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I'd like to make a persistent-live-usb lubuntu 22.04 that works on systems with enabled Secure Boot (bios option).

I've tried the dus-persistent method in mkusb, but I'm only able to access the grub (made by mkusb) when secure boot is off. During the install I've ticked the options 'msdos', 'upefi', 'd-n-i' (because I wish the system to be compatible with as much hardware as possible). The usb produced this way contains also a standard (non-persistent) lubuntu live that works with secure boot on. Only the grub that contains the persistent boot options isn't accessible when secure boot is on. Tested on UEFI.

I need to boot the system just by going to a one-time boot menu (usually F12 key on most pcs).

Edit2: on a second try mkusb-plug did what I needed (see the answer of sudodus) although imperfectly-slowly (see discussion under their answer)

andrej
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1 Answers1

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Persistent live USB drives for secure boot

When you tick the option 'msdos' in 'dus-persistent' of mkusb, you will prepare the persistent live system for really old computers.

I would recommend using the default settings in order to get good portability between new and 'middle-aged' computers. Before writing this answer I made a persistent live system from the current Lubuntu LTS iso file [using 'dus-persistent']

dus lubuntu-22.04.3-desktop-amd64.iso

and tested it in a Lenovo V130 in UEFI mode with secure boot. It works, as illustrated with the following screenshot,

enter image description here

It works for me with a persistent live drive made by mkusb-plug too, as illustrated with the following screenshot,

enter image description here

Edit: added test in Dell Latitude 3520

It worked for me to boot a persistent live system made by 'mkusb-plug' in a Dell Latitude 3520 with an Intel generation 11 i3 CPU (so rather new and with a modern 'tight' secure boot system). See the following screenshot,

enter image description here

Edit 2: dus-iso2usb improved for new computers.

In 'mkusb' version 23.1.6, 'mkusb-plug' (version 2.8.7 and newer versions) works in new computers (for example Dell Latitude 3520).

In 'mkusb' version 23.2.0, after upgrading the grub boot structure of 'dus-iso2usb' (from grub 2.0.6 to grub 2.12-rc1) it works in UEFI mode with secure boot in new computers too (tested in Dell Latitude 3520).

'Memtest86+ v6.20' is also added, and it can run in UEFI mode (but not with secure boot).

Persistent live USB drives for some old computers

However, there are old computers, that need other settings [than the default] in order to boot, and I suggest using another USB boot drive for that purpose. You have already explored the settings available in 'dus-persistent'.

In some old computers, some of the settings available in 'dus-iso2usb' may work (when 'dus-persistent' and 'mkusb-plug' fail to make bootable USB drives).

Only 64-bit architecture

Please remember that the current versions of Lubuntu use 64-bit architecture. It means that 32-bit computers need some other Linux distro, for example Debian or Puppy Linux.

sudodus
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