Create a CrunchBang Linux Bootable USB from CD

Create a CrunchBang Linux Bootable USB Flash Drive by typing a few commands while running from the Live CD. This segment also covers adding the casper persistence feature. This feature allows users to save changes, and then restore those changes upon subsequent reboots, automatically.

CrunchBang was once a very popular penetration testing distribution. Unfortunately, it was eventually discontinued sometime in 2015. It was originally based on Debian, but later versions were based upon Ubuntu.

CrunchBang Linux running from USB

CrunchBang Linux on USB

Distribution Home Page: CrunchBang (Discontinued)

Persistent Feature: Yes

Essentials:

  • CrunchBang CD
  • Working internet connection
  • 2GB or larger USB Flash Drive

How to Create a CrunchBang Linux Bootable USB from the CD

  1. Download the ISO and burn it to a CD.
  2. Reboot your PC from the Live CD.
  3. Insert your USB flash drive.
  4. Open “terminal emulator” and type sudo su
  5. Now type fdisk -l to list available drives/partitions (note which device is your flash drive Example: /dev/sdb). Throughout this tutorial, replace all instances of x with your flash drive. letter. For example, if your flash drive is sdb, replace x with b.
  6. Type fdisk /dev/sdx
    • type p to show the existing partition and d to delete it.
    • type p again to show any remaining partitions (if partitions exist, repeat the previous step).
    • type n to make a new partition.
    • type pfor primary partition.
      • type 1 to make this the first partition.
      • hit enter to use the default 1st cylinder.
      • hit enter again to use the default last cylinder.
      • type a to make this partition active.
      • type 1 to select partition 1.
      • type t to change the partition filesystem.
      • type 6 to select the fat16 file system.
      • type w to write the new partition table.
  7. Remove and reinsert your flash drive.
  8. Type umount /dev/sdx1
  9. Type mkfs.vfat -F 32 -n CrunchBang /dev/sdx1
  10. Type apt-get install syslinux
  11. Type syslinux -f /dev/sdx1
  12. Remove and reinsert your flash drive again.
  13. Type cd /live/image
  14. Type cp -rfv .disk dists install isolinux live pool md5sum.txt /media/CrunchBang
  15. Type cd /media/CrunchBang
  16. Type wget pendrivelinux.com/downloads/crunchbang/syslinux.cfg
  17. Type dd if=/dev/zero of=casper-rw bs=1M count=1024
    • replacing 1024 with the (size in MB) you wish to use for saving changes persistently.
  18. Type mkfs.ext3 -F casper-rw
  19. Reboot your computer. Then set your BIOS boot priority or Boot Menu to boot from the USB device. Finally, save your changes and proceed to boot from your CrunchBang USB device.