented in this guide is also detailed at http://docs.fedoraproject.org/readme-burning-isos/ . The Guide may have different content, and be more or less detailed. If you edit this page or find a problem with the Guide, please also file a bug against the guide to have its content updated.

System Requirements

  • A working computer running GNU/Linux, Windows or OS X.
  • A USB flash drive, also known as USB stick, thumb drive, pen drive, or jump drive. For most Fedora live images, you will need at least 1 GB or more of storage space. For the network install image, 400 MB or more should be sufficient. For a DVD image, you should have at least 4.7 GB.
  • A Fedora ISO file, which you can download from http://fedoraproject.org/get-fedora.

Ability to boot from USB media

  • Not all computers can boot from USB media, due to different BIOS settings and system capabilities. If your computer cannot do so, this procedure will not be useful. If you are not sure and don't mind downloading and installing an image on your USB drive (possibly wiping its data), the only risk is wasting some time.
  • If your USB stick is not in working order, this procedure may fail. Watch for error messages during the process.

UEFI boot of USB sticks

Important.png
Use a 64 bit image for UEFI
UEFI booting is only supported with the 64bit release of Fedora.

Whether a Fedora image written to a USB stick will be bootable natively via UEFI is a somewhat complex question which depends on the Fedora release, the type of image (live or non-live), and the method used to write it. The --efi parameter to the livecd-iso-to-disk tool attempts to make a stick written with that tool natively UEFI bootable.

As of Fedora 20, all sticks written using "direct write" methods should be UEFI-bootable, at least some sticks written with liveusb-creator should be UEFI-bootable, and all sticks written with livecd-iso-to-disk --format --reset-mbr --efi should be UEFI-bootable. Use of --efi without --format and --reset-mbr can be considered a 'best effort', and may not produce a UEFI-bootable stick. Sticks written with other methods and tools will most probably not be UEFI-bootable.

If you boot a Fedora stick in UEFI native mode and install from it, you will get a UEFI native installation of Fedora. If you wish to do a BIOS native installation of Fedora, you must ensure you boot your stick in BIOS compatibility mode, if your firmware has this capability. The interface for choosing the mode used to boot varies between systems, and so we cannot give precise instructions on this. If you have difficulty, you may want to use a method which is known not to produce a UEFI-bootable stick, and hence force your firmware to boot it in BIOS compatibility mode.

Checking USB disk size / free space

As noted before, the disk must have a certain amount of storage space depending on the type of image you select. If you use a destructive method, the stick must be at least that size; if you use a non-destructive method, it must have at least that much free space. Whichever operating system you are using, you can usually check this with a file manager, usually by right clicking and selecting Properties. Here is a screenshot of how this looks on GNOME:

Properties USB size.png

Writing the image

Remember, the most reliable methods, which are recommended if you do not need to preserve the contents of your stick or use any of the advanced features such as storage persistence, are the "direct write" methods described above. Only use these alternative methods if you need to preserve the contents of your stick, or use advanced features.

After the "direct write" methods, The livecd-iso-to-disk method is the second most reliable, and supports all Fedora images and the full range of advanced features. However, it is a command-line tool, and only available for Fedora. The liveusb-creator method is less reliable and cannot write non-live images, but it is graphical, supports data persistence and non-destructive writing, and is easily available for Windows, OS X and Fedora.

The reliability, ease of use and feature availability of other methods, including UNetbootin, is questionable, and Fedora may be unable to offer support for them.

Using liveusb-creator (Windows and Fedora, graphical, non-destructive)

Fedora Live USB creator.png

Fedora live USB sticks can be created on Windows and Fedora using the liveusb-creator utility. It cannot create USB sticks from the non-live installer images.

It is graphical, easy to use, is non-destructive (does not destroy existing data on the stick), and supports data persistence. However, please be aware that it is not quite as actively maintained or heavily tested as the "direct write" methods, and can produce a stick that fails to boot on some systems, depending on the pre-existing format of the stick and the system firmware.

On Fedora, you can use a Fedora graphical software installation tool to install the Package-x-generic-16.pngliveusb-creator package, or use the command line. For fedora 22 and later versions use DNF:

su -c 'dnf install liveusb-creator'

Or for Fedora 21 and earlier versions use YUM:

su -c 'yum install liveusb-creator'

On Windows, you can download the installer from the liveusb-creator site.

To run the tool, look for Fedora LiveUSB Creator in the system menus, or (in Fedora) run liveusb-creator on the command line.

To use the tool, click the refresh button next to the list of images at the top-right (to refresh the list of available images from the Fedora mirrors), then select a Fedora release to download from the drop-down box (or select an ISO you have already downloaded using the Browse button at top-left), select the USB stick to which you wish to write the image from the Target Device drop-down box, and hit the Create Live USB button.

