Persistent MX Linux on Flash Drive

How to install Persistent and Portable MX Linux on Flash Drive?

We can use a Flash Drive to make it a MX Linux Live USB. You may make the live MX Linux USB from existing either Linux or Windows system. One can use this Live USB to install MX Linux on a computer. A user may also use this Flash drive to run live session of MX Linux. One can boot the system through this flash drive and check out features of MX Linux in live session without installation. However, the user will not be able to save any files on this live session. In other words, a user can save files or data on this flash drive during live session. But the files or any other data saved during the live session on the flash drive will disappear upon reboot of the system. That is to say, the MX Linux on the Live USB is neither persistent and nor portable.

So, what needs to be done to save files and data in live session of MX Linux?

Certainly, the MX Linux on flash drive needs to be made persistent! Moreover, the MX Linux will also become portable. subsequently, you can insert the persistent and portable MX Linux Flash drive in any computer. Use MX Linux. Save your data in MX Linux on Flash Drive. Shutdown MX Linux running from Flash Drive. Finally, eject the Flash Drive from the computer and keep it in your pocket. Above all, there will be no trace of your data on that computer even after using that computer for your work.

Similarly, you can insert the flash drive in some other computer use it, save data, eject it and keep it safe again.

Follow the following steps to install a persistent and portable MX Linux on a Flash Drive:

Step 1: Download MX Linux ISO file

Login to a Windows or MX Linux system. Open a web browser and navigate to MX Linux official website. Scroll down the Home Page and click on “Download MX Linux” button to navigate to MX Linux Download Links  page. Scroll down the page and click on “mirrors” link under “Direct Download” in “How to get it Section” to navigate to ISO download Mirror page.

Click anywhere on the ISO Download Mirrors Map image to navigate to updated known mirror links page. Click on a Bubble closest to your Geographical location. As a result, download of ISO file will be much faster. Clicking on a bubble will open left pane. The left pane will have ISO mirror image file download link. In case the left slide menu does not have any link try clicking on some other bubble on the map.

Click on the ISO Mirror Image Link to re-direct to ISO image file’s download source page. In case the link is not re-directing to download source location try clicking on some other bubble on the map.

If you have landed on an available download source page, you will find few directories listed for file transfer such as Parent Directory, Direct, Final, Snapshot, etc.

Click on “Final” directory link.

The final directory may contain multiple directories with different MX Linux Versions in the format MX-<version>_<architecture>.iso. Click on the latest version Directory (the highest in terms of version number) and the Architecture as per your computer’s architecture such as 32-bit or 64-bit.

Finally, save the ISO file on your computer. Most importantly, remember the download location and wait for the file to completely download.

Step 2: Create MX Linux live USB

Let us first create a non persistent and non portable Live USB of MX Linux. You may choose one of the following three methods as per availability of existing Operating System on your computer:

a. Create MX Linux Live USB from existing MX Linux system (click link to check detailed process):

From the application menu open “MX Live USB Maker” application. Insert a Flash Drive in your computer. Browse and select MX Linux ISO file from download location. Click on next to start flashing the drive. Wait for the process to finish.

b. Create MX Linux live USB from existing Windows system:

Not only you can make MX Linux live USB using Rufus flashing software (click on the link to check detailed process). But also, you can make MX Linux live USB using Balena Etcher flashing software alternatively (click on the link to check detailed process).

In short, both software can make the Flash Drive bootable with MX Linux setup files on it. That is to say, download any one of the flashing software among rufus or balena. Open the flashing software. Insert a Flash Drive in your computer. Browse and select MX Linux ISO file from download location. Click on ‘Start’ or ‘Flash’ to start flashing the drive. Wait for the process to finish.

c. Create MX Linux live USB from some other Linux Flavor:

Each Linux flavor will have its own image writer tool. You need to search for it and use it to write MX Linux image on a flash drive. For e.g. “USB Image writer” in Linux Mint,  Startup Disk Creator in Ubuntu, etc.. Check out the Image writer in your Linux flavor, select ISO image and flash the drive. Alternatively, you can download Balena Etcher on your Linux Operating System. Choose ISO image file, insert a Flash Drive and click on “Flash” to make the Flash Drive bootable.

Once you are ready with MX Linux bootable Flash Drive (non persistent and non portable), proceed further to next step.

Step 3: Boot from Flash Drive

Restart the system. While the system is on and initializing, press F10 (or Del or F9 or F12 or Esc) to enter BIOS Setup. Certainly, the bios setup key will be different on different make and model of computer. Therefore, try other keys as per Make and Model of your machine. Search for the boot settings in BIOS setup and set USB Storage Boot as First Booting Device. Finally, save and Exit BIOS setup.

