Needed fully functional [NOT 'Live'(sic)] Linux on USB stick - was [Re: Ubuntu on pendrive]

[Richard Owlett]

Liam Proven wrote:
> On 22 December 2011 15:52, Richard Owlett<rowlett at pcnetinc.com>  wrote:
>>
>> Those seem to be instructions for (expletive deleted) "Live Install".
>>
>> I want a Linux installed on a USB stick that is indistinguishable from what
>> would be on your hard drive if one had chosen "Install Now" on "Live CD" and
>> chosen "wipe out my life's work currently on hard drive and any existing
>> OS".
>>
>> I haven't decided whether to laugh, cry, or stop banging my head on desk ;)
>> I've been fighting this for>  year. I followed on set of instructions
>> several months ago and ended up with a dual boot muck-up with grub on my
>> hard drive and and a non-bootable install on USB stick.
>>
>> I think the installation menu on the "Live" device should be:
>>
>>
>> Install
>>   to internal drive
>>      dual boot install
>>      delete current OS and install as only OS
>>   to external drive
>>      specify external drive
>
> It's not going to happen, I think.

With Ubuntu's powers-that-be being as paternalistic in their 
ow way as MS and Mr. Gates, I find it extremely doubtful 
also. I was just stating how I thought it should be done.


>
> I too went looking for info on this and failing to find it. But it's
> actually quite easy. You just do it. Partition your USB stick first if
> you like - GParted works well. Then just choose it as the disk to
> install upon, and also be sure to choose the whole device (e.g.
> /dev/sdb *NOT* /dev/sdb1) for the installation of the bootloader.

That is what I _*THOUGHT*_ I had done.

> DO
> NOT PUT THE BOOTLOADER ON YOUR HARD DRIVE. This is the default. It is
> ESSENTIAL to override this and tell it to put it on the USB stick.

I do not recall an option for doing so.
How is that indicated?
Is it available in 10.10, or do I have to download the ISO 
of a different version of the "Live CD"?

>
> The easiest way to achieve this is to temporarily disconnect your hard
> disk. Then you will have no way to get it wrong, and the USB stick's
> GRUB menu will be free of entries for your HD's OS.
>
> Just try it. Forget instructions. Just do it. It's easy. It just works.

Oh ye of over abundant faith. I've having computer failures 
for 50 YEARS ;/