Is there a way to install ubuntu by copying files to the disk?

Question

I've tried to install ubuntu on my pen drive several times and always get the same error during installation that says "Attempt to mount a filesystem with type ext4 at '/' failed", or something like it. I've tried to work around this problem for some time, tried all possible ways to install ubuntu and the result was always the same. I wnat to know if there's a way to just copy the files from a machine with ubuntu full installed to the removable device, and then make the device bootable. Like a direct install, copy the necessary files to pen drive and make it work. Is there any way to do that ? Any help would be appreciated

Answer 1

It is not possible to do it the way you have tried and, no, it won't work to just copy files from a computer to a USB stick and make it work. There is a way to install Ubuntu (or whichever distribution you choose) but it is tricky. There is a recipe in the accepted answer on:

How to Create a Full Install of Ubuntu 20.04 to USB Device Step by Step

Be sure to follow it to the letter.

Answer 2

Copy Ubuntu from Desktop to USB drive

It is quite easy to copy Ubuntu from your desktop computer to a USB drive, so that It boots both BIOS and UEFI modes.

• Start by creating a Persistent USB using mkusb with default settings.

• Delete partitions 4 and 5. Keep partition 1 if you want a Linux/Windows data partition.

• Confirm that there is enough empty space on the USB for your desktop's Ubuntu system partition, (/). Shrink the NTFS partition if necessary.

• Boot computer from a second Live USB.*

• Open GParted, select the internal drive, right click the system partition and select copy.

• Select the USB drive, right click the empty space and select paste.

• Run GParted, when done copy grub.cfg from the new root partition /boot/grub/ to the Partition 2 /boot/grub/, overwriting the existing grub.cfg file.

• If you plan on using the drive on your desktop. it is a good idea to use GParted to change the USB's UUID. GRUB and fstab UUIDs would also need to be updated.

*If you only have one USB, you can boot the mkusb install toram and then continue to delete it's partitions 4 and 5 and clone the desktop's system partition to it.

Answer 3

Thanks everybody, sorry for my delay on answering. The problem really was the usb. O got a new one and things just worked out. I really appreciate the help =)