A) Downloaded Ubuntu to a Windows 7 temp directory from: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download (Ubuntu 11.10 - Latest version / 32-bit). The output was a .iso file.

B) Created a bootable USB stick using Universal USB Installer: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/. Did not select "Persistent file".

Result: Tried it in a Dell Latitude D630 Dell laptop: works every time, many startups and shutdowns.

C) Repeated B) but with "Persistent file" set. Works once or twice, but then, just locks on the Ubuntu splash screen.

E) Downloaded LiveUSB Install from http://live.learnfree.eu/download, which created a file on Windows 7 called live-usb-install-2.3.2.exe.

F) Ran the above installer with "Persistent file" to a 4GB ScanDisk (formatted) thumb drive.

Result: Worked pretty good for a while. Shutdown and rebooted several times. Changed items like creating a new directories - all worked.

Then: Setup an Admin account with a password and no auto login. On next reboot, it required the password and logged in correctly.

Tried to shutdown via the top left icon - Shutdown menu option.

Key issue: Would not shutdown, but would always go back to the login prompt. Could successfully login.

Finally, shutdown (which just put me back to the login window), and hard shutdown with the power switch.

Result: On reboot, just locks on the Ubuntu splash screen.

Questions (note, very new to Linux):

Did I shutdown wrong (I mean prior to the hard power off)?

Is the persistence option very unstable, or am I doing something else completely wrong?