Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3

Universal USB Installer aka UUI is a Live Linux USB Creator that allows you to choose from a selection of Linux Distributions to put on your USB Flash Drive. The Universal USB Installer is easy to use. Simply choose a Live Linux Distribution, the ISO file, your Flash Drive and, Click Install. Upon completion, you should have a ready to run bootable USB Flash Drive with your select operating system installed. Other features include; Persistence (if available) – note that casper persistence will only work with fat16 or fat32 formatted drives.

Universal USB Installer (UUI) Screenshots

Universal-USB-Installer-1.9.2.4.exe – January 18, 2013 – Changes

Update to support Fedora 18. Fixed various broken links.

Universal-USB-Installer-1.9.2.4.exeSource Code

IMPORTANT NOTE: Ensure that your USB drive is Fat16/Fat32/NTFS formatted, otherwise Syslinux will fail and your drive will NOT Boot.
USB Flash Drive Creation Prerequisites:

• Universal-USB-Installer-1.9.2.4.exe
• Windows XP/Vista/7 or WINE to create the USB (Win 98/2K WILL NOT Work!)
• *Fat16, Fat32, or NTFS Formatted Flash Drive
• PC with a BIOS that can boot from USB
• Your Favorite Linux ISO

Feel free to inform me of unlisted Live Linux distributions, and or version revisions for listed distributions, and I will do my best to update the UUI tool to support them.

— Latest Ubuntu 32/64 Bit —

• Ubuntu 12.10 Desktop
• Xubuntu 12.10 Desktop
• Kubuntu 12.10 Desktop
• Lubuntu 12.10 Desktop
• Edubuntu 12.10 Desktop
• Ubuntu Studio 12.10
• Ubuntu Server 12.10 Installer
• Ubuntu 12.04 Desktop
• Ubuntu 12.04 DVD
• Ubuntu 12.04 Alternate i386
• Ubuntu 12.04 Alternate amd64
• Xubuntu 12.04 Desktop
• Kubuntu 12.04 Desktop
• Lubuntu 12.04 Desktop
• Edubuntu 12.04 Desktop
• Mythbuntu 12.04 Desktop
• Ubuntu Studio 12.04
• Ubuntu Server 12.04 Installer
• Blackbuntu

— Older Ubuntu 32/64 Bit —

• Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop
• Ubuntu 11.10 DVD
• Xubuntu 11.10 Desktop
• Kubuntu 11.10 Desktop
• Lubuntu 11.10 Desktop
• Edubuntu 11.10 Desktop
• Mythbuntu 11.10 Desktop
• Ubuntu Studio 11.10 Installer
• Ubuntu Server 11.10 Installer
• Ubuntu Rescue Remix 11.10
• Ubuntu 11.04 Desktop
• Xubuntu 11.04 Desktop
• Kubuntu 11.04 Desktop
• Lubuntu 11.04 Desktop
• Edubuntu 11.04 Desktop
• Mythbuntu 11.04 Desktop
• Ubuntu Studio 11.04 Installer
• Ubuntu Server 11.04 Installer
• Ubuntu Rescue Remix 11.04
• Ubuntu 10.10 Desktop
• Xubuntu 10.10 Desktop
• Kubuntu 10.10 Desktop
• Lubuntu 10.10 Desktop
• Edubuntu 10.10 Desktop
• Mythbuntu 10.10 Desktop
• Ubuntu Netbook Remix 10.10
• Ubuntu Rescue Remix 10.10
• Ubuntu 10.04.X Desktop
• Xubuntu 10.04.X Desktop
• Kubuntu 10.04.X Desktop
• Lubuntu 10.04 Desktop
• Ubuntu Netbook Remix 10.04
• Ubuntu Server 10.04.X i386 Installer
• Ubuntu Server 10.04.X amd64 Installer
• Ubuntu Mini Remix 10.04.X
• Ubuntu 9.10 Desktop
• Kubuntu 9.10 Desktop
• Xubuntu 9.10 Desktop
• Lubuntu 9.10 Desktop

