How to install Qubes on a USB flash disk from the same USB flash disk?

User Support
1

I can’t go out due to COVID-19.I downloaded the ISO for Qubes 4.1.1-rc1, but all I have now is a USB flash disk and a computer with Win10 installed and I need Win10 to get the job done. I want to install Qubes on this empty USB drive with 64GB capacity, so how can I do that? What software can write the iso to just one partition and it to boot? Approximately how much GB of space is appropriate for the partition used to write the ISO?

2

I know the installation documentation says it can be done, but there are no specific steps.

3

Reproduce the following steps:

  1. Shutdown the computer completely

  2. Input the USB stick into one of the usb port

  3. Start the computer and pressing whatever key that said interrupt a normal start

  4. Press the key that might be similar to my Lenovo T480s key that said boot from the media

  5. Wait and install

4

First of all, you would need to partition your USB drive. Then you can expand the contents of that ISO and write them to one of the partitions. After that, you need to make your USB drive bootable. Last, but not least, when you go through the Qubes installation process, you need to select the free space in the USB drive to create the Qubes partitions. This is not completely straightforward and far easier to do from Linux than from Windows, but it can be done.

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5

But I use the same USB drive for my installation target and ISO. I think I need to partition the USB drive and write the ISO to one of the partitions and then install Qubes to the other partition. How can I write the ISO to only one partition of the USB drive?

6

Thanks,but what software can write the iso to just one partition and make this partition the boot partition?

7

I don’t know. You can check if Rufus can do it on Windows. On Linux you can just use dd and filesystem utilities.

8

You want a full installation of Qubes on one partition and use the other partition as live session media? Do you intend to replace Window with Qubes?

9

No, he wants the iso in one partition to install from and the free space as the live qubes system.

He said that he needs to keep windows installed on his hard drive.

10

And he can’t install the ISO from Windows onto the USB? If he does that, then he doesn’t need to bother with a second partition for the ISO.

11

Well, qubes cannot install to the same partition with the ISO. His options are to partition, either his USB drive or his hard drive. In either case, this is quite manual.

12

Maybe I can try dd for windows: chrysocome.net - dd for windows

13

The process to do this is quite involved, so you may need to be resourceful and google quite a bit.