As a standalone Linux to USB creator, LiLi is useful but not too different from similar tools.
LiLi supports hundreds of different types of Linux distros and Linux based utility discs and it provides a huge convenience to anyone who is interested in learning how to use linux, how to fix unbootable windows computers using rescue CDs, or even learning how to hack wireless networks such as backtrack. After installation is complete, you can either boot up the computer with your USB flash drive which will load the Linux live, or you can open the USB drive in My Computer, then run Virtualize_This_Key.exe from the VirtualBox folder to run Linux inside Windows using VirtualBox.
Checking this option will download the latest portable version of VirtualBox and install it onto your flash drive.įinally click the Lightning create button to start installing the Linux Live onto your USB flash drive.
The third option will allow you to run the Linux Live from USB using a portable version of VirtualBox. Hiding created files on your USB stick is really one of personal preference, and you get to also format the flash drive in FAT32 if not already formatted. The Step 4 options are quite interesting and very useful. This option isn’t available on all Linux distro’s and doesn’t work in VirtualBox on Vista or 7. Persistence allows you to keep your preferences and data even after a reboot, and will let you install and update so 3rd party software. Something to bear in mind although it can send you directly to the official page for the latest links. On testing, some of the entries in the list were out of date and didn’t work as the latest version of LiLi, and therefore the list, is over a month old. The automatic option would be to press the Download button and select the Linux distro you want from the drop down list, there are several to choose from including some Linux based rescue / utility discs such as Hiren’s Boot CD and Ophcrack. There’s also the option of using a previously burned CD or a folder on the hard drive. Make sure you use a USB drive and not an empty partition of your hard drive which you can also choose from the drop down list.įor choosing a source, you can either select the ISO image, a Zip file or IMG file. The first step is to choose your inserted USB flash drive. LiLi has portable or setup installer versions available, so simply download and run the tool to open a pretty black graphical user interface set out as a series of 5 steps to guide you through the process. This means you don’t need to install or configure VirtualBox at all to run your Live Linux. A free Windows application that can perhaps give you the best of both worlds is LinuxLive USB Creator (LiLi) which creates a bootable USB Linux, but also can include a self contained version of VirtualBox which runs directly from the USB drive.