— Linux Mint 32/64 Bit —

• Linux Mint 14
• Linux Mint 13
• Linux Mint 12 Gnome CD
• Linux Mint 12 Gnome DVD
• Linux Mint 12 KDE DVD
• Linux Mint 12 LXDE CD
• LMDE 201204 Mate/Cinnamon
• LMDE 201204 XFCE
• Linux Mint 11 DVD
• Linux Mint 11 CD
• Linux Mint 11 LXDE

— Debian Live/Netinst 32/64 Bit —

• Debian Netinst
• Debian Live Gnome
• Debian Live Standard
• Debian Live KDE
• Debian Live LXDE
• Debian Live XFCE

— Backtrack Versions —

• Backtrack 3 Final
• Backtrack 4 Final
• Backtrack 4 R2
• Backtrack 5 5R1 5R2
• Backtrack 5 R3

— Fedora 32/64 Bit —

• Fedora 17 Desktop 32bit
• Fedora 17 Desktop 64bit
• Fedora 17 KDE 32bit
• Fedora 17 KDE 64bit
• Fedora 17 LXDE 32bit
• Fedora 17 LXDE 64bit
• Fedora 17 XFCE 32bit
• Fedora 17 XFCE 64bit
• Fedora 16 Desktop 32bit
• Fedora 16 Desktop 64bit
• Fedora 16 KDE 32bit
• Fedora 16 KDE 64bit
• Fedora 16 LXDE 32bit
• Fedora 16 LXDE 64bit
• Fedora 16 XFCE 32bit
• Fedora 16 XFCE 64bit
• Fedora 15 Desktop 32bit
• Fedora 15 Desktop 64bit
• Fedora 15 KDE 32bit
• Fedora 15 KDE 64bit
• Fedora 15 LXDE 32bit
• Fedora 15 LXDE 64bit
• Fedora 15 XFCE 32bit
• Fedora 15 XFCE 64bit
• Fedora 14 Desktop 32bit

— OpenSUSE Live 32/64 Bit —

• OpenSUSE 12.1 GNOME i686
• OpenSUSE 12.1 GNOME x64
• OpenSUSE 12.1 KDE i686
• OpenSUSE 12.1 KDE x64
• OpenSUSE 11.4 GNOME i686
• OpenSUSE 11.4 GNOME x64
• OpenSUSE 11.4 KDE i686
• OpenSUSE 11.4 KDE x64
• OpenSUSE 11.4 LXDE i686
• OpenSUSE 11.4 LXDE x64

— Puppy Linux Based —

• Fatdog64
• Lighthouse Puppy
• Lucid Puppy
• Precise Puppy
• Puppy Arcade
• Puppy 4.3.1
• Racy Puppy
• Slacko Puppy
• Wary Puppy

— Linux Distros for Kids —

• DouDouLinux
• Qimo 4 Kids 2.0
• Sugar on a Stick

— Other Distros Alphabetical —

• Acronis Rescue CD
• Android x86 2.2
• Android x86 4.0
• AntiX
• ArchBang 32bit
• ArchBang 64bit
• ArchLinux
• ArtistX
• Aurora
• BackBox
• Baltix Linux 11.04 CD
• Baltix Linux 11.04 DVD
• BCCD
• BlehOS
• Bodhi
• Boot Repair Disk
• Carmedia
• CentOS
• Chakra
• Clonezilla
• Crunchbang 9.04
• Crunchbang 10
• DBAN 2.2.X
• Deft Linux 7
• Deepin Linux
• DRBL
• DSL 4.4.10
• Dreamlinux
• Dynebolic
• EASUS Disk Copy
• EasyPeasy 1.6
• Elementary OS
• Elementary Unleashed
• Feather Linux 0.7.5
• Finnix
• Fuduntu
• Gamedrift
• Gentoo 10.1 x86
• Gentoo 11.0 x86
• Gentoo 11.0 amd64
• GRML
• gOS 3.1 gadgets
• GParted
• Jolicloud
• Kiwi 9.04
• KNOPPIX V6 CD
• KNOPPIX V7 DVD
• KNOPPIX V7 CD
• Kororaa
• KXStudio 12.04
• Leeenux
• Liberte
• LinHES
• Linux XP Like
• LPS
• Macbuntu
• Mandriva One 2011
• Matriux
• MCNLive Toronto
• Meego
• MicroCore
• Netrunner
• Ophcrack XP
• Ophcrack Vista/7
• OSGeo Live
• Pardus
• PartedMagic
• PCLinuxOS 2010
• PCLinuxOS Minime p93a
• Pear OS Debian
• Pear OS Panther
• Pear OS Comice
• Peppermint One
• Peppermint Ice
• Peppermint Two
• Peppermint Three
• PING
• Pinguy OS 12
• Pinguy OS 11
• Plasmaactive
• PLoP Linux 4.1.0
• Porteus 32bit
• Porteus 64bit
• Redo Backup
• Rescatux
• RIP Linux
• Runt Linux 5.0
• Sabayon Linux
• SalineOS
• Satux
• Simply MEPIS 8.0.15
• SLAX 7
• SliTaZ 4.0
• Sn0wL1nuX 11
• Sn0wL1nuX 11 64bit
• SolusOS
• System Rescue CD
• Tails
• Terralinux
• TinyCore 4
• Trisquel
• Uberstudent
• Ultimate Boot CD
• Ultimate Edition
• WifiWay 3.4
• WifiSlax
• xPUD
• XBMC
• XBMCbuntu
• StartOS
• wattOS R5
• Zenwalk Live
• Zorin OS

