Installing Kubuntu 16.04 on a 36 gig usb disk

[Frank616]

Qqmike:

Whoa, ya lost me!

I am only just learning what GPT is. What is ESP?

In any case, attached is a screenshot of what KParted reports for my USB stick that I installed 14.04 on. I did this on my little Asus 11" notebook, which was a Win8 machine with UEFI. I thought I had turned that off. However, maybe not.

You will notice that there is a 512MB partition formatted Fat32 at the beginning. Don't know where that came from, but it won't boot in my older machines -- only in the little notebook.

I had this same issue trying to move the 256 GB SSD that was in that little notebook into my desktop machine as a system drive. The desktop wouldn't boot either.

Now, all my machines will boot a legacy MBR disk. My question is, can I convert what appears to be a GPT flash drive into an MBR boot after the fact? Seems to me there is a utility to restore an MBR, is there not?

If this becomes a lot of work, I can just re install Kubuntu on the flash drive using one of the older machines, and get an MBR install by default. It is a bare, fresh install, so I have nothing invested in it.

As to using it or keeping it updated, that is a small issue, I would only use it to install Kubuntu to yet another machine, or for system rescue. It is not a 'daily driver', and I don't intend to keep any real data on it. Just utilities.

Or am I wrong on that usage as well? I am ASSUMING that I can use it to install to a new machine, but I have not tried that.

Frank.

[Qqmike]

What is ESP?

= EFI System Partition -- this is where the bootloader files are stored for all the OSs on that disk (unless you set things up to use more than one ESP).
UEFI Simplified [for Kubuntu]
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...l=1#post379977

You will notice that there is a 512MB partition formatted Fat32 at the beginning.

sdd1. Yes, that is the ESP for that disk (sdd). You can look inside sdd1 and see the bootloader files. E.g., you may see some GRUB files in /boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu/ (on that sdd disk, in Kubuntu), like grubx64.efi, or grub.cfg.

My question is, can I convert what appears to be a GPT flash drive into an MBR boot after the fact?

Persoanlly, I avoid this, but it is a common question. Check Rod Smith (the UEFI-GPT expert) on this:
Converting to or From GPT
http://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/mbr2gpt.html

As to using it or keeping it updated, that is a small issue,

If you install Kubuntu to the USB3 as a permanent, regular installation (i.e., NOT as a "live" Kubuntu), then you can update Kubuntu as you always do using Muon or apt on CLI.

I would only use it to install Kubuntu to yet another machine

The Kubuntu you (and Teunis and sithlord48) are talking about making is NOT a live Kubuntu. So, I don't think you would use this Kubuntu to install to another machine -- just use your live Kubuntu DVD/USB --> the one you are using now to install Kubuntu to your USB3 you just ordered, as per sithlord48's recommendation.

sithlord48: another way is to boot from the live cd and install to the usb stick as if it were a hard drive...

and this:

or for system rescue

You can definitely use this Kubuntu for rescues. But, then, you could also simply use your existing live Kubuntu on your DVD to perform system rescues.

[Qqmike]

It just occurred to me that maybe you wish to make a live USB3 flash drive (instead of installing Kubuntu as a regular, permanent installation to the flash drive, as suggested by sithlord48)?
If that is not the case, please ignore this post.
If that is the case, then use dd to make your live Kubuntu flash drive, using this how-to:
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...712#post378712