Installing Ubuntu in an external HD

[José Manuel Martínez Martínez]

Hi Thomas,
Thank very much for your kind attention!
I'd like to say everything is fixed but... I'm sorry, it isn't.
Your assumption is absolutely right. That's what I want.
I started with the steps you described. But I have a new problem.
I runned fixmbr, but as result I've got an invalid partition table. The right command is fixboot. 
But it was to late. When I start my computer I can't boot windows because I get the following
message:
"Pre-boot eXecution Environment (PXE) v2.1
(C) Copyright 1997-2000 Intel Corporation
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM
Invalid Partition table"

I had in the internal HD just one partition.

Now I would be glad at least to acces to the internal HD just to save some important files.

If you can help me, I won't know how to pay you this favor back!
Lots of thanks and Merry Xmas!

Jose


Hello Jose

I assume you want to have the following setup:
- if the external HD is NOT plugged, boot Windoz using the Windoz boot 
loader
- if the external HD is plugged, boot directly from the USB Device with GRUB

So, first we need to put back the Windoz boot loader to the internal HD. 
For this boot with the Windoz CD an go to recovery console.
Run "fixboot" and "fixmbr" (or similar commands, I don't remember the 
correct names). This should reinstall the Windoz boot loader. Now, you 
should be able to boot Windoz again.

Next, we need to put GRUB to the MBR of the external HD.
Boot your computer with the Ubuntu Live/Installation CD.
Plug in your external HD.
If it does not mount automatically, you have to mount by hand:
(I assume your external HD is /dev/sdb)
sudo mkdir /media/sdb1
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /media/sdb1
sudo chroot /media/sdb1
sudo grub install hd1

Now try to boot from the external HD.

I hope this will solve this issue.

Regards, Thomas


		
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