[CALUG] Booting Ubuntu from USB

[Ed Browne]

Sorry if this has been covered before, but I've just installed a new motherboard/CPU/RAM/HDD and would like to install Ubuntu 13.  But the new MoBo doesn't support my IDE DVD, so I'm forced to boot from a USB key.  I tried one USB key, but StartupDiskCreator crashed without explanation everytime.  I switched to another key, StartupDiskCreator seemed to finish copying the files, but then disappeared (i.e. I didn't get a satisfying success message.)  When I tried to reboot with the key (and with the boot priority set to USB Key first, of course), I get this message from the BIOS:

Error: No configuration file found
No DEFAULT or UI configuration directive found.

Is there any way to verify that my USB key is in fact good and bootable?  Am I doing something wrong with Startup Disk Creator?  Should I be getting a proper "success" message from it upon completion?  Is there another way to do this?  

Thanks very much - Ed 
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