install Ubuntu in an External Drive.

3:15 AM boot , ubuntu , usb drive 1 Comments

I found this is cool simply because anyone who only has a laptop or a main desktop usually hesitate to do experiments on their OS.Even though you are willing to do that it sometimes becomes a headache if you have dual boot with windows..U can experience ubuntu with a live CD but once you take da CD off all the changes vanish.

So here is a simple solution..

I started to create a USB start up disk using my imation nano 4 Gb pen drive which is sufficient to install new ubuntu 8.10.

actually there are few possible things which make normal installing fail to boot..

1)by default initrd(initial ram disk) file that ubuntu uses does not contain all of the drivers you need to boot from a removable drive.

2)sometimes initrd can have the appropriate drivers, but it takes few seconds for the kernel to boot and so during this time(while loading and detecting drivers)system might boot.So you have to give extra waiting time.

3)In the grub menu your internal hard disk(not the external one )which has a OS already probably enter it as the first hard disk but at the booting time it will configure it as the first hard drive.......

ultimately it might confuse the GRUB....!!

these are the possible problems which might cause errors...!!

But i did not get any of this problems when i install it in to the USB....:)

here are the steps

1.insert the live CD in to your CD rom and follow normal procedure until it gives the option to select the disk partitioning

2.then select the your external drive (it will probably pick anyInternal IDE or SCSI drive currently on the system, you can choose your drive by selecting SCSI drive that system has detected.the line will probably refer to a disk called "SCSI (0,0,0)".If you have a SCSI in the system the chances are the last drive on your system.

Be careful and select the correct drive as installer formats ur disk and erase all the data.!!!!

3.in the advance option in next dialog box use your external drive name to install the GRUB.it might be /dev/sdb or a similar name....

then continue........!!!

and then change your boot order in the advance option in boot menu of your computer.

set 1 st priority as your external drive( if your PC does not support USB booting then you have to find another one which supports that feature:(

so if you are lucky enough you will c your grub is loading when system is restarted....!!!
and then ubuntu will be starting......!!!!


if by chance you fail consider the above factors i mentioned.......!


anyway even this small thing can be headache so ubuntu comes with this option available already.
You can select and simply build up a usb start up disk using that.

here is a good link to follow the steps.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/ubuntu-810-install-using-the-built-in-usb-installer/