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I am trying to install Ubuntu on my 2Go usb key for my job. I don't want to install linux on my personal desktop, but it seems that Ubuntu requires that to create that usb card (to copy specific files)... My job require Ubuntu and no other distribution. How would you do knowing I run only mac os X Leopard ?

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Your job requires Ubuntu but you don't want to install it? – innaM Jul 16 '09 at 20:31
actually it's more complicated: We have windows machine only at my work location, and no way to install a linux distro in the box (it's forbidden). But we need linux right now ... the only way is to use an usb key (to store my work on it too). – yves Baumes Jul 16 '09 at 21:01
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4 Answers

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You can use UNetbootin to create a Live USB drive for any many Linux Distribution, including Ubuntu.

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Thank for this reply. I will try this. While this app runs only on windows or linux, I will try to recompile it myself on my mac (can't find any mac port , neither on fink commander). If it doesn't work, people on the internet reports it work well through Wine. – yves Baumes Jul 16 '09 at 21:08
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up vote 2 down vote

The ubuntu ISO is a live system, you can install it on any USB drive of sufficient size.

To install it from a Windows system you can use uSbuntu Live Creator. The article LiveUsbPendrivePersistent explains how you do it from an ubuntu system. There are GUI methodes, no need for command line hackery.

I personally use the following script to install ubuntu on a USB drive. You will have to modify it to suit your needs. 

echo "CAUTION: Check path and devices before you run this script!"
echo "If you don't it can delete your harddisk"
echo "Before you run this script "
echo "- make a fat32 partition (/dev/sdb1) but leave 700 MB unpartitioned"
echo "- make a 700 MB partition (/dev/sdb2)"
echo "- mark /dev/sdb2 as bootable"
echo "- ignore any warnings about symlinks"

sudo syslinux -sf /dev/sdb2

sudo mount /path/to/ubuntu-8.04.2-desktop-i386.iso -t iso9660 -o loop /mnt

cp -rfv /mnt/casper /mnt/disctree /mnt/dists /mnt/install /mnt/pics /mnt/pool /mnt/preseed /mnt/.disk /media/disk-1
cp -rfv /mnt/isolinux /media/disk-1/syslinux
mv /media/disk-1/syslinux/isolinux.cfg /media/disk-1/syslinux/syslinux.cfg
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up vote 1 down vote

Why not install Ubuntu using your Mac's bootcamp software? That way you could boot into either OS X or Ubuntu. There is a thread at the Ubuntu forums that covers doing exactly that.

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Unless your Mac is fairly old, you could run Ubuntu inside a Virtual Machine using VirtualBox.

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