installation - Persistent file NOT working for 13.04

I successfully installed 13.04 (64) on a WD "My Passport" (1 Tb) without any bumps in the road. Works great... So I wanted to stream line it a bit more and try the "LiveUSB" on a 16 Gb thumb drive.

I used 4 different USB installers, last was Unetbootin (including Ubuntu startup). I set the persistent file at 4 Gb to allow for a complete setup. NONE have set the persistent file correctly (that is my guess), as NONE of my changes are saved.

I've read several answers to this problem ALL of which had no relevant info (dead ends) or what was said was already present. Such as edit the syslinux.cfg file for -- persistent.

My GUESS is that it has to do with "Permissions", tried setting up a user as Administrator, it too failed to save. It seems to me that if they are now using SSDD to replace mechanical HDD, then thumbs drives should work for a standard load/install...

Please note have searched the writers sites for "Support" with ZERO results.

I formatted the drive "fat32"

Here are the drive files;

01/17/2013  12:06 PM         1,345,530 ubnkern
04/24/2013  01:10 PM        22,252,127 ubninit
05/06/2013  02:08 PM              .disk
05/06/2013  02:08 PM              EFI
05/06/2013  02:08 PM              boot
05/06/2013  02:08 PM              casper
05/06/2013  02:08 PM              dists
05/06/2013  02:08 PM              install
05/06/2013  02:08 PM              isolinux
05/06/2013  02:08 PM              pics
05/06/2013  02:08 PM              pool
05/06/2013  02:08 PM              preseed
05/06/2013  02:08 PM             1,053 ubnpathl.txt
04/24/2013  02:25 PM               229 README.diskdefines
04/24/2013  02:23 PM               134 autorun.inf
04/24/2013  02:25 PM            18,354 md5sum.txt
04/23/2013  10:10 AM         2,559,512 wubi.exe
05/06/2013  02:11 PM            11,694 ubnfilel.txt
>> 05/06/2013  02:11 PM             1,880 syslinux.cfg
05/06/2013  02:11 PM            60,928 menu.c32
>> 05/06/2013  02:24 PM     4,294,963,200 casper-rw

As you can see, the casper-rw is there.

Also, here is the syslinux.cfg file contents;

default menu.c32
prompt 0
menu title UNetbootin
timeout 100
label unetbootindefault
menu label Default
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper quiet splash -- persistent
label ubnentry0
menu label ^Help
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit  persistent
label ubnentry1
menu label ^Try Ubuntu without installing
kernel /casper/vmlinuz.efi
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper  quiet splash -- persistent
label ubnentry2
menu label ^Install Ubuntu
kernel /casper/vmlinuz.efi
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity  quiet splash -- persistent
label ubnentry3
menu label ^Check disc for defects
kernel /casper/vmlinuz.efi
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz boot=casper integrity-check  quiet splash -- persistent
label ubnentry4
menu label Test ^memory
kernel /install/mt86plus
append initrd=/ubninit  persistent
label ubnentry5
menu label ^Boot from first hard disk
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit  persistent
label ubnentry6
menu label Try Ubuntu without installing
kernel /casper/vmlinuz.efi
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper quiet splash -- persistent
label ubnentry7
menu label Install Ubuntu
kernel /casper/vmlinuz.efi
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity quiet splash -- persistent
label ubnentry8
menu label OEM install (for manufacturers)
kernel /casper/vmlinuz.efi
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity quiet splash oem-config/enable=true -- persistent
label ubnentry9
menu label Check disc for defects
kernel /casper/vmlinuz.efi
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz boot=casper integrity-check quiet splash -- persistent

Here is an idea I had, should these "casper" references read casper-rw?

Edit #3

Here is the "Grub.cfg" file contents;

if loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2 ; then
    set gfxmode=auto
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod gfxterm
    terminal_output gfxterm
fi
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
menuentry "Try Ubuntu without installing" {
    set gfxpayload=keep
    linux   /casper/vmlinuz.efi  file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper quiet splash --
    initrd  /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Install Ubuntu" {
    set gfxpayload=keep
    linux   /casper/vmlinuz.efi  file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity quiet splash --
    initrd  /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "OEM install (for manufacturers)" {
    set gfxpayload=keep
    linux   /casper/vmlinuz.efi  file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity quiet splash oem-config/enable=true --
    initrd  /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Check disc for defects" {
    set gfxpayload=keep
    linux   /casper/vmlinuz.efi  boot=casper integrity-check quiet splash --
    initrd  /casper/initrd.lz
}

Ok, this boots straight to the desktop, no prompts for login (NATCH). I'm thinking GRUB is the problem. Here is the sequence for boot;

1. Boot Menu


2. Select EFI USB


3. Then there are 4 choices from Grub (I believe), they are;


4. Try Ubuntu (without installing)


5. Install Ubuntu


6. OEM Install


7. Check Disc

Natch I am choosing "Try". AND I think that is the real issue. Efforts to create user fail after reboot. Nothing seems to be saved/written to the casper-rw file.

There are 9 items in the syslinux.cfg, Grub shows 4...