You can use the slider at bottom-right to make some space available for data persistence if you choose: see the data persistence section for details on how this feature works, and its implications.

Identifying a stick by /dev name on Linux

The following methods will require you to know the /dev name for your USB stick - e.g. /dev/sdc - when using them on Linux. To find this out:

  1. Insert the USB stick into a USB port.
  2. Open a terminal and run dmesg.
  3. Near the end of the output, you will see something like:
[32656.573467] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdX] Attached SCSI removable disk

where sdX will be sdb, sdc, sdd, etc. Take note of this label as it is the name of the disk you will use. We'll call it sdX from now on. If you have connected more than one USB stick to the system, be careful that you identify the correct one - often you will see a manufacturer name or capacity in the output which you can use to make sure you identified the correct stick.

Using UNetbootin (Windows, OS X and Linux, graphical, non-destructive)

Warning.png
Reliability not assured
Following each release, Fedora support volunteers receive reports of problems with installation images created by UNetbootin. Using the most recent version of UNetbootin available has been known to improve results. UNetbootin may work in some cases but not others - for instance, it will likely create a stick that is bootable in BIOS mode, but not UEFI mode. Fedora cannot guarantee support for UNetbootin-written images.

While your results may vary, it is usually the case that the direct write, livecd-iso-to-disk, and liveusb-creator methods give better results than UNetbootin. If you encounter problems with UNetbootin, please contact the UNetbootin developers, not the Fedora developers.

UNetbootin is a graphical, bootable USB image creator. Using it will allow you to preserve any data you have in the USB drive. If you have trouble booting, however, you may wish to try with a blank, cleanly FAT32-formatted drive.

If you are running a 64-bit Linux distribution, UNetbootin may fail to run until you install the 32-bit versions of quite a lot of system libraries. Fedora cannot help you with this: please direct feedback on this issue to the UNetbootin developers.

Unetbootin gtk3.png

  1. Download the latest UNetbootin version from the official site and install it. On Linux, the download is an executable file: save it somewhere, change it to be executable (using chmod ugo+x filename or a file manager), and then run it.
  2. Launch UNetbootin. On Linux, you might have to type the root password.
  3. Click on Diskimage and search for the ISO file you downloaded.
  4. Select Type: USB drive and choose the correct device for your stick
  5. Click OK
Note.png
Drive not visible
If you do not see sdX listed, you might have to reformat the drive. You can do this from most file manager or disk utility tools, e.g. the GNOME disk utility ("Disks") on Fedora. The FAT32 format is most likely to result in a bootable stick. This will cause you to lose all data on the drive.

Command line method: Using the livecd-iso-to-disk tool (Fedora only, non-graphical, both non-destructive and destructive methods available)

Important.png
Potentially destructive method
This method will destroy all data on the USB stick if the --format parameter is passed.

The livecd-iso-to-disk tool is the most capable, non-destructive, and second most reliable method of writing a Fedora ISO image to a USB stick, but it can be used reliably only from within Fedora. It does not work in Windows or OS X, and is not supported (and will usually fail) in non-Fedora distributions. Please use (in order of preference) the direct write methods, liveusb-creator, UNetbootin or other third-party tool on other operating systems. It is also not a good idea to try and write a new Fedora release using the version of livecd-iso-to-disk in a much older Fedora release: It is best to only use a release a maximum of two versions older than the release you are trying to write.

Make sure the livecd-tools RPM is installed with the command:

rpm -q livecd-tools

You will see the name of the RPM and a version number if it is installed, or no output if it is not installed.

If livecd-tools is not installed, install it using this command, or a graphical software installation tool. For Fedora 22 and earlier versions use DNF:

su -c 'dnf install livecd-tools'

Or for Fedora 21 and earlier versions use YUM:

su -c 'yum install livecd-tools'

Detailed usage information is available in the first pages of the livecd-iso-to-disk script, which you can also see by running this command:

su -c 'livecd-iso-to-disk --help'
There is also the packaged manual page documentation,
man livecd-iso-to-disk

Basic examples follow. Remember to identify your USB stick's device name first. In all cases, you can add the parameter --efi to (try to) render the stick bootable in native UEFI mode.

To make an existing USB stick bootable as a Fedora image - without deleting any of the data on it - make sure that the USB drive is not mounted before executing the following, and give the root password when prompted:

su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"

See Data persistence below for how to create Live USB devices with more than temporary storage of user files and settings.

In case it is not possible to boot from a disk created with the method shown above, before re-partitioning and re-formatting, often resetting the master boot record will enable booting:

su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk --reset-mbr Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"
Warning.png
CAUTION:
Using the --format option in the following command will erase all data on the USB drive! Please read the instructions below carefully.

