How to create a bootable USB drive for Linux

PowerISO can create bootable USB drive for Linux. You can then setup or run Linux from the USB drive. It supports most of the Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, CentOS, and so on. Please follow the steps to create Linux bootable USB drive, and setup or run Linux from the USB drive,

Step1: Create Bootable USB Drive for Linux:

1. Start PowerISO (v6.5 or newer version, download here).

2. Insert the USB drive you intend to make bootable.

3. Choose the menu "Tools > Create Bootable USB Drive...".

4. The "Create Bootable USB Drive" dialog will popup. If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7 / 8 operating system, you need confirm the UAC dialog to continue.

5. In "Create bootable USB Drive" dialog, click "Browse" button to open the iso file for Linux.

6. Select the USB drive from the "Destination USB drive" list. If multiple USB drives are connected to the computer, please make sure that you have selected the correct drive.

7. Choose the proper writing method. "Raw-write" is recommended. However, if "Raw-write" isn't working, please use "USB-HDD" instead.

8. Click "Start" button to start creating bootable USB drive for Linux. Before writing files to the USB drive, PowerISO will show a dialog prompts you that all data in the USB drive will be overwritten. Please click "OK" to confirm and continue. PowerISO will then start writing, and show the progress information when writing USB drive.

9. After all data has been written to the USB drive, you should receive a message indicating that the USB drive has been created successfully.

Step 2: Configuring the BIOS:

You should now reboot and go into the BIOS configuration to boot from USB. Instructions for doing so wildly from system to system, but generally entail the following:

1. Reboot the system.
2. While booting (before Windows starts loading), get into the BIOS configuration screen by hitting something like F1, F2, Delete or Escape. Hotkey instructions are generally provided on the screen.
3. Go to the section that contains your boot devices.
4. With your USB drive plugged in, the USB drive should be listed. If it isn’t, your system might not support booting from USB. Assuming that it is supported (as is the case with virtually all modern hardware), promote your USB drive to the primary boot device.
5. Exit from the BIOS configuration, saving all changes.

Please notice that you can seriously screw up your system by providing incorrect BIOS settings!

Step 3: Booting and setup or run Linux from USB drive:

Assuming that you properly configured your BIOS and your USB drive supports booting,  Linux or Linux setup program should now load. Depending on the speed of your USB drive, this may take a while.

If it isn’t working, then double-check the following before making a scene:

• Is your BIOS properly configured for booting from the USB device? (Is the USB device listed and does it have top priority?)
• Have you correctly prepared the USB drive in step one? (Restart the procedure.)
• Does your USB drive properly support being booted from? (Try another one!)

• Try another writing method when creating USB drive, Raw-write and USB-HDD are suggested writing methods.