Install Manjaro Linux by creating Flash Drive on Windows

Manjaro Linux is an operating system suitable as a free replacement to Windows or Mac OS. You can install Manjaro Linux on a computer using a bootable flash drive with Linux Manjaro setup files. This article mentions the method to install Manjaro Linux as a Single Boot Host Operating System on a Computer by creating a bootable Manjaro Flash Drive on an existing Windows System.

Most importantly, before installation make sure your system has the minimum configuration in compliance with Manjaro recommended minimum system requirements. The same are given below:

Processor           :           1 Ghz

Display                :           A High Definition (HD) graphics card and monitor

Hard Disk Space:           30 GB

RAM                     :           1 GB

Flash Drive         :           Greater than 2 GB.

To create a Linux Manjaro bootable Flash Drive (in other words Pen Drive or USB Drive) on a Windows system and install Linux Manjaro as a single host operating system follow the 5 easy steps below:

Step 1: Download Linux Manjaro latest version ISO File

On your Windows System, open a web browser and navigate to official website of Linux Manjaro Operating System. On the Home Page, either click on the “Choose Edition and Download” Button or navigate to Download page. Upon scrolling down the download page, you can find a number of Manjaro Editions which are built upon the same base Arch Linux but provide a different experience based upon the diversity of Desktop Environments available. If you are not sure which edition of Linux Manjaro to choose you may read Linux Manjaro: A summary of Editions for better clarity on features of available editions and select the edition which best suites your need.

Once you are done with selecting your best suited edition and are satisfied that the configuration of the system on which you are going to install Manjaro Linux is in compliance with recommendations of Manjaro Linux system requirements (mentioned above), click on the version you wish to download. The browser will navigate to the selected edition’s download page. Scroll down the download page and click on “Download 64 Bit version” button to start downloading Linux Manjaro ISO file. Save the ISO to your computer.

Important Note: The 32-bit edition of Linux Manjaro has been dropped since Manjaro 17.1. That is to say only the 64-bit version of all latest editions is being released. The system architecture type is 64-bit nowadays on almost all modern computers, if you have an old PC with 32-bit architecture you may try some other flavor of Linux such as Linux Mint.

Step 2: Download Rufus Software

While the Linux Manjaro ISO file is being downloaded, open a new tab or browser window and navigate to official site of Rufus to download Rufus tool for creating a Linux Manjaro bootable Flash Drive. Scroll down the page and download latest version of Rufus tool from the download section. Save the executable file on your computer. Once the download is complete for Rufus tool and Manjaro ISO file, close the browser and go to the download location.

Step 3: Flash USB Flash Drive with Rufus

At the download location there will be two files i.e. Linux Manjaro ISO file and Rufus tool’s executable file. Open Rufus tool by executing the Rufus tool’s executable file. The Rufus tool will be visible as shown in image below, but without any detected device i.e. a Flash drive:

 

rufus no deviceThe “Device” drop-down box will be empty. Now insert a flash drive in the USB slot of your computer which you want to use for making it bootable for installing Manjaro Linux. Rufus will detect the flash drive and display in “Device” drop-down box as shown in below image:

rufus device detected

In the “Boot Selection” drop-down select the default option “Disk or ISO image (please select)” and click on “Select” button to browse and select the Manjaro Linux ISO file from download location. Browse to the download location and select Linux Manjaro ISO image file (the downloaded Linux Manjaro ISO Image File).

In the “Volume Label” text box you can type in the Flash Drive label of your choice. On the other hand you may leave it as it is and proceed with flashing the drive to make it bootable for installing Linux Manjaro.

Warning: ensure that there is no useful data on the flash drive (as flashing it will wipe it off)

Click on “Start” button. Rufus may need to download latest version of Grub, so if it asks your permission to download the same just click on “Yes” to allow Rufus to download latest version of Grub compatible with the given ISO file. Further, click “Ok” and continue with recommended option to “Write in ISO Image mode” to begin flashing the drive. Once the flashing begins, wait for it to complete.

If Rufus do not display any error at the end of flashing, the Flash Drive will have been successfully flashed. You can now use it to to install Linux Manjaro on any computer. Close Rufus software. If you want to install Manjaro Linux on the same computer then Restart the System. Else if you want to install it on any other computer then insert the flash drive in that computer and turn on the computer.

ALTERNATE WAY TO CREATE MANJARO LINUX BOOTABLE FLASH DRIVE

Step 4: Set and Boot from bootable Flash Drive

On system boot press the desired key (F10, F12, F2, Del, Esc, F9) to enter BIOS Setup. It could be different on different make and model. Try other keys as per Make and Model of your computer. Search for the booting device settings and select USB Drive as the Booting Device. Save and Exit BIOS setup. The system will restart, while booting press the desired key (F9, F10, F12, F2, Del, Esc) to display Boot Menu. It will display the list of booting devices. Select USB Drive as Boot Device and Hit Enter.