— Live Antivirus Rescue CDs —

• AOSS (Malware Scanner)
• AVG Rescue CD
• Avira Antivir Rescue Disk
• Bitdefender Rescue CD
• Comodo Rescue Disk
• DrWeb LiveCD
• F-Secure Rescue CD
• G DATA Antivirus
• Kaspersky Rescue Disk
• Panda Safe CD
• Trinity Rescue Kit

— Other or Non Linux Based Software —

• Hiren's Boot CD
• Kon-Boot
• Windows Vista Installer
• Windows 7 Installer
• Windows 8 Installer

— Try to use an Unsupported ISO —

• Try Unlisted Linux ISO

More Live Linux Distributions will be added as time permits. Feel free to contact me to submit recommendations.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• If you're running a Windows Vista or 7 Installer from your USB, after the first reboot, remove the flash drive and let the pc complete from the hard disk.
• When browsing for an ISO, UUI will only display ISO Files that match exactly what the tool is asking for. For example, if you chose to installUbuntu 10.10 Desktop i386, you should not expect the tool to display your ubuntu-10.10-netbook-i386.iso as you have not chosen to install the netbook variant.

Auto Detection: If you run Universal USB Installer from the same directory containing an installable ISO, the script should Auto Detect the ISO and bypass step 2.

* Although you can use an NTFS formatted USB, Ubuntu based "persistence" features will only work with a Fat16 or Fat32 formatted drive. Additionally some Linux Distributions will not boot from an NTFS formatted USB.
This tool does not support installing and booting from multiple Linux Distributions. Only One Distribution can be installed per USB drive. However, the YUMI Multiboot USB Creator can be used to create a Multi System USB Device.
To try an unlisted ISO, I.E. "Ubuntu 9.10", choose one of the the last two options in Step 1, "Try Unlisted Linux ISO". Please inform me of unlisted "Linux ISOs" you get to work via these options, and I'll add them.
Resolved as of version 1.8.8.3 –>: *OpenSUSE will only work with some USB drives with this installer. A limit imposed by the use of MBRID to locate configuration files, instead of by drive LABEL or UUID. However, if you receive a boot error stating "No Devices Matches MBR Identifier", you may be able to fix it from a running Linux environment.
Fix the OpenSUSE "No Devices Matches MBR Identifier" error:

1. Plug in your OpenSUSE USB
2. Open a terminal, type sudo su and press enter
3. Type fdisk -l and press enter
4. Copy the 0x######## Disk Identifier listed to the mbrid file located at boot/grub/mbrid

Another approach that I have heard works occasionally when this fails, is to simply enter 0×00000000 into the mbrid file.
Ubuntu Server "Failed to copy file from CD-ROM" Error (should be resolved now).
UUI will run in WINE under Linux. A dedicated Linux based method is planned (let me know if you are willing to port UUI to Linux). You can also visit the "How to install Linux from a Linux CD" section for Live CD based USB Linux installation tutorials, or use another Linux USB Creator.