If necessary, you can have livecd-iso-to-disk re-partition and re-format the target stick:

su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk --format --reset-mbr Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"

Command line "direct write" method (most operating systems, non-graphical, destructive)

Important.png
Destructive method
This method will destroy all data on the USB stick. Alternative, non-destructive methods are described elsewhere in this document.

This method is equivalent to the other "direct write" methods described in the Quickstarts section, but uses a command line utility named dd. Like the other "direct write" methods, it will destroy all data on the stick and does not support any of the advanced features like data persistence, but it is a very reliable method. The dd tool is available on most Unix-like operating systems, including Linux distributions and OS X, and a Windows port is available.

The first step is to identify the name of the USB drive partition. If using this method on Windows, with the port linked above, the dd --list command should provide you with the correct name.

To write the ISO file directly to the disk, run:

su -c "dd if=/Users/me/Downloads/Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=8M" && sync

Or, if you are running an Ubuntu-based distribution:

sudo dd if=/Users/me/Downloads/Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=8M && sync

Note that the process will take some time and you will not see any information while it is running. As some Flashdrives do not include flashing indicator light to show I/O is in process, the sync command command at the end of the line will assure that all data is stored onto the flashdrive. Wait for the "new-line" prompt before removing the flashdrive from the computer.

Creating a USB stick from a running live environment

If you are already running a live CD, DVD, or USB and want to convert that into a bootable USB stick, run the following command:

su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk /run/initramfs/livedev /dev/sdX"

(For versions before Fedora 17, use /dev/live instead of /run/initramfs/livedev.)

Booting the image

Set USB as first boot device. Your BIOS may be different.
  1. Power off the computer.
  2. Plug the USB drive into a USB port.
  3. Remove all other portable media, such as CD, DVD, or floppy disks.
  4. Power on the computer.
  5. If the computer is configured to automatically boot from the USB drive, you will see a screen that says "Automatic boot in 10 seconds..." with a countdown (unless you do a native UEFI boot, where you will see a rather more minimal boot menu).

If the computer starts to boot off the hard drive as normal, you'll need to manually configure it to boot off the USB drive.

  1. Wait for a safe point to reboot safely.
  2. As the machine starts to reboot, watch carefully for instructions on which key to press (usually a function key or Escape) to enter the boot device selection menu, or "BIOS setup". Press and hold that key. If you miss the window of opportunity (often only a few seconds) then reboot and try again.
  3. Use the BIOS setup menu to put your USB drive first in the boot sequence. It might be listed as a hard drive rather than a removable drive. Each hardware manufacturer has a slightly different method for doing so. Use caution! Your computer could become unbootable or lose functionality if you change any other settings. Though these settings can be reverted, you'll need to remember what you changed in order to do so. If you have a UEFI firmware, you may see choices to boot the stick in UEFI native mode or BIOS compatibility mode: remember that, if you intend to install Fedora, a UEFI native boot will result in a UEFI native Fedora installation, while a BIOS compatibility mode boot will result in a BIOS native Fedora installation.
  4. Save the changes, exit, and the computer should boot the Live USB drive.

Data persistence

Data persistence means that your files and settings will remain even after you reboot your live system. You can perform updates just like a regular installation to your hard disk, except that kernel updates require manual intervention and overlay space may be insufficient. The primary use of this feature is booting a USB stick with your live image as well as the persistent changes. Note that you will need to have space on your target USB stick for the live image plus your overlay plus any other data you want on the stick.

Use the liveusb-creator tool described above to do this easily. There is a graphical slider in the interface you can use to assign space on the target stick for persistent storage.

If using the livecd-iso-to-disk tool, add the --overlay-size-mb parameter to add a persistent data storage area to the target stick. For example:

su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk --overlay-size-mb 512 Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/USBPARTITIONNAME"

where 512 is the desired size (in megabytes) of the overlay. The livecd-iso-to-disk tool will not accept an overlay size value greater than 4095 for VFAT, but for ext[234] filesystems it is only limited by the available space.

Note.png
Limited Lifetime of Persistent Overlay
One very important note about using the "primary" persistent overlay for system changes is that due to the way it's currently implemented (as a Device-mapper copy-on-write snapshot), every single change to it (writes AND deletes) subtracts from its free space, so it will eventually be "used up" and your USB stick will no longer boot (see this dm-devel discussion and this page for emergency recovery). Because of these limitations, it is advisable to use the system-level persistence sparingly, for configuration changes and important security updates only. Or, if you have sufficient disk space available, changes to the LiveOS root filesystem snapshot can be merged into a new copy of the root filesystem. See this page section for instructions.

See this section for mounting the root filesystem outside of a boot.