Step 5: Install Linux Manjaro

Run Manjaro Live session:

If the system will boot from the flash drive, it will display Manjaro Linux boot screen on your computer screen.

On the Manjaro Linux boot screen, you may change the values of options such as Timezone, Keyboard Layout, Language and driver. Use arrow keys for changing the values. Or else you may proceed with default values.

Note: you may choose “driver=free” in case of open source drivers such as AMD graphics card or hardware with Intel based integrated graphics for display. In case your computer has latest version proprietary drivers such as Nvidia you may choose “non-free” drivers.

Using arrow keys move to “Boot” option and Hit Enter Key. The boot option would be in the format “Boot: Manjaro.x86_64 <edition>”. You could recognize boot option as shown in below image:

manjaro welcome screen

System will load Manjaro Linux Live session from the Flash Drive. In the live session, you can explore the features of Manjaro Linux. The live session will perform all Manjaro operations but the data will not be persistent. Any data saved will be lost on system restart. To make it persistent you need to install it on hard drive.

Run Manjaro Linux Installer:

To run the installer, you may click on “Launch Installer” under INSTALLATION section of Welcome screen in Live session. It is possible that the welcome screen is not visible on live session start-up. Or you have accidentally closed the welcome screen. In this scenario, double click on “Install Manjaro Linux” icon on desktop in the live session. This will run installer to begin installation process.

During the installation follow on-screen instructions. Choose Language, Region, Zone, and Keyboard Layout as per requirement. Else proceed with default options if no specific requirements are there.

On “Partitions” section, choose the option “Erase disk”. It will erase the entire disk. Ensure there is no data on the system disk before selecting this option as it will deleted. If there is existing data, then ensure Data Backup Before Proceeding. If there is no useful data click “Next” to proceed.

In “Users” section, type your name, login name, computer’s name, user password and administrator password. Then click on “Next” to continue.

Begin Manjaro Linux installation:

On the summary page click on “Install”. This will Erase Disk and Install Manjaro Linux as the sole Host Operating System. It will replace Windows and existing data or any other Operating System on the computer. The setup will finally display a warning that the changes you are about to going to make to your disk will not be able to undo. Thus, ensure that there is no useful data on disk. Or if you have taken the backup of your data then click on “Install Now”. The Installation process will begin.

Wait for the installation to finish. On successful installation installer will display a message “All Done”. If it do not display “All done” message. Or if the installation is interrupted in between you may need to repeat from Step 4 above. Finally, when installer displays success message “All Done”, check the “Restart Now” checkbox and click on “Done”. The system will restart. After that remove the Flash Drive from the system.

Upon Restart, select the first option on boot screen and Hit ‘Enter’ to boot into Manjaro Linux. Your Manjaro Linux computer will be ready for use now. Login with your password and use your Machine with latest version Manjaro Linux Operating System.

Watch the practical demonstration of the above process in following video:

Also Read:

Install Manjaro on Flash Drive (Persistent and Portable)


We hope the above information was useful for you. Alas! Information keeps on updating. Follow us on social media, subscribe to our blog or subscribe our YouTube Channel to receive latest updates.

4 Comments

  1. Thank you this has helped me alot with setting up linux on a redundent windows laptop. So I have a laptop with just Linux Manjaro on it.

  2. Is there a link to install Manjaro for a person with one laptop. I want to start learning Linux however I don’t want to wipe my Windows drive. Is there a link to a process where someone with one computer may partition their current Windows 7 SSD and dual boot with Manjaro? I would very much like to boot as described in this video, which I am sure experienced Linux users know how to do. I don’t and the data I have from years of use is important to me.

    I have two HD bays on my laptop and a fresh unused TB SSD available. Also a 256GB Flash drive with noting that needs saved. My current SSD with Windows 7 on it is 500GB partioned with 70 GB free on the C:\ drive where Windows 7 lives and 130 GB free with nothing on it currently. That is where I was going to install Linux.

    I sincerely apologize for what I know are Rookie 101 questions. I have to start learning at some point, however I just can’t lose the data on the Windows part of my current SSD. That would be a very bad thing. Thank you for your advice. I tried installing Zorin Linux on someones advice however it will not complete the install and after looking around I am feeling like Manjaro would be a better option for me as a total beginner who intends to learn at least enough to make Linux my main OS.

1 Trackback / Pingback

  1. Renard’s Thoughts On Manjaro – Renard's World

Leave a Reply (if you any question or feedback for us)