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    could i install linux on a portable hard drive

    Discussion in 'Linux Compatibility and Software' started by yourself3082, Dec 18, 2007.

  1. yourself3082

    yourself3082 Notebook Consultant

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    could i install linux on a portable hard drive and not mess up my Vista setup on my internal hard drive?
     
    yourself3082, Dec 18, 2007
    #1
  2. timtravel42

    timtravel42 Notebook Virtuoso

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    yes just make sure you select the correct HDD when you install
     
    timtravel42, Dec 18, 2007
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  3. John B

    John B Notebook Prophet

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    Yes it's possible to install it on a 2nd HDD.
     
    John B, Dec 18, 2007
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  4. yourself3082

    yourself3082 Notebook Consultant

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    yay but will it add a grub loader or something to my computer in other words will it make any changes to my other computer
     
    yourself3082, Dec 18, 2007
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  5. kl5167

    kl5167 Notebook Evangelist

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    If your computer will support booting from an external drive you can load grub to it and it will not touch your internal drive. Just change the setting in your bios. You should even be able to take your internal hard drive out of the boot cycle. When I do this to an external drive I just boot from an live CD like Ubuntu or Knoppix and just verify I am the right drive. Until you are familiar with doing this I would recommend using different brand of drives and sizes that way it is easier to tell which is which. If you are using last gen release of linux you can mount your internal drive and it will make it easier to determine which real device is being seen and help to prevent making a mistake and accidently installing to the wrong drive.
     
    kl5167, Dec 19, 2007
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  6. yourself3082

    yourself3082 Notebook Consultant

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    cool thanks : )
     
    yourself3082, Dec 19, 2007
    #6