10

So, I'm in a situation were I want to install ubuntu in my laptop (currently running windows 8) but I don't happen to have pendrives, CDs or the like available. The only "external" device I have with me is a samsung galaxy s2 with a micro SD-card in it.

Is it possible to use the phone as a pendrive to install ubuntu from it somehow? (without damaging the phone's OS and data)

6
  • 3
    Why don't you use the sd card instead? you should be able to select both the sd card and the phone's storage when making a live usb. Apr 3, 2013 at 0:23
  • 1
    Yes, that would be ok. My problem is that I don't know if the USB boot is going to be able to work right from the phone. Android phones usually have various methods to connect from USB (as a multimedia player, as a mobile device and so on) so I guess it isn't as easy as using it like a pendrive? Just speculating here, I have no idea, but I don't want to screw this up
    – kace91
    Apr 3, 2013 at 0:40
  • 1
    In my experience the SGS2 USB transfer rate is painfully slow. I would much rather rape/borrow/pillage/buy a cheapo USB drive. And that's before even contemplating trying to turn internal storage into a bootable medium. It may not be possible.
    – Oli
    Apr 3, 2013 at 0:56
  • 1
    how about this... use dd to backup your sd card,then-using the computer you are posting from, create a bootable 'usb' on the sd, then install. After the install, dd back to the sd card. It will either work, or not, but your data is still backed up after dd. Apr 3, 2013 at 1:23
  • 1
    It is risky to tamper with booting a computer from the smartphone. It is also risky to use the SD card (if you have important data stored on it). Leave it in the smartphone. A cheap USB pendrive might do it for you, for example a 4 GB Sandisk Cruzer Blade (cheap and slow but reliable according to my experience).
    – sudodus
    Feb 7, 2017 at 15:29

2 Answers 2

8

It is perfectly possible. You can carry multiple live CD images on your phone all the time and use them when needed, but you will need root access to your phone for that. There is an Android app called DriveDroid. DriveDroid allows you to boot your PC from ISO/IMG files stored on your phone. This is ideal for trying Linux distributions without the need to burn different CDs or USB flash drives.

Alternatively, if your phone has mass storage emulation (Android 4 usually has NOT) AND your PC supports UEFI, then, in theory, you can place rootfs and UEFI boot partition on that emulated storage. In theory.

2
  • Hi @Barafu Albino's answer this post is relevant for me. So, if I understand, first I need to download DriveDroid, then where can I download Ubuntu (17.10) and next how can I make the installation in my PC?
    – kouty
    Mar 12, 2018 at 5:48
  • It has all instructions on its shop page. Mar 14, 2018 at 16:05
0

Another possiblity is putting the micro SD-Card into a pluggable usb-stick with micro sd-card slot.

I have not seen cable attached multi card readers to support booting from SD-card. But with my stick and slot it is working for me!

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .