Installing onto USB

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iviv

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I've been trying to install Ubuntu onto a flash drive, so I can use my ancient laptop again (HD died, IDE drives are stupidly expensive)

But I'm having trouble installing it from windows. The Ubuntu guide mentions using usb-creator.exe from the image... I've mounted it and can't find it (using 10.04.1)
They also mention I could use Unetbootin to create a bootable USB drive, and that has works, but it seems to be functioning the same as a Live CD, with the option to just run it or install, though I can't install to the flash drive. I also tried toe universal USB installer, with the same result, its acting like a live CD.

Is there a way to create a bootable flash drive that has its own self contained OS on there? Not one that has to be run live, I'd like it so changes would be saved to it, and so on. I know it won't be super fast over USB 2, but it doesn't need to be.

Edit: Actually, would Ubuntu even be the best choice for this? I picked it because its the distro, at least from my limited knowledge, would have the least compatability issues.
 
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The ubuntu USB creator app cn do this, you specify a space for saved data at the bottom.

As far as I know you can't do this from Windws.
 
Thanks for the reply. Due to lack of a functioning DVD drive, I have three USB drives, one with a linux ISO on it, one that is functioning as a live drive that I'm running linux off temporarily, and one that I want a persistant USB linux on.

I've installed the Portable Linux program, and used it to select the iso on one drive, and the empty one that I want to turn into the persistant drive. It gets as far as 'Installing the GRUB bootloader' before stopping with the error:

An unrecoverable error has stopped the creation of your Portable Linux drive. Please report the details of this error to the Portable Linux developers, so we can fix it right away.

Details from the operating system:

/usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: This msdos-style partition label has no post-MBR gap; embedding won't be possible!.
/usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible. GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists. However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is discouraged..
/usr/sbin/grub-setup: error: if you really want blocklists, use --force.
Click to expand...
 
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