Ubuntu on an external drive---how to?

[B.J. McClure]

On Mon, 2008-06-02 at 13:33 +0530, Kanda Kumar V wrote:
> Kanda Kumar V wrote:
> 
> > I'm new to ubuntu... I want to install ubuntu 8.04 on my laptop
> alongside
> > windows...
> > the problem is I can't install ubuntu into my laptop's harddisk as
> it has
> > only partition and the laptop is given to me by the employer. So i
> want to
> > install ubuntu in an external usb device (i don't even want a trace
> of
> > ubuntu in the laptop as it is given by my employer)... indeed i
> bought an
> > external drive solely for this purpose.
> >
> > I googled and even had searched in ubuntu forums about how to
> install
> > ubuntu in an external usb device... but still fails...
> >
> > Can anyone help me on this... about getting step-by-step procedure
> of
> > installing ubuntu in an external usb drive.
> 
> I just took my install CD and installed to the external drive...  So
> some
> description of "still fails" is obviously important.
> --
> derek
> 
> First, thanks for the response.
> 
> Just to be clear:
> I've tried installing the boot loader (the grub) into /dev/sda (my
> external drive) and when i reboot after the installation finishes..
> i'm getting grub error 17. 

Are you absolutely certain /dev/sda is your external drive and not the
internal drive?  Does windows still boot normally with the external usb
drive disconnected?  I personally have never seen and external usb drive
show up as /dev/sda.  How about posting a copy of
your /boot/grub/menu.lst.  I have done this several times with 7.10
without issue so it is certainly possible.

> i can't boot from my external USB device... i've set my boot priority
> in BIOS as 1. USB hdd 2.CD drive 3.internal disk(the windows one)...
> 
> my external drive is an Western digital USB external HDD.
> 
> -- 
> Thanks and Regards,
> V.Kanda Kumar

Cheers,
B.J.

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