I'm using windows 10 and i'm starting to learn how to boot from usb devices

I have a 16GB USB (USB 3.0) drive and I want to do the following.

  1. Tell the 16gb usb drive to run debian linux
  2. Please keep windows 10 on my c drive
  3. No partitioning my hard drive or setting up a dual boot
  4. Use my usb drive
  5. Let all of my files and programs be saved on the usb so that i don't think a live os would be suitable It should work as though it was a dual boot as in the way files are saved.
  6. Make it work on any computer it's plugged into assuming the bios is compatible

I already know how to boot from a usb in my bios but i am unsure as to where to get an iso file and how to install it to the usb.

Best Answer


To create a bootable USB, you can follow the steps below:

STEP 1

Go to the website of the os you wish to install and find an iso image to download In your case, since you want to run a Debian OS, here is a link to its iso options: https://www.debian.org/distrib/netinst

Select an iso image from the options and click on it This should automatically start the download of the image While file is downloading, go to second step.

STEP 2

Use a utility to format and create bootable usb flash drives Some have already been suggested, so I will just link you to my favourite: https://rufus.akeo.ie/

Download the utility and go to step 3

STEP 3

If your iso image has not yet finished downloading then wait until it's done

Now you have both the utility and the iso image downloaded

  1. Plug in your USB drive
  2. Open Rufus (to write your USB)
  3. Select the iso image you just downloaded to write on the usb, and fill out the other options accordingly (eg. selecting your USB drive etc)
  4. Click on the option for starting the write process (with Rufus, it is the "Start" button)

Once rufus finishes, simply reboot, booting from your usb, which should start up your debian os.