How to Create Linux Bootable USB from Linux Command-Line

    RahulBy 2 Mins ReadUpdated:

    Q. How do I create a bootable Linux USB drive on a Linux system. I want to create of bootable us of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. I have an Ubuntu 14.04 ISO image. I also have Ubuntu 14.04 installed on my system. Now, This article will help you to create a bootable Linux USB drive on Linux operating system through the command line.

    The users running the Windows operating system visit the below link to make a bootable Linux USB on their system.

    Step to Create Bootable Linux USB:

    Follow the below steps to make bootable Linux USB

    • Install Required Package – First of all, install all the required packages for this tutorial using the following command.
      $ sudo apt-get install syslinux mtools
    • Mount ISO – Now, create a mount point on your system and mount Linux ISO image using the following command. For example, I used Ubuntu14.04.iso image and /media/iso as mountpoint.
      $ sudo mkdir /media/iso
$ sudo mount -o loop /opt/Ubuntu14.04.iso /media/iso
    • Attach USB – Now attach your USB drive to your computer to which you need to make bootable. Generally, the USB mounts automatically. But in any case, it’s not mounted using the following command to mount it manually.
      $ sudo mount /dev/sdc /media/usb

      Read this: How To Format USB Drive in Linux Command Line

    • Copy OS Files – Now copy all files from mounted iso /media/iso/ to USB drive /media/usb.
      $ sudo cp -ra /media/iso/* /media/usb
    • Make USB Bootable – Finally, we need to make this USB bootable. Copy ldlinux.sys file to USB drive to make it bootable.
      $ sudo syslinux -s /dev/sdd1

      Now rename some required files and directories as like below. Navigate to USB drive

      $ cd /media/usb
$ mv isolinux syslinux
$ cd syslinux
$ mv isolinux.cfg syslinux.cfg

    And, you have all done. Your USB flash drive is ready. Now you can connect this USB to a computer which you need to install Linux operating system and boot it from USB.

    Share.

    Related Posts

    5 Comments

    2. Krista on

      Good day – I am studying the command lines you wrote; I need one clarification about the /medma/USB path. Is that a directory that have to create or is this the same as /media/USB. If it’s the latter, how is that possible when the literature state that you mount a device on an empty directory?

      Reply
        • Krista on

          Hi Rahul, thanks for clarifying this matter. Now the only roadblock that I am running up against is the command for make bootable USB. An error message is displayed, it reads – no directory slots | syslinux: failed to create ldlinux.sys. Any thoughts on this? The host laptop that is being used lubuntu, the iso image that was copied is ubuntu v16.04 and the USB drive is 8 GB.

          Reply
        • Krista on

          Hello again, I was able to successfully follow your instructions until I got to make USB bootable. I received an error message, and it reads – no directory slots | syslinux : failed to create ldlinux.sys. What this is referring to? As for my host laptop, it’s lubuntu. A copy of ubuntu v16.04 was copied to an 8 GB USB drive

          Reply

    Leave A Reply