Installing Clonezilla to a flash drive
A partition and disk imaging/cloning program
Brought to you by:
steven_shiau
Menu
▾
▴
I just read the instructions at the Clonezilla web site for creating a USB live flash version of this great tool.
I noticed what seems to me to be a glaring omission.
The instructions only refer to CLI methods of installing to a flash device.
I've found that using Unetbootin to create a USB flash device is easier and at least for me to be foolproof.
I've tested this in Windows XP and Win 7 and it works great.
In linux the linux version of Unetbootin doesn't appear to work.
I'll be checking that to see if I can get it to work in Linux.
To use Unetbootin in Windows first D\L the Windows version from here
http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
This is a standalone program so no install, just run the .exe.
First format your thumb drive to Fat 32 and make sure it is plugged in.
Now open Unetbootin.
While Clonezilla is included in the distribution dropdown it is a much older version than the latest.
Bypass the distribution field and click the radio button for "diskmage" and make sure iso is selected, then browse to the location of your Clonezilla .iso and click OK.
Install takes about 1 minute.
Done.
No CLI stuff needed.
I've tried this method in Ubuntu Lucid Lynx and the flash device won't boot.
Works great from Windows.
I know many folks think the command line is the way to go but I prefer a GUI solution if I have a choice,
especially if it works as well as Unetbootin does.
Unetbootin works great for many other Linux distros and even works using the above method to create a
USB flash installer for Win 7.
Of course you do have to convert the Win 7 DVD to an .iso first.
Unetbootin worked rather nicely this week on this Asus F3J/Debian laptop, saved my ass once already, and I am now busy finding new ways to make use of Clonezilla here in an enterprise setting on S5000 Intel serverboards. Very Nice!
Hi folks, update: I've taken the time to try unetbootin from several Linux distros besides Ubuntu Lucid, mentioned earlier.
It works fine in
Ubuntu Hardy 8.04 LTS 64 bit
Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10 64 bit
Ultimate edition 2.1 (based on Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10)
Mint 9 (based on Ubuntu Lucid Lynx 10.04 LTS) ?
PCLinuxOS 2010 Gnome edition
PCLinuxOS 2010 KDE
No go was
Ubuntu Jaunty 9.04
Ubuntu Karmic 9.10
and the fore mentioned Ubuntu Lucid Lynx 10.04 LTS.
In the cases of Unetbootin not working a message at boot complains about a menu
being empty.
I could not test Unetbootin in Ubuntu Dapper Drake 6.06 LTS because I couln't find a version of
Unetbootin to install in Dapper.
Of course as mentioned before Unetbootin works great when run from both XP and Win 7.
I don't have Vista to test it.
Thanks. We have updated the doc. However, from our experience before, the boot menu created by Unetbootin is not really the same as it created by CLI here:
http://clonezilla.org/clonezilla-live/doc/fine-print.php?path=./01_Save_disk_image/01-clonezilla-boot-menu.doc#01-clonezilla-boot-menu.doc
Did you find the difference?
Or maybe the newer version of unetbootin is different?
Steven.
Below is the initial boot menu created by Unetbootin' 471.
Next is the secondary menu
They look quite different but the choices are are same, big difference is the lack of notes on the second screen explaining the options.
The GUI method is quicker and the difference is worth the convenience, IMHO.
Either way the great speed advantage afforded by a USB flash live over a CD makes it worth creating a USB flash.
Of course the computer BIOS needs to be able to support booting from a Live USB.
BTW, I don't see where the doc has been updated.
I just revisited the Unetbootin created menu and the selection note are there.
The user can see them when they select an option.
Oops… I forgot to sync the web doc. Now it should be updated.
Thanks.
Steven.