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When I try boot the USB from bios into ubuntu 12.10 it just comes to a menu with a black screen and a couple lines of text. There is no option to run from USB even though I have persistence enabled.

Here's a picture of the screen:

enter image description here

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  • What are the couple of (i.e., two) lines of text? Is cannot open output file F:\autorun.inf one of them? Even if so, that's just one line... what does the other say? Apr 3, 2013 at 22:31
  • Thanks for replying, I uploaded a picture of what happens as my profile picture. Isn't the menu meant to have a purple screen with the Ubuntu label on it? Also for persistence aren't you meant to be able to run it straight from the usb, or do you have to install it to the usb from the usb? Anyway, The lines are: Try ubuntu without installing, Install ubuntu, OEM install, Check disk for defects.
    – Mayo111
    Apr 3, 2013 at 22:37

2 Answers 2

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I don't know why the menu looks exactly like it does, but a live USB flash drive, even with a persistent area, still provides the same boot options as a normal live USB flash drive with no persistent area.

So, to use the system on the USB drive, select Try Ubuntu without installing. It should work fine.

In case something went wrong in the creation of the live USB, I recommend testing its persistence first before assuming it works. For example, you could create a file on your desktop. Then shut down and reboot, and see if the file is still there. If it is, you should be good to go.

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  • So try without installing will have all the features of full ubuntu 12.10?
    – Mayo111
    Apr 3, 2013 at 22:54
  • @Mayo111 Your Ubuntu system should be "fully functional" as people usually mean by it, accessed through "Try without installing." There are some features it doesn't have. For example, it won't support hibernation. The size of the persistent area limits changes that may be made to the system. And it will probably be a little slower than a system installed in the usual way. If you change large parts of the system, for example by upgrading many packages (you should install updates, at least security updates), the slowdown may go from small to moderate. But it should work pretty well even then. Apr 3, 2013 at 22:59
  • Since USB flash media wears out faster (under repeated writes) than a normal magnetic hard drive (and also faster than an SSD), you should be especially careful to maintain current backups of your documents and any other important files, at all times. (You shouldn't have to back up the entire Ubuntu system, though, as that can always be reinstalled.) Apr 3, 2013 at 23:01
  • Well, I tried it without installing, it was all working fine for about half an hour and than crashed to a black screen. I restated it and it crashed again.
    – Mayo111
    Apr 4, 2013 at 0:07
  • @Mayo111 It sounds like there are some problems with your live USB. I recommend creating it again. First, I recommend MD5 testing the Ubuntu ISO image you're using to make it. If that's bad, you'll have to redownload the ISO. If it's good, go ahead and use it again. If you're making it in Windows with a program like UNetbootin or Universal USB Installer, I also recommend formatting the USB drive in Windows (right-click and click Format). Choose FAT32 as the type. Remember that formatting or writing the ISO to it again will destroy data on it. Apr 4, 2013 at 0:16
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I had similar problems that I solved. disconnect from internet, turn off all firewalls and security. This includes windows firewall. Right click usb and click reformat, choose fat 32. Now recreate usb. Go into start menu and search for bios. Click change advanced settings or something to that effect. Enter bios settings, disable secure boot and change bios from uefi to csm. If you overwrite windows you will need to enter bios settings at the start up screen before it starts to load an operating system, by pressing one of the f1 to f12 keys and then reinstall.

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