Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Perd Hapley on August 12, 2010, 12:00:50 AM

Title: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: Perd Hapley on August 12, 2010, 12:00:50 AM
Aren't they cool?  I've got a persistent install of Ubuntu on a flash drive now.  After I'm done with a few basic tweaks, I'm going to install it to hard drive, then hang on to it, in case I need it later.

Any good security tips, in case I Ben (lose) the drive?
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: RaspberrySurprise on August 12, 2010, 12:22:06 AM
I believe there are ways to using truecrypt to encrypt an entire drive and still run an OS off it. I can't tell you how though.
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: Ben on August 12, 2010, 12:27:32 AM
Any good security tips, in case I Ben (lose) the drive?

Ha ha.

RS beat me too it in that I was not sure if there was a SafeBoot like encryption front end for a flash drive with the OS on it, but then I saw:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=702795

Doesn't sound exactly easy though.
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: Iain on August 12, 2010, 04:08:45 AM
Are they cool? Install chntpw and freak your friends out by blanking their Windows passwords.
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: TechMan on August 12, 2010, 11:45:28 AM
Are they cool? Install chntpw and freak your friends out by blanking their Windows passwords.

I love chntpw, it has saved my butt a couple of times.
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: tyme on August 12, 2010, 12:16:17 PM
The most recent ubuntu asks you during install whether you want to encrypt users' home directories.  Unless you store personal information elsewhere on the filesystem, that should be adequate.
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: StopTheGrays on August 12, 2010, 02:55:57 PM
I just used Ubuntu 9.10 on a CD to get into a Windows 7 system. I never used it before and was impressed with how it looked. I tried to do the same with version 10 and it would not load.

I would like to know how to install it on a flash drive because it would be easier to carry around than a CD. Any links to easy to follow instructions on how to do that?
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: TechMan on August 12, 2010, 03:12:49 PM
I just used Ubuntu 9.10 on a CD to get into a Windows 7 system. I never used it before and was impressed with how it looked. I tried to do the same with version 10 and it would not load.

I would like to know how to install it on a flash drive because it would be easier to carry around than a CD. Any links to easy to follow instructions on how to do that?


Download the iso of whatever flavor Linux you want.
Download unetbootin http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ (http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/).
Run unetbootin and select iso and tell it where the iso image is and select the drive that is the USB key and click okay.
Wait until unetbootin is done (it will seem like it has locked up at some point but it isn't.)
Bootable USB Key with Linux.
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: Perd Hapley on August 12, 2010, 11:41:24 PM
Or follow the instructions on the Ubuntu page.  It's easy enough, assuming it will also work for 9.10.

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: Battle Monkey of Zardoz on August 17, 2010, 11:40:44 PM
I installed ubuntu 10.4 on a 32GB Corsair Survivor USB.  Runs great, install was easy.  Boots fine into Ubuntu, but when you shut down and boot into Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit, Win 7 freezes up.  It takes several reboots and use of the repair CD to fix what ever the problem is.  So Ill pass on linux on a flash drive until the problem is solved, that, or Ill install and run it in Oracles virtual box.

Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: Perd Hapley on August 18, 2010, 07:18:19 PM
The most recent ubuntu asks you during install whether you want to encrypt users' home directories.  Unless you store personal information elsewhere on the filesystem, that should be adequate.

If you install it, yes, but not when you run it from a flash drive.  Can it be done on a flash drive?
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: tyme on August 18, 2010, 08:51:10 PM
Does this migration howto (http://blog.dustinkirkland.com/2009/06/migrating-to-encrypted-home-directory.html) help?
Title: Re: Flash drive OSeses
Post by: Perd Hapley on August 18, 2010, 11:06:58 PM
You are nice.  Will try.