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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Is there any easy way to install a Linux distribution directly to a USB drive? (lemmy.ca)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

31 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I want to install Debian directly onto my USB drive. Is there an easy way to do this directly without having to reboot to run the installer?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

directly onto my USB

directly without having to reboot to run the installer?

You use "directly" three times. Remove all instances of the word from your post and reread it. Does the post make sense to you still? Does it have the same meaning?

I am not trying to be a dick, I want to make sure the word does not have a meaning I am not aware of in this context or if Linux is installable to a USB drive 'indirectly' but that does not make sense to me.

Can you rephrase what you are trying to do?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I want to install Debian on the USB drive from my currently running OS, Manjaro Linux.

I don't want to have to boot from Debian installation media to install it on the USB drive.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

You could use the Debian cloud image. Just download the "no cloud" option and then grow the partitions

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

I am using Manjaro as well.

Are there Debian apps that you want to run but are unable to because Manjaro is Arch-based? I have read that it is not recommended to install programs compiled for Debian, that it is difficult to run them. Using a virtual machine is the recommended way to use them. Asking just in case but I do not think this is what you want.

Computers can only run one operating system at a time, unless you use virtual machines and hypervisors. Most operating systems are launched after the system uses a bootloader to get the system ready for the operating system. This is usually done by the BIOS/UEFI/firmware starting a bootloader, which then launches the operating system.

If you want a USB that you can plug into a machine that is already running, that has an active operating system like Manjaro or Windows or whatever, then have it start running Debian, like you would an Appimage or a Windows .exe program saved to a USB, that is not possible except maybe with a virtual machine program like Virtual Box or Qemu.

USB drives were not intended to be used as drives that run operating systems. It can be done, but it is not simple and can cause a lot of errors.

What do you need the USB for? If you can explain what you are trying to achieve with more detail, there might be ways to do it differently.