[ubuntu-uk] Installing on a USB drive

[Keith Powell]

In my previous computer (built locally and modified over the years by 
me), I had fitted a second IDE hard drive. The first drive had XP 
installed and the second had Linux installed. (I tried other distros on 
it, but ended up with Ubuntu).

My new, rather expensive, computer has only one hard drive and that has 
Windows7 pre-installed with a 'rescue partition'.

Now, the insurance/support policy I have on the new computer (I didn't 
bother with one on the old machine) states that I can't modify the 
computer in any way. I must get a computer repair person, which they 
nominate, to do any work inside the machine.

I don't want to try dual booting by putting Ubuntu on the same hard 
drive as Windows7, but would rather keep it separate. My thoughts are to 
install it on an external USB hard drive.

Would I simply plug the drive in, boot the computer, run the liveCD and 
install it as I would with an internal hard drive? I have read postings 
about installing to a USB memory card, which seems rather complicated, 
needing special programs to do it. So I am wondering if installing to a 
hard drive would be easier. The drive would only be used with this machine.

To clarify, I would like to actually install Ubuntu on the drive, not 
use the drive as a USB version of a liveCD.

Many thanks for any advice.

Cheers

Keith