Try Ubuntu 20.04 without installing

Solution 1:

No, you can try Ubuntu on a system with

• a single OS installed (any OS)
• multiple OSes installed (any combination of OSes)
• no OS installed

without impacting the installed systems.

I do this when live QA-testing (Quality Assurance) testing on borrowed devices (ie. not my own).

The only negative issue I've had, is it has changed the borrowed computers clock to UTC time, and the owner of the machine gets a message on next boot of their installed OS, telling them it's setting time back to local. This occurs on some boxes.

To try Ubuntu before installing, see

• https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/try-ubuntu-before-you-install

After download of a Ubuntu ISO, validate it using

• https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/tutorial-how-to-verify-ubuntu#0

To write a Ubuntu (or flavor) ISO you can use

• https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/tutorial-create-a-usb-stick-on-ubuntu#1-overview
• https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/tutorial-create-a-usb-stick-on-macos#1-overview
• https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/tutorial-create-a-usb-stick-on-windows#1-overview

Solution 2:

Advantages of a Persistent install

1. You can use the Persistent pendrive to install Ubuntu to another computer.

2. A Persistent install takes up less space on the pendrive.

3. You can reset the Persistent pendrive by overwriting the old casper-rw file with a new one.

4. The Persistent install to pendrive takes less time.

5. Slightly less wear on the drive.

Advantages of a Full install

1. You can update and upgrade a Full Install.

2. If you have problems or wish to modify, the solution is the same as with an internal install, (You can ask for help in forums).

3. No ugly startup / install screen.

4. Better security, you can encrypt a Full Install.

5. You can use proprietary drivers.

6. Hibernation works.

7. There is no 4GB casper-rw or 4GB home-rw persistence file size limitation.

8. Generally faster boot than Live or Persistent USB's.

9. More stable.

A quick and easy method to flash a Full install to USB can be found here: Easy Full Install USB that Boots both BIOS and UEFI

A comparison between Rufus and Etcher Live USB installers can be found here:Rufus Bells and Whistles or Rufus vs Etcher