Home/ Questions/Q 6574
Next
In Process

askthedev.com Latest Questions

Asked: 2024-09-25T12:47:16+05:30 In:

What are the steps to duplicate a USB trial version of Ubuntu 21.10 using a MacBook Pro?

So, I’ve been trying to get my MacBook Pro set up with Ubuntu 21.10, and I really want to make a bootable USB drive for that trial version. I’m not entirely sure how to go about it, though. I mean, Apple products are sometimes a little quirky when working with non-Apple OSes, and I just want to make sure I don’t mess things up.

I’ve got the ISO file downloaded, but that’s about as far as I’ve gotten. I did a little poking around online, and I’ve seen a few different methods. Some suggest using the Terminal for creating the bootable USB, while others recommend apps like BalenaEtcher or UNetbootin. This is where I get stuck! Should I just stick with the Terminal or try one of those apps? Which one is more user-friendly for someone like me who’s not super tech-savvy?

Also, what about formatting the USB? I heard that it needs to be formatted to FAT32 or something before I can actually use it. How do I do that on a Mac? I mean, I know about Disk Utility, but what specific steps do I need to follow?

And here’s the kicker: once I create this bootable USB, how do I actually access it when I restart my Mac? Do I hold down a certain key? Is it just the Option key, or is there something else I need to do to boot from the USB?

If anyone could lay out the steps in a straightforward way, that would be awesome! I’m feeling a bit lost in all this tech jargon, and I’d really appreciate any tips or personal experiences you have with creating a bootable USB for Ubuntu on a Mac. Thanks in advance for your help!

Share

    Leave an answer

    You must login to add an answer.

    Need An Account,

    2 Answers


    1. To create a bootable USB drive for Ubuntu 21.10 on your MacBook Pro, you have a couple of options: using the Terminal or a GUI application like BalenaEtcher. For someone who may not be very tech-savvy, BalenaEtcher is generally more user-friendly and requires less command line knowledge. Simply download BalenaEtcher from its official website, open it, and select your downloaded Ubuntu ISO file. Then, choose your USB drive and click “Flash!” to begin the process. If you prefer to use Terminal, you can follow steps to format the USB drive and then use the `dd` command, but this method requires following specific commands carefully to avoid data loss, making it less ideal for beginners.

      Before creating the bootable USB, you will need to format it to FAT32 using Disk Utility. Open Disk Utility, select your USB drive from the sidebar, and click on “Erase.” Choose “MS-DOS (FAT)” as the format and “Master Boot Record” as the scheme, then click “Erase” to format the drive. Once your USB is prepared, restart your Mac while holding down the Option (⌥) key to access the Startup Manager, where you can select the USB drive to boot from. It’s important to ensure that your USB drive is connected during this step. Following these instructions should enable you to get Ubuntu running on your Mac successfully.




    2. Creating a Bootable USB for Ubuntu on Mac

      How to Create a Bootable USB Drive for Ubuntu on MacBook Pro

      So, you’ve got your ISO file ready, and you want to make a bootable USB. Here’s a simple way to do it!

      Option 1: Using BalenaEtcher (Recommended for Beginners)

      1. Download BalenaEtcher from their official site.
      2. Install it by dragging the Etcher icon into your Applications folder.
      3. Open BalenaEtcher.
      4. Select your Ubuntu ISO file.
      5. Plug in your USB drive (make sure it’s at least 4GB and you don’t have important stuff on it!).
      6. Choose the USB drive in Etcher.
      7. Click on “Flash!” and wait for it to finish.

      Option 2: Using Terminal (A Bit More Advanced)

      If you want to go the Terminal route:

      1. Open Terminal (you can find it in Applications > Utilities).
      2. Insert your USB drive and run the command diskutil list to find your USB’s identifier (like /dev/disk2).
      3. Run diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskN (replace N with your disk number).
      4. Use the command: sudo dd if=/path/to/ubuntu.iso of=/dev/rdiskN bs=1m (Careful with this one, make sure you’re pointing to the right disk or you could wipe your hard drive!).
      5. Run diskutil eject /dev/diskN after it’s done.

      Formatting the USB Drive

      If your USB isn’t formatted, you can do this in Disk Utility:

      1. Open Disk Utility.
      2. Select your USB drive from the sidebar.
      3. Click on “Erase.”
      4. Set the format to MS-DOS (FAT) and the scheme to GUID Partition Map.
      5. Click “Erase” to format it.

      Booting from the USB

      Once you’ve set it up, reboot your Mac while holding down the Option (⌥) key. You should see a list of bootable drives. Select your USB drive, and it should start the Ubuntu installer!

      Good luck! Don’t worry too much about messing things up, just take it step by step and you’ll be fine. If anything goes south, just ask for help! You got this!


    Related Questions