Install debian 7.6 onto USB drive

Question

I'm looking to install debian 7.6 onto USB drive to use as emergency OS, this OS would be ran in case HDD failure.

I using VirtualBox to install debian onto the USB drive but this is not working, the USB drive (a 8GB USB stick FAT32) is not showing up during the installation, the installer keeps complaining that no disks could be detected.

I'm using this guide http://verahill.blogspot.be/2012/02/installing-debian-on-usb-stick-live-usb.html and was wondering if any of you know how to install debian onto USB via virtual box.

Note: Using Debian 7.6 I386 CD1 to install

Answer 1

This cannot be done using Virtualbox. Just create a liveusb with the iso of debian via UNetbootin or burn the iso to a cd. Then boot the pc from that live image, once it's booted plug in the usb drive on wich you want to install Debian and proceed normally to the installation, just remember to use manual partitioning and create only a ext4 with journaling partition onto the drive with mount point "/", then select to install the bootoloader on to that usb drive, not in to the partition but on to the drive ("so on /dev/sdx not dev/sdx1 for example"), once the installation is finished thr usb drive is bootable and you can install programs, save files, etc and they will not be deleted at the next reboot, thing that would happen if you just used the drive crated with UNetbootin. If you need more help send me and email.