Multi Computer Solutions

How to run an operating system from a flash drive.
The operating system used in this article is Ubuntu.  

Steps

1.To make flash drive as a hard disk drive you need to set your BIOS to boot off (from) a USB drive.



2.To install the operating system, you need to set your boot priority to CD then USB-HDD.(change boot priority in BIOS to boot from CD first,USB-HDD second)

3.Try disconnecting your hard-drive before you install the operating system on your flash drive.

  a. This leaves the operating system on the hard drive unaffected and also you don't get boot errors from      grub (Ubuntu's operating system loader) if the USB drive is not present.

4.Put your Ubuntu/ Operating System CD in drive and USB connected and boot computer.

5.Install operating system as usual (select the USB stick as the location you want to install windows). The bigger the USB drive the better.

6.In the case of Windows, the computer reboots. Go into BIOS at restart and change boot order to USB (first), CD (second), HDD (third), or with Intel system enable boot from USB.
With Ubuntu this step is not necessary.

7.Reconnect your hard drive. Once the operating system is installed and starts on reboot and everything is OK then turn off your computer, remove the power cord and reattach hard-drive cable(s).
 
   a. When your USB drive is plugged in, the computer should recognise it and boot from it.
   b. When your USB drive is disconnected, the computer should boot from hard-drive.