Linux via USB 2.0 on External 2.5" HDD

I'd like to install a KDE distribution with a software database built-in (like Ubuntu's adept, so I don't have to compile tarballs) installed on an external 2.5" USB 2.0 hard disk (40GB, 4200RPM).

Is this possible? If so, what distribution would you recommend, and specifically, how would I install it, as Kubuntu and Ubuntu have both failed (Kubuntu failed to format with ext3 and Ubuntu simply stopped 40% into the installation process).

 

I have the exact same problem. The closest I have come is to install it with the hard drive in the computer, then try to boot from it externally, which doesn't work. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

Try searching through the Ubuntu Forums, I know I have seen a few threads on the matter. I don't personally know how to resolve it.

 

"The closest I have come is to install it with the hard drive in the computer, then try to boot from it externally, which doesn't work. Does anyone have any ideas?"

What exactly happened? I might try it unless it was a disaster.

 

It wasn't a disaster, nothing bad happened, it just didn't work. I don't remember exactly, I haven't had too much time to play with it lately, but it just wouldn't boot properly. I will give more details tomorrow evening (about 18 hours from now) when I am back where the drive is.

 

I might just set up a dual-boot system on my HD if I can get GRUB to default to Windows every time. How can I do this?

 

Make sure that your laptop can boot from usb. Many laptops can not. Go into bios and find boot order or boot devices and see if USB or something similar is listed.

 

Mine has the option for a removable drive, but that never worked. What I had to do was to go the the internal hard drive and set which drive to boot from first. Then it tries to boot, but it doesn't work.

 

You should be able to install it to the external drive, and then just change your BIOS to boot from USB first. That way when the drive is in, it'll boot from Linux. The drive you want to install Linux to will probably be /dev/sdb (boot the computer from the CDROM drive, while the external drive is also plugged in). But that's all speculation... I don't have an external drive (yet) to try it with.

 

Pitabred,

It doesn't work. Ubuntu won't install to that external drive, it always comes up with an error and aborts.

 

I would seriously like to know if this issue has been resolved, as I am about to purchase a small external HDD specifically for LINUX.


thx

 

CalebSchmerge, it does work. If it does not work for you that's either because you don't know what you are doing or because your machine is flaky.

Why do I know it works? Because I'm typing this in a Firefox running in an Ubuntu distribution installed on an external SATA HDD plugged into a SATA-to-USB converter. I just made sure that my machine could boot from the external HDD and installed Ubuntu and everything was fine. I did not have to do any kind of special setup or anything. I don't recommend this as a long term solution to run Linux but it can be useful in a pinch. (My internal HDD died, hence this temporary setup.)

 

you may need to add rootdelay=10 to your kernel boot options when you boot the install CD. (Also add it to your grub.conf once the OS is loaded).

Many USB and Firewire drives take a few seconds to settle in and register with the SCSI subsystem. Without this extra 10 second delay, many of them simply won't be detected since init starts and tries to mount filesystems before the external device has settled.

As others have said, make sure your machine can boot from USB. Many cannot. "Removable Drive" boot option in your BIOS is not USB - that is CDROM.

Linux installs and runs perfectly fine from any external disk. SCSI, USB, Firewire, eSATA, etc. They all work.

 

I got Ubuntu running off a flash drive and most external hard drives are treated the same way, so there shouldn't be any problems (unless you're using an old comp which doesn't support mass storage device booting).