How to Install Debian on a USB Stick Using Debian 12 (Bookworm) System

Installing Debian on a USB stick allows you to create a portable and fully functional Debian system. Whether you want a live system or a persistent installation, this guide will take you through the process using Debian 12 (Bookworm) as your base system.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure you have the following:

• A USB stick (at least 8GB, preferably 16GB or larger)
• A Debian 12 Bookworm system
• Internet access (optional but recommended for updates and package installation)
• A backup of important data from the USB stick, as the process will erase all existing data

Step 1: Download Debian ISO

First, download the latest Debian ISO image from the official Debian website:

https://www.debian.org/distrib/

You can choose between a standard installation image or a netinstall image for a minimal setup. If you have a stable internet connection, the netinstall image is a good choice.

Step 2: Prepare the USB Stick

Identify the USB Device

Insert your USB stick and identify it using the following command:

lsblk

Look for your USB device (e.g., /dev/sdb). Ensure you choose the correct device to avoid data loss on your main drive.

Format the USB Stick

To format the USB drive, run:

sudo parted /dev/sdX -- mklabel msdos
sudo parted /dev/sdX -- mkpart primary ext4 1MiB 100%
sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX1

Replace sdX with your USB device name (e.g., sdb).

Step 3: Create a Bootable USB Stick

Using dd

You can use the dd command to create a bootable USB drive:

sudo dd if=debian.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress

This will copy the ISO image to the USB stick. Ensure you replace debian.iso with the actual filename of your downloaded Debian image.

Alternative: Use Ventoy

If you prefer a more flexible approach, install Ventoy:

sudo apt install ventoy
sudo ventoy -i /dev/sdX

Then, simply copy the Debian ISO to the USB stick, and it will be bootable.

Step 4: Boot From the USB Stick

Restart your computer and enter the BIOS/UEFI settings by pressing F2, F12, Esc, or Del (depending on your system). Select your USB stick as the primary boot device and save changes.

Step 5: Install Debian on the USB Stick

Once booted into the Debian installer, follow these steps:

1. Choose Language and Keyboard Layout
   • Select your preferred language and keyboard layout.
2. Detect Network Hardware
   • If you need an internet connection during installation, connect via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
3. Partition the USB Stick
   • Select “Manual Partitioning.”
   • Choose the USB stick (/dev/sdX) and create partitions:
     • /boot (500MB, ext4)
     • / (10GB+, ext4 for the root system)
     • swap (equal to RAM size, optional)
     • /home (remaining space, ext4 for user files)
4. Install the Base System
   • Proceed with the installation of Debian packages.
5. Install GRUB Bootloader
   • Select the USB stick (/dev/sdX) as the location for GRUB installation.
6. Complete the Installation
   • Finish the installation and reboot.

Step 6: Verify the Installation

Remove other bootable devices and boot directly from the USB stick. If Debian loads correctly, your installation was successful.

Troubleshooting Boot Issues

• If the system does not boot, check BIOS settings to ensure USB booting is enabled.
• Run update-grub from a live session if GRUB did not install properly.

Conclusion

You now have a fully functional Debian 12 system installed on a USB stick. This setup is useful for testing, troubleshooting, and having a portable Linux environment.

Optional Enhancements

• Install additional software using sudo apt install package-name.
• Enable persistence for live systems using persistence.conf.
• Use encrypted partitions for security.

By following these steps, you ensure a reliable Debian setup on a USB stick for portable use.