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    How to point Linux install to a specific drive

    Discussion in 'Linux Compatibility and Software' started by etcetera, Oct 10, 2018.

  1. etcetera

    etcetera Notebook Evangelist

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    I have an MSI Titan GT80 SLI machine with 4 SSD. The first one is the primary boot drive that runs Windows 10. The second one is a clone of the first one and is used for disaster recovery.
    The 3rd SSD is data and #4 SSD is the clone of number 3.

    How can I point the Linux installation not onto the primary boot drive which is Windows 10 which I want to keep but to the 4th SSD, it's the only 2.5" SSD in the computer (the other 3 are all 2280).
     
  2. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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    There are a huge variety of distributions with different installation methods. There is no single way to install Linux. Generally you want to figure out what bus/port the target drive is on, and then you can point the installer to that device.

    If you can't reliably determine the drive's location by its bus or port, and they are the same model and capacity, your next option is to look at its serial number.
     
  3. alexhawker

    alexhawker Spent Gladiator

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    Or temporarily remove the drive with Windows on it, while you install Linux.
     
    Vasudev likes this.
  4. ALLurGroceries

    ALLurGroceries  Vegan Vermin Super Moderator

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    You could do that, but then the bootloader wouldn't be able to discover windows, so you'd have to always force yourself into the BIOS/UEFI boot menu.
     
    toughasnails and Dannemand like this.