USB Ubuntu 8.04 Persistent install from Live CD

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performing the process entirely from Ubuntu. This process uses a few less steps, thus could be performed in less time. In addition the persistence feature is being used to save and restore changes on subsequent boots.

Update: Now works on Ubuntu 8.04.1

Essentials for Ubuntu 8.04 USB installation:

*
* Working CD Drive and the Ubuntu 8.04 CD
* Established internet connection
* 1GB or larger USB flash drive

How to install Ubuntu 8.04 to a USB flash drive:

1. Download the Ubuntu 8.04 ISO and burn it to a CD
2. Restart your computer and boot from the Ubuntu Live CD
3. Insert a 1GB or larger USB flash drive
4. Open a terminal window and type sudo su
5. Now type fdisk -l to list available drives/partitions (note which device is your flash drive Example: /dev/sdb). Throughout this tutorial, replace all instances of x with your flash drive letter. For example, if your flash drive is sdb, replacex withb.
6. Type umount /dev/sdx1
7. Type fdisk /dev/sdx
* type p to show the existing partition and d to delete it
* type p again to show any remaining partitions (if partitions exist, repeat the previous step)
* type n to make a new partition
* type p for primary partition
o type 1 to make this the first partition
o hit enter to use the default 1st cylinder
o type +750M to set the partition size
o type a to make this partition active
o type 1 to select partition 1
o type t to change the partition filesystem
o type 6 to select the fat16 file system
* type n to make another new partition
* type p for primary partition
o type 2 to make this the second partition
o hit enter to use the default cylinder
o hit enter again to use the default last cylinder
o type w to write the new partition table
8. Type umount /dev/sdx1 to unmount the partition
9. Type mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n ubuntu8 /dev/sdx1 to format the first partition
10. Type umount /dev/sdx2 to ensure the partition is unmounted
11. Type mkfs.ext2 -b 4096 -L casper-rw /dev/sdx2 to format the second partition
12. Remove and re-insert your flash drive (if prompted that a new medium has been detected, select to open in a new window and click ok)
13. Back at the terminal, type sudo apt-get install syslinux mtools
14. Type syslinux -sf /dev/sdx1
15. Type cd /cdrom
16. Type cp -rfv casper dists install pics pool preseed .disk isolinux/* md5sum.txt README.diskdefines install/mt86plus /media/ubuntu8
17. Type cd /media/ubuntu8
18. Type wget pendrivelinux.com/downloads/u8/syslinux.cfg
19. Type cd casper
20. Type rm initrd.gz
21. Type wget pendrivelinux.com/downloads/u8/initrd.gz
22. Reboot your computer and set your system BIOS boot priority to boot from the USB stick.

If everything has gone as it should, you should now be able to boot Ubuntu 8.04 from the USB flash device and it should save your changes, restoring them on boot.

Notes: If your having trouble getting Ubuntu to boot, your memory stick may have a corrupted MBR. To repair the MBR of your USB device, at the terminal type sudo apt-get install lilo then type lilo -M /dev/sdx (replacing x with the letter of your flash device)