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I basically have two questions: (I am currently working under Windows environment)

i) Can I install Fedora on USB directly, not LiveUSB? Any steps provided? And how should I format my USB (I mean, what format should I choose in order to install Fedora on USB)?

While I know how to make a LiveUSB (basically with the creator software), I need something more than LiveUSB. For one thing, the persistent overlay mechanism means that the memory occupied will just grow whenever there are changes, and I will be using it quite often for various reasons, and that I do not want to install it on the harddisk for some other reasons. I also need packages like gcc compiler, Eclipse, django etc. and I believe that a full installment (from the ?.?GB iso file) is more complete than relying on the Live version.

ii) How is installed Fedora behaving differently from a Live version?

I remember that there is difference in the reliance on RAM on pc and some others that will surely affect the life of my USB.

Much obliged if someone can help answer both questions.

2 Answers 2

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i) Yes. I didn't do such install before, but I would make a Live usb, and have another usb drive to install to, and choose it as installation target on installation. Linux' de facto (but not only) file system is ext4/3/2.

ii)Basically, a live CD/USB is an image (exact copy) of a working os (not exactly, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_CD). After live media boots, the image is mounted, to hard disk or ram. But, because an image is a read only file system, changes are not persistent.

iii)You may shrink your windows partition* and install Fedora to hard drive. Imho, A standard Fedora install would take sth. like 2 gigs. And Ubuntu has "Install alongside windows" option that doesn't require partition modification.

*On windows 7, open start menu and type disk partition, and choose Create or Modify Hard Disk Partitions to shrink your drive. I don't know how to do it in Vista or XP.

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  • Thanks for your reply first. In response: i) I mean how I should format my USB. On Windows choices for USB are FAT(default)/(32), NTFS & exFAT, none seems to be related to ext4/3/2. iii) In fact I have full Fedora on my old laptop (running now). But then I need one on USB. Last time I installed Fedora on my new laptop, did something wrong with the windows side so I entered the recovery mode for reinstallation. It wiped out everything except GRUB, causing much trouble. Another reason is for sort of portability (personal reasons behind), so full installment will not be good, LiveOS either.
    – Dick Wong
    Sep 19, 2012 at 6:31
  • You're welcome. I don't think there is a way to install Fedora to any drive from windows. As I said in (i), you may create a live media and install to another usb drive. Neither fat nor ntfs is good as a primary fs for a linux installation. I don't think ntfs supports unix-style permissions.
    – user155871
    Sep 19, 2012 at 7:21
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I don't know about the live image ot net image (I assume), but you should format your 1st usb the same as the system you wish to boot it from. Windows MBR FAT 32 is the default. Then, you can follow the install steps to sent it to the other usb drive. De default should be ext4 (linux file system). Hope this helps a little.

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