Persistent USB insalation+HOMElive directory

Installation of persistent USB live with HOMElive directory using two partitions

I made first time a try to make a persistent USB installation with two partitions on the USB drive. That means
that there is the Zorin 8.1 Core operating system that keeps its settings over shut down to the next start up and there
is a "HOMElive" directory with data folders in the same USB drive to use and store data during session. All data is
saved only to this removable device.

For example in the web browser there can be a setting that all downloads goes directly to the "downloads" folder in
the USB Drive. This is only a "8Gb prototype" installation so here the Home directory is only 3.8 Gb. By using a 16Gb drive
the Home directory partition could be up to 12 Gb. 1.6Gb is needed for operating system and ca. 2Gb up to 4Gb for
Casper R/W file to keep os. setting changes. I find out that the partition should be made before installing the os.
to that drive. I did not manage to make the second partition with GParted Partition Editor if the os. and Casper R/W file
was already installed there. I used the "Universal USB Installer" to install Zorin 8.1 Core to USB and to make the
persistent file.

It could be beneficial to have this alternative available also for new users of Zorin replacing the use of DVD.
All new laptops do not have any more a CD/DVD drive. With this you could start the use of Zorin immediately and make
persistent settings to the system, like network connection, time and date, keyboard language, change of the background,
additional applets from Awn, change of the themes of panel and so on. And finally there is always the alternative to
make the final installation to internal HDD from that USB Drive.

Ultimate version can be also used there but it takes some 2 gigs more space from USB and the start time will be
little longer. Start times are 2 to 3 minutes from USB 2.0 connection depending on what setting changes has been done,
which distro you use and what external devices are connected or software are started.

Zorin 8/8.1 Core and Ultimate 32 Bit, Ubunbtu 13.10 32 Bit, Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit, Asus AMD Athlon 64 Bit X2 Dual core 4000+, HP 530 Intel Celeron M 32 Bit

To date I have had no joy in creating a persistent LInux pen drive! The best out there is still for me MultiSystem - which even has VirtualBox support thrown in on the latest release - for the base file just go to Softpedia - when the script runs it connects to the server where the program is stored to install to your Zorin box. Now I must point out that MultiSystem is built for GNU/Linux only - you have to have a PC or Notebook already using GNU/Linux to run it. You are warned that it puts GRUB on the mbr of the memory stick - but you first have to format it to FAT32 - I currently have 4 or 5 OS's that run live off my new 32 GB flash drive (sadly my 16 Gb terminated recently hence the new buy - and it is in a steel case so should be more robust than the plastic casing of the deceased thumb drive!

I still prefer DVD installs and you can purchase external DVD-RW drives very reasonably these days - and you don't need to have any power to them but you should make sure that your note/netbook is connected to the mains supply if you intend to use one - and it does NOT require two USB ports - you only need to use the USB spade that has two connections going into it.

There might be some misunderstanding what I meant. I suggested that a USB persistent live, with some size of
HOME directory, could be an available alternative from Zorin-os to a DVD if not having a CD/DVD device in the laptop.

The other thing for a new user is that often there is only some Windows xp,Vista, or 7 software, to make
the download and installation. So, Universal USB Installer can easy be used there to make the first bootable
installation of some Linux os. due to it runs in Windows without any installation. Most cases there is a need to
only for one Linux os. to be tested alongside Windows. I can only refer to my experience and the used software.
That do not nessesarily meant to be the best solution, I can however tell whether it was easy to use and worked for me.
I try to find as easy as possible alternatives for Windows xp users to get the first installation done to get started
to use some Zorin os. A solution also to all other new users not having all that experience and resources what some "old"
Linux user have, when running multiple systems alongside with Windows.

An other thing is that when I made now a new persistent installation with a second partition to a very small sized
(almost not bigger than the USB connector) "San Disk Cruzer Fit" with 16 gigs. I get a better result related also
to seeing that HOMElive partition from Windows. So, it seems to work now perfectly. I have to correct some texts in
the previous topics and also that, that issue seems to be now solved. (Not knowing what was the reason in the previous
partitions not to be accessible in Windows) I used here the GParted Partition Editor to make the partitions both formated
to fat32 before any installation there.

English is not my native language, so I have to try my best to be clear enough what I am trying to say.

OK, when I saw your last reply perhaps you mean something like this that Zorin could sell their own:

http://www.zdnet.com/mandriva-flash-3039285351/

but no longer available as Mandriva is now community driven Mageia:

http://www.shoplinuxonline.com/Mageia-3 ... p_116.html

Yes, That is something I mean. Ubuntu 13.10 seems to be available in a reasonable price in 8 or 16 gigs USB Drives. USB drive's and all solid state memory devices' prices has gone down so that those are now on the same level as DVD-RWs. So, there aren't big difference in price which media to use to install the operating system to a computer. A USB Persistent installation with a second partition may take some additional time compared to a DVD burning from .iso file. In the future there might be also possible to make the installation from web directly, so that there is no need for a DVD burn or USB installation to get it bootable directly from internal HDD or SSD. May be that will be some new application in web store for some web browser???

It is already possible friend!

http://www.howtoforge.com/install-linux ... hard-drive

Yes, it is technically possible, however there is not a window in Internet Explorer to start the installation of Zorin,
like there is to install Chrome to replase first the Internet Explorer as default browser. Then MS Office applications with Google Drives
and so on.

That is the difference why the next generation laptops are Cromebooks not Zorinbooks. Google Cromium os. replaces
the MS Windows! How to eat an elefant, piece by piece.

I have to disagree with you on that one - if someone gave me a Chromebook I would strip it of its OS and put GNU/Linux security version on it - but if its chipsets were loaded with spyware I would take the second option - take a hammer to it and give it back to the donator in a better state than when they gave it me!

This video might be interesting to look. Chromebook or Zorinbook ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFKxlYNfT_o