“Is there an easy way I can boot Linux off a USB stick?”
The easiest way I know how to get Linux bootable on a thumb drive is by using a little program called UNetbootin.
UNetbootin lets you install many popular flavors of Linux right in it’s own application. If you already have a .iso copy of Linux you can use that file for installation as well.
Download UNetbootin.
Launch UNetbootin.
Choose a “Distribution” from the drop down menu, and also select the version you want to install.
If you already have an ISO image downloaded you would choose “Disk Image” and browser for that file.
Select “USB Drive” and choose the drive letter to which you USB is assigned to. If you’re not sure click on “Start” then “Computer”.
Click “OK” to start.
When it’s down you’ll see something like this.
The last thing you need to do is go into your computer’s BIOS and change the boot order so that the USB is the first thing that boots. To get into BIOS, restart the computer and press a certain key while the computer is booting up. It’s usually F1, F2, F12, ESC, Delete, or Backspace depending on the manufacturer.