While the system would restart and initialize start pressing F9 (or Del or F10 or F12 or Esc) to display Boot Menu. Certainly, the boot menu key will be different on different make and model. Therefore, try other keys as per Make and Model of your machine.

From the Boot Menu, select Flash Drive as Boot Device and Hit Enter. Probably, it may be at different serial number in different systems. Wait for the system to Boot from the Flash Drive.

Step 4: Run Live Session of MX Linux from Flash Drive

If the system will boot from the flash drive, certainly the machine will display MX Linux Boot Menu. Hit “Enter” key on first option to start MX Linux Live Session. As a result, non persistent and non portable MX Linux Live Session will Load from Flash Drive.

Step 5: Check persistence in Live session

Create and save a file or folder on MX Linux Desktop or any other place. Restart the computer. Repeat Step 4. The file or folder which you have created in last session will disappear. Any file or folder saved in live session of MX Linux is deleted upon system reboot.

Step 6: Customize Boot Settings on MX Linux Boot Menu

Reboot the system again. On the display menu there will be a “MX-<version> <Architecture> Customize Boot (text menus)” option. Move to that option and Hit Enter. Please note, <version> and <Architecture> will be displayed as per your MX Linux operating system. For example, MX-18.3 x64 Customize Boot (text menus). The same is shown in below image as an illustration:

MX Linux Customize Boot Menu Option

Subsequently, it will display hardware specific modules one by one. You need to change settings in few modules and leave others with default value to make the MX Linux on flash drive persistent and portable. The default option of each module will be displayed. A number (1,2,3,4……etc.) will display explicitly in front of each option available in the module. Particularly, you need to type in the corresponding option number to select the option you want to apply.

Let us see settings to choose from each module:

i. Language

Either choose language as per your preference or press ‘1’ to proceed with default

ii. Number of console columns

Either choose number of console columns as per your preference or press ‘1’ to proceed with default

iii. Time zone

Either choose time zone as per your preference or press ‘1’ to proceed with default

iv. Other Options

Specifically choose ‘5’ – ‘from=usb’ to Finish Booting from a LiveUSB

v. Persistence Option

Specifically choose ‘2’ – ‘persist_all’ to save root and home

vi. Font Size

Either choose font size as per your preference or press ‘1’ to proceed with default

vii. Create rootfs file

Specifically choose ‘1’ – ‘create automatically’. Wait for the rootfs file to be created.

viii. Create homefs file

Specifically choose ‘1’ – ‘create automatically’. Wait for the homefs file to be created.

ix. Save these changes

Specifically choose ‘1’ – ‘Yes’ to save the changes made to the boot configuration.

x. Change ‘root’ user password

Type and re-type a new and secure password to change the default root user password.

xi. Change ‘demo’ user password

Type and re-type a new and secure password to change the default demo user password.

xii. Auto Save Mode

Specifically choose ‘1’ – ‘Automatic’ to save on shutdown/ reboot automatically without need to ask for saving data every time.

Finally, the MX Linux persistent session will load from Flash Drive.

Step 7: Check persistence in created persistent version

Create and save a file or folder on MX Linux Desktop or any other place. Restart the computer. Upon restart, the MX Linux boot menu will be displayed. A new boot option with current date will be created below the default live session boot option.

Select the new persistent boot option and press ‘Enter’ to load persistent session. The file or folder which you have created in last session will be persistently present. Any file or folder that will be created or saved in these new persistent sessions of MX Linux will remain intact upon system reboot.

Watch out two short videos below to check the methods of making MX Linux persistent on Flash Drive as an illustration:

A. Make MX Linux persistent from existing Windows system:

 

B. Make MX Linux persistent from existing MX Linux system


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5 Comments

  1. Works but doesn’t create a new boot Option with current date. I have to select “F5” the scroll down to “Persist-All” option every single boot. Not sure if its because I now have a BIOS boot option as well as a UEFI boot option.

  2. I created a persistent usb installation and the system is now extremely slow. Much slower than when I just tested the live usb without persistence. I have saved almost nothing in settings and no new files. I set a 200mb swap file but the resource monitor shows it isn’t even being used (0 of 200mb in use) . What should I be looking for to resolve this? This is an older laptop but still pretty powerful hardware and it runs the live usb really well..

  3. Creating a persistent Linux Mint (etc) USB stick is simple and easy to understand for beginners like me. Is there a easy to understand way to do the same for MX Linux – all the explanations and videos I’ve found so far are very confusing. It’s putting me right off trying MX.

    • trying mx linux 21 on a mid 2010 macbook pro. I have selected different boot persistence option including the home, root one. I can’t seem to get it right. Could someon post screens of every step to get persistent usb setup.

  4. Not true. Any file or folder that will be created or saved in these new persistent sessions of MX Linux. Should be like a normal HD installation or it is not. You should not have to select and click and screw with it.

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