How to install Debian from a USB drive
Debian is a long-established, very stable system that many other distributions are built on.
What you need
- A bootable USB drive with Debian.
- A backup of your files.
- A computer that can boot from USB.
Installation steps
- Insert the drive and open the boot menu.
- Choose the USB drive (the UEFI entry on newer computers).
- Try Debian in live mode, or start the installer straight away.
- Select language, keyboard layout and network.
- Choose whether to erase the disk or dual boot with Windows.
- Create your user account, finish the install and remove the drive when asked.
Why people choose Debian
- Exceptional stability.
- Huge software archive.
- Ideal for servers and long-lived desktops.
Tips
- Pick the desktop environment you like during install.
- Stable releases favour reliability over the newest software.
More help: USB not booting? and Help and FAQ.