# Emergency USB Kit Guide > Creating a emergency USB stick is useful. This document tells you how. > Goal: have emergency access to computer services for at least **5 years continuously** (extreme long and persistent situation) ### Requirements - If you can get **SLC NAND** USB sticks, (rugged industrial uses, military grade) get them instead of newer TLC/QLC NAND - Newer sticks (TLC/QLC) wear down much faster, by factor 10-100x minimal, sometimes up to 1000x. - 2 to 3 USB sticks of good quality. Minimum of 32GB, recommended: 64GB or 128GB a piece. Higher is possible, but they might fail quicker. Avoid anything above 512GB. - At least 2 USB sticks, because of the survival mantra: **one is none, two is one.** - If you need offline documentation, such as Wikipedia Kiwix, then i advise an extra SSD to store all those ZIM files. - Perhaps a single day to create the two sticks. - Avoid cheap USB sticks, or microSD cards (they break or get lost quickly) - Test before emergency: Verify your USB boots successfully on at least one computer - Update schedule: Refresh your kit every 6 months for latest drivers and security patches - https://ventoy.net for multi ISO boot from single stick. > NOTE: SLC NAND outperforms many newer USB sticks. Some SLC NAND sticks can survive 25+ years. But they might be more expensive and have less storage. If you can get them, do it. Especially for sensitive files, such as: password databases, keys, documents, etc. ### Why USB technology matters. - SLC NAND: Minimum lifespan: 5-7 years, (I owned a 64MB SLC stick that lasted 25+ years). Military grade. - MLC NAND: Minimum lifespan: 2 year. Enterprise grade. - TLC NAND: Minimum lifespan: 1 year. Consumer grade. - QLC NAND: Minimum lifespan: 1 year. Consumer grade. You don't want a emergency USB stick to fail, hence I recommend SLC then MLC, and otherwise: TLC/QLC (but then buy 4-5 sticks and make duplicates of the master USB and stow them away) ## Recommended USB Structure ``` EmergencyUSB/ ├── LiveOS/ │ ├── ubuntu-24.04.iso (~4 GB) │ ├── systemrescue.iso (~1 GB) │ ├── tails.img (~1.5 GB) │ ├── puppy-linux.iso (~500 MB) │ └── hirens-bootcd-pe.iso (~2 GB) │ ├── AI/ (~8 GB total) │ ├── Models/ | ├── AppImages/ (~1 GB total) │ ├── firefox.AppImage │ ├── libreoffice.AppImage │ ├── gparted.AppImage │ ├── keepassxc.AppImage │ └── etcher.AppImage │ ├── WindowsPortable/ (~2 GB) │ ├── PortableApps/ │ ├── EmergencyKit/ (Emsisoft) │ ├── PuTTYPortable/ │ └── WinSCPPortable/ │ ├── Tools/ │ ├── ddrescue/ │ ├── clonezilla/ │ ├── smartctl/ │ └── wifi-drivers/ │ ├── Scripts/ │ ├── backup.sh │ ├── mount-all.sh │ ├── network-reset.sh │ └── disk-check.sh │ ├── Docs/ (~5-10 GB) │ ├── Kiwix/ │ │ └── wikipedia_en.zim │ ├── linux-commands.pdf │ ├── recovery-notes.txt │ ├── network-troubleshooting.pdf │ └── first-aid.pdf │ ├── VPN/ │ ├── openvpn.ovpn │ └── wireguard.conf │ ├── Passwords/ │ └── vault.kdbx (encrypted) │ ├── Backups/ (remaining space) │ └── important-files/ │ └── README.txt (this guide) ``` Total approximate size: 32 GB minimum. ## Emergency Quick Start If you're in an emergency RIGHT NOW: 1. System won't boot? - Boot from SystemRescue or Ubuntu 2. Need to recover files? - Use SystemRescue, then run TestDisk/PhotoRec 3. Suspect malware? - Boot into a live Linux, scan with portable antivirus 4. Need privacy/anonymity? - Use Tails OS 5. Forgot Windows password? - Boot SystemRescue or Hiren's BootCD PE --- ## 1. Bootable Live Linux Distributions These let you boot any PC into Linux without installing anything. ### Ubuntu (general-purpose live) - ~4 GB Best for: General rescue, hardware support, everyday tasks - Download: https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop - Great hardware support and easy to use ### Linux Mint (user-friendly live) - ~3 GB Best for: Users familiar with Windows interface - Download: https://linuxmint.com/ - Based on Ubuntu, lots of drivers included - Familiar desktop environment for Windows users ### SystemRescue (specialized rescue tools) - ~1 GB Best for: System repair, data recovery, disk management - Download: https://system-rescue.org/ - AppImage USB writer: https://fastly-cdn.system-rescue.org/download/usbwriter/1.1.0/sysrescueusbwriter-x86_64.AppImage - Designed to fix broken systems and recover data - Includes GParted, TestDisk, network tools, and more ### Tails OS (privacy-focused) - ~1.5 GB Best for: Anonymous browsing, privacy-critical situations - Download: https://download.tails.net/tails/stable/tails-amd64-7.3.1/tails-amd64-7.3.1.img - Torrent: https://tails.net/torrents/files/tails-amd64-7.3.1.img.torrent - Installation guide: https://tails.net/install/windows/index.en.html - Routes all connections through Tor network ### Puppy Linux (lightweight for old hardware) - ~300-500 MB Best for: Very old computers, minimal resource usage - 32-bit (older machines): https://sourceforge.net/projects/pb-gh-releases/files/TrixiePup32Retro_release/ - 64-bit (newer machines): https://sourceforge.net/projects/pb-gh-releases/files/TrixiePup64Wayland_release/ - Runs entirely in RAM, extremely fast ### Hiren's BootCD PE (Windows-based rescue) Best for: Windows password resets, Windows-specific repairs - Search for "Hiren's BootCD PE" (official site changes frequently) - Includes Windows PE environment with repair tools - Password reset utilities and disk tools --- ## 2. Multi-Boot Setup with Ventoy Recommended: Use Ventoy to boot multiple ISOs from one USB without reformatting. - Download: https://ventoy.net - Simply copy ISO files to the USB drive - Boot menu automatically appears with all available ISOs - Supports persistent storage for live systems --- ## 3. Verifying Your Downloads (Critical for Security) Always verify ISO checksums before using them. Compromised rescue media can make things worse. ### On Linux: ```bash sha256sum downloaded-file.iso # Compare output with official checksum from download page ``` ### On Windows: ```powershell certutil -hashfile downloaded-file.iso SHA256 # Compare output with official checksum ``` Check the official website for the correct SHA256 hash and verify they match exactly. --- ## 4. Portable Apps for Linux (AppImages) AppImages are portable, self-contained Linux apps. Download, make executable, and run. Browse thousands of apps: - AppImage app list: https://appimage.github.io/apps/ - Portable Linux Apps catalog: https://portable-linux-apps.github.io/ - Portable Linux Apps: https://portable-linux-apps.github.io/appimages.html ### Essential AppImages #### Productivity & Everyday Tools - LibreOffice - Full office suite (~300 MB) - https://www.libreoffice.org/download/appimage/ - Firefox - Web browser (~100 MB) - https://appimage.github.io/apps/?name=firefox - Chromium - Alternative browser (~150 MB) - https://appimage.github.io/apps/?name=chromium #### System & Disk Tools - GParted - Disk partition editor (~100 MB) - Search "gparted" on https://appimage.github.io/apps/ - Resize, create, delete partitions safely - Etcher - Create bootable USB drives (~150 MB) - Search "etcher" on https://appimage.github.io/apps/ - Easy ISO to USB writer #### Utilities - Kiwix - Offline Wikipedia & documentation (~50 MB + content) - Search "kiwix" on https://appimage.github.io/apps/ - Download Wikipedia ZIM files separately - KeePassXC - Password manager (~50 MB) - Keep your encrypted password database on the USB ### Making AppImages Executable After downloading on Linux: ```bash chmod +x name.AppImage ./name.AppImage ``` --- ## 5. Windows Portable Apps GPG4WIN (very important): https://www.gpg4win.org/ Essential tools for Windows environments Download and create a USB with many free portable apps: PortableApps.com: https://portableapps.com/ https://ninite.com/ https://www.liberkey.com http://www.winpenpack.com/ ### Key Windows Portable Tools - PuTTY Portable (SSH client) - WinSCP Portable (file transfer) - 7-Zip Portable (archive manager) - Notepad++ Portable (text editor) - VLC Portable (media player) - CrystalDiskInfo Portable (disk health) --- ## 6. Data Recovery & Disk Tools ### Included in SystemRescue - TestDisk - Recover lost partitions - Best for: Partition table recovery, boot sector repair - Recovers: FAT, NTFS, ext2/3/4, and more - PhotoRec - File recovery by file signature - Best for: Recovering deleted photos, documents, archives - Works even if filesystem is damaged - Recovers: 400+ file formats ### Additional Tools to Include - ddrescue - Clone failing disks (usually pre-installed in rescue distros) - Best for: Copying data from dying hard drives - Skips bad sectors and retries later - Clonezilla - Full disk imaging and cloning - Download: https://clonezilla.org/ - Best for: Complete system backups - Foremost / Scalpel - Advanced file carving - Often included in rescue distros - Recovers files from raw disk data --- ## 7. Networking & Connectivity Tools ### Linux Tools (often pre-installed in rescue distros) - Wireless drivers - Download common WiFi drivers for offline installation - Network diagnostic tools: - `ping`, `traceroute`, `nmap`, `wireshark` - SSH/SFTP clients - Built into most Linux distros ### Windows Portable Tools - PuTTY - SSH client - WinSCP - SFTP/SCP file transfer - Advanced IP Scanner - Network discovery - Angry IP Scanner - Fast network scanner --- ## 8. Security & Antivirus Tools ### Emsisoft Emergency Kit (Windows) - Download: https://www.emsisoft.com/en/home/emergency-kit/ - Portable malware scanner for Windows - No installation required ### ClamAV (Linux) - Usually available in live Linux distributions - Open-source antivirus scanner ### Rootkit Scanners - chkrootkit - Linux rootkit detector - rkhunter - Rootkit Hunter for Linux - Both often pre-installed in SystemRescue --- ## 9. Offline Reference & Documentation When internet is unavailable, having offline docs is essential. ### Essential Documentation (~5-10 GB recommended) - Kiwix offline content: https://kiwix.org/en/ - Wikipedia (English: ~100 GB compressed, or selection) - Stack Overflow archives - Medical/first aid wikis - Technical documentation - Linux command cheat sheets (PDF) - Filesystem & partitioning guides - Network troubleshooting guides - First aid / medical reference (PDF) - Your important documents (encrypted) ### Password Management - KeePassXC AppImage with your encrypted vault.kdbx - Keep backup codes for 2FA in encrypted file --- ## 10. Useful Scripts & Configs Keep automation scripts for common emergency tasks. ### Example Scripts Directory ``` /EmergencyUSB/Scripts/ ├── backup.sh # Quick file backup script ├── mount-all.sh # Auto-mount all detected drives ├── network-reset.sh # Reset network configuration ├── disk-check.sh # Check all disks for errors ├── find-large-files.sh # Locate large files eating space └── wifi-setup.sh # Configure WiFi from command line ``` ### Example Configs Directory ``` /EmergencyUSB/Configs/ ├── ssh_config # Your SSH configuration ├── openvpn.ovpn # VPN configuration ├── wireguard.conf # Alternative VPN config ├── firewall.rules # Basic firewall rules └── backup-list.txt # Critical files to backup ``` --- ## 11. Disk Image Burning Tools ### From Linux - MX Linux USB Maker: https://mxlinux.org/wiki/help-files/help-mx-mx-live-usb-maker/ - SystemRescue USB Writer: https://gitlab.com/systemrescue/systemrescue-usbwriter - USBImager: https://gitlab.com/bztsrc/usbimager/-/releases - EasyDD: https://easyos.org/install/how-to-write-easyos-to-a-flash-drive.html#EasyDD_frontend_for_dd ### From Windows - Rufus: https://rufus.ie/ (recommended, fast and reliable) - Fedora Media Writer: https://github.com/FedoraQt/MediaWriter/releases - USBImager: https://gitlab.com/bztsrc/usbimager/-/releases ### From Android - EtchDroid: https://etchdroid.app/ ### For CD/DVD - Puppy Linux LiveDVD guide: https://wikka.puppylinux.com/LiveDVD ## 12. Free Downloadable Command References ### Combined Windows & Linux SS64 Command Line Reference (Best option - comprehensive) - Website: https://ss64.com/ - Available as offline HTML or PDF - Covers: CMD, PowerShell, Bash, macOS, Oracle, SQL - You can download the entire site for offline use with tools like `wget` or HTTrack ### Linux/Bash Specific Linux Command Line Cheat Sheet by Dave Child - Direct PDF: https://cheatography.com/davechild/cheat-sheets/linux-command-line/ - Quick reference, fits on 1-2 pages - Free download TLDR Pages (Community-driven simplified man pages) - GitHub: https://github.com/tldr-pages/tldr - Download the entire repository as ZIP - Much more beginner-friendly than traditional man pages - Example-focused Cheat.sh https://github.com/chubin/cheat.sh GNU Coreutils Manual (Official) - PDF download: https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/manual/coreutils.pdf - Comprehensive but dense - ~200 pages ### Windows CMD/PowerShell Specific Windows Command Reference (Microsoft Official) - Download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=56846 - Official documentation from Microsoft - Available as downloadable help files PowerShell Cheat Sheet - Download from: https://cheatography.com/davechild/cheat-sheets/powershell/ - PDF format ### Best Approach for Your USB I'd recommend including: 1. SS64 offline HTML copy (~50MB) - most comprehensive 2. TLDR pages ZIP (~5MB) - quick examples 3. Linux/Windows cheat sheet PDFs (~2MB total) - quick glance 4. Your own custom reference with commands you actually use --- ## 13. Testing Your Emergency Kit Test your USB BEFORE you need it in an emergency. ### Testing Checklist - [ ] USB boots successfully on at least 2 different computers - [ ] Test each ISO boots and loads properly - [ ] Verify you can mount and read your main system drive - [ ] Test WiFi connectivity from live environment - [ ] Confirm AppImages execute without errors - [ ] Verify password database opens correctly - [ ] Test a small file recovery with TestDisk/PhotoRec - [ ] Check all scripts run without syntax errors ### Common Boot Issues - UEFI vs Legacy BIOS: May need to adjust BIOS settings - Secure Boot: Disable in BIOS if Linux won't boot - Boot order: USB must be first in boot priority - USB port: Try different USB ports (USB 2.0 sometimes more reliable for booting) --- ## 14. Maintenance Schedule ### Every 6 Months - [ ] Update all Linux ISOs to latest versions - [ ] Update portable applications - [ ] Refresh Kiwix offline content - [ ] Update VPN configurations - [ ] Test boot on your main computer - [ ] Verify checksums of new downloads - [ ] Update scripts and documentation - [ ] Backup important files to USB ### After Major OS Updates - [ ] Download new rescue ISOs - [ ] Test compatibility with your hardware --- ## 15. Alternative Resources (Use as Last Resort) ⚠️ Warning: Use these only if official sources are unavailable. These archives may contain outdated, compromised, or non-functional distributions. ### Archive.org Collections - Linux Distros: https://archive.org/details/Distros - Operating Systems: https://archive.org/details/operatingsystemsoftware - Puppy Linux Portable Apps (34 GB): https://archive.org/details/Puppy_Linux_Portable_Apps Always verify checksums when using alternative sources. --- ## Additional Resources - Borecraft USB Emergency Kit tips: https://borecraft.com/usb-emergency-kit/ - SystemRescue documentation: https://www.system-rescue.org/manual/ - Ubuntu help documentation (offline copy recommended) - https://internet-in-a-box.org/ (very good extra solution) --- ## Emergency Scenarios Quick Reference | Problem | Tool to Use | Steps | |---------|-------------|-------| | System won't boot | SystemRescue or Ubuntu | Boot USB - Check disk errors - Repair bootloader | | Forgot password | Hiren's BootCD PE or SystemRescue | Boot USB - Use password reset tool | | Ransomware/Malware | Tails or Ubuntu + Emsisoft | Boot clean OS - Scan infected drive - Don't mount it read-write | | Deleted files | SystemRescue - PhotoRec | Boot USB - Run PhotoRec - Save to different drive | | Corrupted partition | SystemRescue - TestDisk | Boot USB - Run TestDisk - Rebuild partition table | | Dying hard drive | SystemRescue - ddrescue | Boot USB - Clone to healthy drive immediately | | Need privacy | Tails OS | Boot Tails - All traffic routes through Tor | | Create new rescue USB | Any live Linux + Etcher | Boot - Run Etcher AppImage - Write ISO to new USB | --- ## Final Tips 1. Label your USB clearly: "Emergency Rescue Kit - Boot from USB" 2. Keep it in a safe, accessible place: Not much use if you can't find it 3. Make two: One for home, one for travel/off-site backup 4. Encrypt sensitive partitions: Use LUKS encryption for personal files 5. Practice using the tools: Don't wait for an emergency to learn 6. Document your specific setup: Add notes about your hardware quirks 7. Share with family/friends: They might need help too Remember: This USB is only useful if you maintain it and know how to use it.