3.2.2. Making Fedora USB Media in UNIX, Linux, and Similar Operating Systems

A graphical tool is available to create Fedora USB media on systems that run Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, or operating systems derived from either of these. To create Fedora USB media on other UNIX or Linux operating systems (including Mac OS X), use the command-line method described in Section 3.2.2.1.3, “Making Fedora USB Media with dd”.

3.2.2.1. Creating Fedora USB Media in Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and similar Linux distributions

Graphical and command-line tools are available to create Fedora USB media on computers that run Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and Linux distributions derived from Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The graphical tool and the works only with the Fedora live image. To create Fedora USB media from the distribution image or minimal boot media image, use the command-line method described in Section 3.2.2.1.3, “Making Fedora USB Media with dd”.

3.2.2.1.1. Making Fedora USB Media with a graphical tool

Important — Enable Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux

To perform this procedure on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Linux distributions derived from it, enable the Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) repository. Refer to http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL/FAQ#howtouse for instructions.

Note — This Method Is Not Destructive

This method is not destructive, so existing data on the media is not harmed. Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to back up important data before performing sensitive disk operations.

Install the liveusb-creator on your system with your graphical package manager, or the following command:
```
su -c 'yum -y install liveusb-creator'
```
Plug in your USB media.
Launch LiveUSB Creator, either from a menu or by entering liveusb-creator on the command line. Enter the root password for your system when LiveUSB Creator prompts you for it.
LiveUSB Creator can create live USB media either from an image file that you downloaded previously, as described in Section 2.1.3, “Which Files Do I Download?”, or it can download an image file from the Internet. Either:
- click the Browse button under the Use existing LiveCD label, browse to the location where you previously downloaded a Fedora Live ISO file, and select that file.
- select a Fedora Live ISO file from the drop-down menu that LiveUSB Creator presents under the Download Fedora label. Note that image files are large and that it is probably impractical to use LiveUSB Creator to download an image file if you do not have a broadband connection to the Internet.
Click Create Live USB.

3.2.2.1.2. Making Fedora USB Media with livecd-tools

Important — Enable Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux

Note — This Method Is Not Destructive

This method is not destructive, so existing data on the media is not harmed. Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to back up important data before performing sensitive disk operations.

Install the livecd-tools package on your system with your graphical package manager, or the following command:
```
su -c 'yum -y install livecd-tools'
```
Plug in your USB media.
Find the device name for your USB media. If the media has a volume name, look up the name in /dev/disk/by-label, or use the findfs:
```
su -c 'findfs LABEL="MyLabel"'
```
If the media does not have a volume name, or you do not know it, consult the /var/log/messages log for details:
```
su -c 'less /var/log/messages'
```
Use the livecd-iso-to-disk command to write the ISO image to the media:
```
su -c 'livecd-iso-to-disk the_image.iso /dev/sdX1'
```
Replace sdX1 with the device name for the partition on the USB media. Most flash drives and external hard disks use only one partition. If you have changed this behavior or have oddly partitioned media, you may need to consult other sources of help.

3.2.2.1.3. Making Fedora USB Media with dd

Warning — These instructions could destroy data

When you perform this procedure any data on the USB flash drive is destroyed with no warning. Make sure that you specify the correct USB flash drive, and make sure that this flash drive does not contain any data that you want to keep.

Plug in your USB flash drive.
Find the device name for your USB flash drive. If the flash drive has a volume name, look up the name in /dev/disk/by-label, or use findfs:
```
su -c 'findfs LABEL="MyLabel"'
```
If the media does not have a volume name, or you do not know it, run dmesg after you connect the USB flash drive. The device name, similar to /dev/sdc, appears in several lines towards the end of the output.
Use the dd command to transfer the ISO image to the USB device:
```
dd if=path/image_name.iso of=device
```
where path/image_name.iso is the ISO image file of the installation DVD that you downloaded from the Red Hat Customer Portal and device is the USB flash drive. For example:
```
dd if=~/Download/F15-Server-i386-DVD.iso of=/dev/sdc
```