kubuntu install on USB external HDD

[Goh Lip]

> On Friday 04 May 2007 08:28:16 am dave selby wrote:
> > I am trying to install kubuntu 7.04 on a USB external HDD on my
> > company laptop without overwriting the laptop HDD :)
> >
> > laptop hdd is hda1,2,3
> > ext hdd is hdb1
> >
> > While trying to install I got to boot loader - "help for grub driver
> > selection goes here" "(hd0)" - I assume the laptop HDD is hd0, I
> > changed it to hd1 but chickened out !
> >
> > I assume this is where kubuntu wants to install the boot loader - if
> > it goes on my laptops HDD goodbye XP & I am fried.
> >
> > If I install Kubuntu on the external USB HDD on my home machine, then
> > plug it into my laptop I guess it will have the wrong drivers etc ...
> >
> > Anybody managed to do what I am trying (without getting fired !)
> >


Mike Teehan <detox.genie at gmail.com> wrote:
> I think you are on the right track, but you need to make sure that your laptop
> supports usb booting.  If it does, you should install the bootloader on your
> usb drive (hd1) and be able to boot from it.  Otherwise, I think you're in
> trouble.
> 
> I know grub doesn't support booting from usb (it can't see them -- no
> drivers), so you'd probably have to create a boot partition on your internal
> hard drive, and start from there.  Once the kernel is loaded from your
> internal drive (which grub can see), you'd be able to mount the usb drive and
> use it as your filesystem root.  Unfortunately, this involves modifying the
> internal hd (creating a new linux boot partition and installing the new
> bootloader).
> 
> Don't lose your job over this!  On the other hand, resizing ntfs is easy and
> very RARELY results in data loss...  Good luck.


Few key points to add to Mike. Done what you wanted to do, so here goes...

o   Install using expert mode, don't worry, treat that as custom install. This is
    so that you can install  grub in a different location.

o   If your labtop has a floppy reader, (some new labtops do not have floppy
    anymore), install grub to floppy. Do not overwrite MBR in windows, otherwise
    the grub screen will appear and you may get fired. If you dont fired, you may
    have a problem if the external hard disk is not connected. (If you dont have
    floppy, you can still install grub to usb thumb drive, watch out though, if 
    your internal drive is Sata, the usb thumb drive numbering is also similar. 
    But lets proceed assuming you have floppy drive; in grub, that's (fd0). )

So, what you will get is that your labtop will run like before, no trace of any Kubuntu; connect to the external hard drive, push in the Grub floppy and start,viola, you have a better OS to chose.

What I did later, was to install in the Internal hard dive, boot Grub from either
floppy, usb or cdrom. No trace of Kubuntu, the hard drive will show a smaller capacity in Windows, that's all. 

One thing to watch out, when there is a Kernel upgrade, you need to reconfigure the Grub in the floppy. Otherwise, the old kernel will still be activated.

You may want to try out DSL (damn small linux); run it using an old 64 Mb usb1.1 thumb drive. (You can use it in the office when no one is looking.)




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