Step 2: Install Ubuntu 16.04 with Windows Dual-Boot. Now it’s time to install Ubuntu 16.04. Go the download link from the topic description and grab Ubuntu Desktop 16.04 ISO image. Burn the image to a DVD or create a bootable USB stick using a utility such as Universal USB Installer (BIOS compatible) or Rufus (UEFI compatible). Discover how easy it is to install Ubuntu desktop onto your laptop or PC computer, from either a DVD or a USB flash drive.
This guide shows you how to create a bootable Ubuntu USB drive which will work on UEFI based and BIOS-based systems ...
As an additional bonus, this guide will also show you how to make the drive persistent so that changes made in the live mode are kept for each subsequent boot.
For this guide, you will need a blank USB drive with at least 2 gigabytes of space and an internet connection.
Choose the Version Of Ubuntu to Download
The first thing to do is download Ubuntu by visiting the Ubuntu Desktop Download site.
There will always be 2 versions of available for download. The version at the top will be the current long-term support release and this is designed for the majority of users.
Currently, the long-term support version is 16.04 and it guarantees 5 years worth of support. Whilst you use this version you will receive security updates and application updates but you won't get new features that are released. The LTS version provides a great level of stability.
At the bottom of the page, you will find the latest version of Ubuntu which is currently 16.10 but in April this will become 17.04 and then on October 17.10. This version has all the latest features but the support period is much shorter and you are expected to upgrade to each subsequent release in turn.
Click the download link next to the version you wish to use.
Download Ubuntu for Free
Lots of money goes into making the Ubuntu operating system and the developers like to be paid for their work.
After you click the download link you will be presented with a list of sliders asking you to donate as little or as much to each portion of the operating system's development as you wish to do so.
Most people don't want to pay for something without knowing what they are getting.
To pay absolutely nothing for Ubuntu click the Not now, take me to the download link at the bottom of the page.
The Ubuntu ISO image will now be downloaded to your computer.
Create the Ubuntu USB Drive Using Etcher
The best tool for creating a Ubuntu USB drive is Balena Etcher. It's a free software. Use these instructions to download it and create a Ubuntu USB drive.
Click the large green download link at the top of the page.
After the download has finished, click the Etcher executable file. A setup screen will appear. All you have to do is click Install.
When the software has been completely installed click the Finish button. Etcher should start automatically.
Insert a blank USB drive into one of the USB ports on your computer.
Press the Select button and navigate to the Downloads folder to find the Ubuntu ISO image downloaded in step 2.
Click Select Drive and choose the letter of the USB drive that you inserted.
Click Flash.
Ubuntu will be written to the drive and a validation routine will run. After it has completed you will be able to boot into Ubuntu.
How to Boot Into Ubuntu
If you simply reboot your computer you might be surprised when it boots straight into Windows. This is because Windows is usually set to boot before anything else on most manufacturer's computers.
However, you can override the boot order. The following list shows you the key to press depending on the manufacturer of your computer:
Acer - Escape, F9 or F12
Asus - Escape or F8
Compaq - Escape or F9
Dell - F12
eMachines - F12
HP - Escape or F9 (in some cases you need to press Escape and then F9)
Intel - F10
Lenovo - F8, F10, F11 or F12
NEC - F5
Packard Bell - F8
Samsung - Escape or F12
Sharp - F2
Sony - F10 or F11
Toshiba - F12
If your computer isn't listed here, there are a lot of places to find lists of additional hotkeys for the Boot menu.
Press and hold the relevant function key before your computer boots. Keep holding the key until a boot menu screen loads much like the one in the image.
If the keys above don't work for your particular make try one of the other function keys. Manufacturers often change them with no warning.
When the boot menu appears click the option which matches your USB drive.
Make the Ubuntu USB Drive Persistent
To make it possible to install applications and save settings on a live USB drive you need to make it persistent.
Ubuntu looks for a file called casper-rw in the root partition in order to provide persistence.
To create a casper-rw file using Windows you can use a piece of software from pendrivelinux.com called PDL Casper-RW Creator. Download the application by clicking the link and then double click the executable to open it.
