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How to customize live Ubuntu CD?

I wonder that whether there is a way of making my own installed ubuntu a live USB. The reason in fact is that I want to make my ubuntu to be used by anybody. After this guy used my ubuntu I do not want to see his garbage on my ubuntu. I want to see my ubuntu how it was looking before I gave it to him. Therefore, I have assumed that it is the best way of avoiding this problem.


Okay let me clear my point. Lets assume I want to make a internet cafe-like system. Every user will be able to enter via only one user account to linux. However, I do not want them to leave anything behind. Whenever this ubuntu is booted, I want to this system remove their garbage. Why I mentioned the live USB is that I have seen that live usb or cd makes what I want but not exactly because I want to install some apps on it and make some confugration like firewall, permissions.

The problem with using just the guest session is that it does not obey my rules like firewall, my limitation on the apps and so on.

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marked as duplicate by jrg Dec 26 '12 at 1:41


It is not possible to remove the users. There is going to be hundreds usb stick installed with ubuntu. There must be an automatic way of removing every changes they make. –  Eray Tuncer Jul 2 '12 at 20:36
3 upvotes in <15 minutes? –  Tom Brossman Jul 2 '12 at 20:43
which means there are few people wonder the same thing like me :) –  Eray Tuncer Jul 2 '12 at 20:48
Right, I'd like to help but I don't think I understand what your goal is. Can you please explain (by editing the question) why a custom image or guest/other user account is not an option? –  Tom Brossman Jul 2 '12 at 21:01
There are techniques to prevent users from altering you system, even if it is on the hard drive (just making them use the 'guest' user would go a long way toward that) Also, there are ways to create a an Ubuntu thumbdrive that has different programs installed. But your question (taking an installed system and making thumbdrive out of it) is still very interesting –  josinalvo Jul 2 '12 at 21:31

1 Answer 1

The easiest way I know of to do this is just load Ubuntu from a Virtual Box server and make it a snapshot.

Every time the user reboots the system all changes are gone.

It might be more involved then you like, but it works great for me.

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Nope this is not something I desire :S thx :) –  Eray Tuncer Jul 3 '12 at 10:06
