9.10 will not install on USB Drive or upgrade from 9.04

[Grizzly]

On 26 February 2010 at 19:43, James C. Ryman 
Enlightened me with this:-9.10 will not install on USB Drive 

>I have two external USB Drives, a 100GB one and a 120GB.

>I run Ubuntu 9.04 with no fixed hard drives attached using the 100GB USB Drive.
>I have no issues what so ever with this configuration.

>When installing I simply had no fixed hard drives attached.
>Plugged in the 100GB USB Drive. Booted from the Ubuntu 9.04 CD and pointed to the 100GB USB Drive to perform the install on. After install completed removed the Ubuntu 9.04 CD. Booted from the 100GB USB Drive and Ubuntu 9.04 was up and running.

>Had been running Ubuntu 9.04 off the 100GB USB Drive for months with no fixed hard drives attached for months with no issues.
>Then Ubuntu 9.10 was available. So I upgraded. 

>After upgrade completed when it booted all kinds of errors displayed and it would not function at all.

I'm sorry I cant help you but you are not alone I tried similar install(s) 
(Just I made a live USB from  the ISO and installed from there) with no success 
either, mine failed at various points between 80% an 100% (?) with the 
"Desktop" version I have now got the "Alternative CD " ISO but have not had 
time (or the heart) to try again

It is good to hear that a version does work on USB only system

I have fixed drives but turn them off in BIOS for safety (to my other system) 
not that that helped as one run a "turned off drive" got two empty partitions 
of 250Gb each made even  though that drive never appeared during the install