For normal, write-many storage, use the --home-size-mb option to create a home directory filesystem for personal files. Home.img can be re-used and loop mounted outside of the Live USB environment.

The persistent overlay status may be queried by issuing this command on the live system:

dmsetup status live-rw

The returned value may look like this:

live-rw: 0 8388608 snapshot 42296/204800 176

where the fraction after 'snapshot' for the logical volume is that of 512-byte sectors consumed in the overlay.

Troubleshooting

liveusb-creator problems

Partition isn't marked bootable!

If you get the following message, you need to mark the partition bootable.

$ su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"
Partition isn't marked bootable!
You can mark the partition as bootable with 
    $ /sbin/parted /dev/sdX
    (parted) toggle N boot
    (parted) quit
Cleaning up to exit...

To mark the partition bootable, run parted, and use the 'toggle X boot' command. For example:

$ parted /dev/sdX
GNU Parted 1.8.6
Using /dev/sdX
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) print                                                            
Model: Imation Flash Drive (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdX: 1062MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags
 1      32.3kB  1062MB  1062MB  primary  fat16             

(parted) toggle 1 boot
(parted) print                                                    
Model: Imation Flash Drive (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdX: 1062MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags
 1      32.3kB  1062MB  1062MB  primary  fat16        boot 

(parted) quit                                                             
Information: Don't forget to update /etc/fstab, if necessary.             

Partitions need a filesystem label!

If you get the following message, you need to label the partition.

$ su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"
Need to have a filesystem label or UUID for your USB device
Label can be set with /sbin/dosfslabel
Cleaning up to exit...

To label the partition:

su -c "dosfslabel /dev/sdX LIVE"

Partition has different physical/logical endings!

If you get this message from fdisk, you may need to reformat the flash drive, as described earlier in this guide.

MBR appears to be blank!

If your test boot reports a corrupted boot sector, or you get the following message, you need to install or reset the master boot record (MBR).

$ su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"
MBR appears to be blank.
You can add an MBR to this device with
Cleaning up to exit...

To install or reset MBR:

$ su -c "livecd-iso-to-disk --reset-mbr Fedora-Live-Desktop-x86_64-20-1.iso /dev/sdX"

Issues using other Linux distributions

Ubuntu and derivative Linux distributions have a usb-creator program similar to Live USB Creator. This does not work with Fedora ISO images, it silently rejects them. usb-creator requires the ISO to have a Debian layout, with a /.disk/info file and a casper directory. Do not attempt to use this utility to write a Fedora ISO image.

The livecd-iso-to-disk script is not meant to be run from a non-Fedora system. Even if it happens to run and write a stick apparently successfully from some other distribution, the stick may well fail to boot. Use of livecd-iso-to-disk on any distribution other than Fedora is unsupported and not expected to work: please use an alternative method, such as the "direct write" methods described above.

Testing a USB stick using qemu

You can test your stick using QEMU as shown in the screenshot below.

Screenshot qemu gtk3.png

For example, you could type the following commands:

su -c 'umount /dev/sdX1'
qemu -hda /dev/sdX -m 1024 -vga std

Mounting a Live USB filesystem

You can use the liveimage-mount script in the Package-x-generic-16.pnglivecd-tools package to mount an attached Live USB device or other LiveOS image, such as an ISO or Live CD. This is convenient when you want to copy in or out some file from the LiveOS filesystem on a Live USB, or just examine the files in a Live ISO or Live CD.

Kernel updates

If you have sufficient overlay space to accommodate a kernel update on a Live USB installation, the kernel and initramfs will be installed to the /boot directory. To put these into service they must be moved to the /syslinux directory of the installation partition. This is accessible from the running Live USB filesystem at the /run/initramfs/live mount point. The new initramfs (such as initramfs-3.12.5-302.fc20.x86_64.img) and kernel (such as vmlinuz-3.12.5-302.fc20.x86_64) should be moved to replace the /run/initramfs/live/syslinux/initrd0.img and /run/initramfs/live/syslinux/vmlinuz0 files, respectively.

  • Note: dracut no longer includes the dmsquash-live module by default. Starting with Fedora 19, dracut defaults to the hostonly="yes" option, which precludes the dmsquash-live module. So, one can add a dracut config file, as root, before updating the kernel:
echo 'hostonly="no"
add_dracutmodules+=" dmsquash-live "
compress="xz"' > /etc/dracut.conf.d/01-liveos.conf

The following commands will move the new kernel and initramfs files to the device's /syslinux directory:

bootpath=run/initramfs/live/syslinux
new=3.12.5-302.fc20.x86_64

cd /
mv -f boot/vmlinuz-$new ${bootpath}/vmlinuz0
mv -f boot/initramfs-${new}.img ${bootpath}/initrd0.img

See Also