Make sure your Ubuntu USB drive is inserted and select the drive letter within Casper-RW Creator.
Now drag the slider across to determine how big you want the Casper-RW file to be. (The bigger the file, the more you can save).
Edit Grub to Add Persistence
To get your USB drive to use the Casper-RW file open up Windows Explorer and navigate to /Boot/Grub.
Edit the file grub.cfg by right-clicking the file and selecting Open With and then Notepad.
Look for the following menu entry text and add the word persistent as shown in bold below.
menuentry 'Try Ubuntu without installing' { set gfxpayload=keep linux /casper/vmlinuz.efi file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper quiet splash persistent -- initrd /casper/initrd.lz }
Reboot your computer while holding down the shift key and boot back into Ubuntu.
Programs and settings will now be remembered each and every time you boot into Ubuntu from the USB drive.
This question already has an answer here:
How do I try Ubuntu from a USB stick? 3 answers
I have Windows 7 and I want to boot Linux from a memory stick without installing it as I would like to run two OSs on the same PC without losing all my files.
Does anyone know how to get into the OS selection menu on a Dell Inspiron duo?
marked as duplicate by Eliah Kagan, Alaa Ali, Warren Hill, Andrea Corbellini, LucioAug 10 '14 at 20:05
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
4 Answers
What you want to do is boot the OS from your computer system's BIOS and leave your current OS untouched. That's easy.
Follow the above instructions, after it's on the USB it's now a 'LiveUSB' or 'bootable USB'.
The OS will then be loaded, if everything is set up correctly, by BIOS and put into your computer's memory/video memory.
It will be the main OS in memory, and Windows will remain on your other media untouched.
You can also optionally do a full install of Ubuntu on a USB stick.
Bigyellow BastionBigyellow Bastion
Okay first let me tell you that you can properly install Ubuntu along with existing windows without loosing any data!!!
i.e you can use 2 OSs properly installed!!
And about the USB boot,you will have to make a bootable USB(having the iso immage of the Linux/Ubuntu you want to install) using an application for doing so(Google it for a windows app) then you have to enter the bios setup and change the boot-order to USB as 1st boot device and save and exit.
My understanding of your question is that you want to boot on Ubuntu from a USB memory stick. Here are the steps to follow:
Create that USB stick by following those instructions.
Shutdown your computer, plug the stick in and restart your computer.
You are done !
If this doesn't work, maybe you have to configure your BIOS. Just follow those instructions to achieve that. If you still have problems, or if this does not answer your question, don't hesitate to edit your question with more details; it will be a pleasure to help you.
If I understand the question correctly, the thing you are worried about is losing your files when installing Ubuntu. There are three solutions to this problem:
Running from a USB stick
As this is specifically what you asked for, I will describe this method first:
Install Ubuntu on the USB stick.
Turn off your computer, insert the USB stick and turn it on again.
You may have to enter BIOS setup and change the boot order to make the USB stick higher priority than your hard drive. The exact process varies from PC to PC, but it is described for the Dell Inspiron Duo here.
Your computer should automatically start Ubuntu off the USB stick now.
There are however a few downsides to this if you're planning to use Ubuntu on a daily basis:
Running an operating system on a USB stick is significantly slower than running it on a hard drive, and you will notice this.
The available space on a USB stick will also be significantly less than on a hard drive, and with daily use you can may quickly run out of free space.
Installing Ubuntu inside Windows
A second method is to install Ubuntu from within Windows using Wubi. The installer will install Ubuntu alongside your existing Windows installation, so that your existing data is preserved, and you can easily uninstall it like any other application. When you start your computer, you will be able to choose if you want to boot into Ubuntu or Windows.
Installing Ubuntu normally
By default, the regular Ubuntu CD installer will repartition your hard drive in such a way that all existing data is preserved. So even if you install it this way, you won't lose your files in Windows, and you will get the option to boot into Ubuntu or Windows when you start your computer. This is very similar to installing Ubuntu inside Windows, except that you can't uninstall it as easily.