Jul232012

How can I boot Windows 7 plus Ubuntu 12.04 from a USB stick?

Barry Florence asks:

I want to be able to boot both Windows 7 Home Premium and Ubuntu 12.04 from a Lexar 64GB USB stick for both my netbook & my desktop.


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System: Windows 7 home premium
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8 Answers -

0 votes

ha14

July 23, 2012
0 votes

Wouter Ruelens

July 23, 2012

As far as I know Windows hasn’t got a live environment so I don’t understand why you would won’t to. But I think if you just install them both (install windows before linux) to the USB and modifie the BIOS settings (set boot priority for the USB before the harddrive) you might be able to boot either one of them (if GRUB is configured correctly).
Note that neither of them will boot in live mode!

Mart Küng

You can install W7 from USB drive but yes, no live environment as far as I know.

July 24, 2012
0 votes

Charles Norrie

July 23, 2012

Why? Ubuntu alone is much much better.

0 votes

George Monroe

July 24, 2012

have you tryed a portable hard drive, i havent tryed it but you should be able to install both to a portable hard drive.

0 votes

Jimbo99

July 24, 2012

Live environments are NOT, I repeat, NOT required.

Install Win7 to your stick as you would to any other HDD (if Microsoft permits that). Then install Linux to the stick as you would to any other hard drive. When asked have it re-size your partition to make room. Ensure you have UNPLUGGED your other drives before doing so (not your CD/DVD/Bluray drives, but your other HDDs).

Another way would be to install Win7 as you would to any other hard drive, then after you boot to Win7 insert your Linux CD in the drive and do a WUBI install.

0 votes

Jimbo99

July 24, 2012

One more thing. Larger capacity flash sticks do not always work well having an install done to them. Here’s my experience. I have a 32gb stick from sans. I installed Linux on it. It became choppy and laggy almost immediately. I have a 16gb stick from Sans. I installed Linux on it and it ran like a champ. I bought another manufacturers 32gb stick. It too exhibited the same issue. Super choppy and lags. I took the 16gb stick image and used DD to copy it. I then used the DD to copy that 16gb image back to the 32gb stick hoping it was the install. When I rebooted it was choppy and laggy–the same as before.

My lesson was that at least for 32gb sticks installing to them makes them nearly unusabled. I am curious about your experience once you get this done.

0 votes

Janeesh VJ

August 1, 2012

open bios and change boot priority