Well as a "lark" project, I decided to try running Ubuntu on a USB Disk using "LinuxLive USB Creator".  The LinuxLive utility worked like a charm and I have Ubuntu 11.10 (64 Bit version) installed onto a bootable 16GB USB stick.  After running the LinuxLive software, I was able to boot from the USB disk and load Ubuntu OK.
 
Then, within Ubuntu I searched for and installed the "Synaptic Package Manager" as David12857 did in his posts above.  Within the Package Manager, I searched for the BOINC Manager/Client and installed them onto the USB drive.  I didn't have to load/perform any quick-fix commands to my 64 Bit installation either.  I currently have multiple WCG Projects running under this setup and they are progressing pretty fast.  I was sort of expecting maybe sluggish progress with a USB disk, but haven't noted any yet.  I'm not wild about the BOINC Client version for Ubuntu because I don't have the "Preferences" GUI window where I can tweak CPU usage, Network, and Disk resources like I have under the Windows client.  But it is running and processing work units.
 
If anyone is in interested in the "LinuxLive USB Creator" software to give it a go, it can be found at:
http://www.linuxliveusb.com/en/home
 
There is also a well written, easy to follow User Guide at that site that basically leads you step-by-step through the LinuxLive process.  I learned to do something new today with this Ubuntu-on-a-stick thingy! 

I don't see a way to run anything separately apart from the Manager.  It is the only installed application with an icon that I can select for BOINC.  The Synaptic Package Manager installed BOINC version 6.12.33 along with the Core Client as an "Add-on" to the Manager.  When you select the BOINC Manager (to install it) from the Package Manager, it automatically checks/selects the Core Client as well.  I don't see how else to run the BOINC Manager other that what was installed which is a single selection titled "BOINC Manager".
 
The BOINC Manager I have running definitely does not have the same options/preferences that the Windows Manager has.  I have the same basic Tabs that you see in Windows (Projects, Tasks, Transfers, Statistics, Disk), but what is missing completely are the Top Bar drop-down menus such as the "Advanced" drop down menu with the "Preferences" as a sub selection.  I've hunted the Ubuntu version of the BOINC Manager and it is not there to be found.
 

I figured out what was happening by chance.  The Top Menu controls for the BOINC Manager are visible when (2) things are performed.
 
1)  Select (click) on the BOINC Manager window to make it "active".
2)  Go to the very top of the Ubuntu Desktop screen (which will say "BOINC Manager", hover with the mouse over that top area bar and the Menu Controls for the BOINC Manager will appear as (File, View, Tools, Activity, Advanced and Help).
 
The Preferences are found under the "Tools" and then "Computing Preferences" selection in the Tools drop menu.
 
All is well with the Ubuntu World again...for now. 
 
PS:  Maybe I should mention that I'm in the "Unity Interface" of Ubuntu, not the older standard interface.

Yodap.  Yes, it runs Ubuntu off the USB stick without Windows being involved at all.  When you go to the LinuxLive website and read about the options that you can set, one of them is that you can set an option so that you can use the USB stick while also running Windows.  I didn't choose that option when I created my Ubuntu USB stick because I only wanted to run Ubuntu from a boot to the USB stick.
 
I was just reading about Mint12 yesterday.  I believe the LinuxLive utility can handle Mint12 as one of the many distros available than can be used to create the USB stick.  He talks about it in his Blog area.
http://www.linuxliveusb.c...news/item/the-new-king
 

OK, I installed Mint 12 onto my 16GB USB stick and boy what a breath of fresh air (minty smelling ) versus Ubuntu 11.10.  I can't explain it, but Mint 12 is running way snappier on the USB stick than Ubuntu 11.10.  I also like the looks of it from a screen design better. 
 
I did have some problems trying to use the built-in Software Manager to install BOINC.  It just would not complete correctly and I ended up with (3) broken files that I had to repair using the Synaptic Package Manager.  So, after repairing the (3) files, I browsed to the link below (within Mint) and clicked on the Install button.  It installed perfectly and I have a bunch of Clean Water units processing right now. 
http://community.linuxmint.com/software/view/boinc
 
I also noticed that with this BOINC install, I now have the top-level menu capabilities built right into the BOINC Manager window, whereas with Ubuntu 11.10 they were separated and could only be accessed at the top of the Ubuntu screen.  This is much better...all for my impressions of Mint 12 over Ubuntu 11.10.
 
To install Mint 12, I simply grabbed the 64 bit CD version (no Codecs) from the Mint 12 website, burned the ISO file to a CD and then used that CD as my Boot/Installation vehicle for the USB stick.  Again, I had all other HDD's removed/disabled from the PC and only the DVD/CD player and the USB stick were involved.  I did the typical install that uses the whole USB stick's capacity, didn't worry about partitions and just let the Mint 12 install do it's thing.  The installation went a lot faster as well than what I experienced with the full installation of Ubuntu 11.10.  It was an easy thing to do and I'm no where close to being any kind of Linux experienced user.  I may be more lucky than capable! 
 
Mint 12 Download page:
http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php