#Problem with setting up Linux on external drive

120 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

tight lichen
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Hello guys, I recently installed set up a dual boot on my laptop with linux mint and windows 11. However, I want to also have dual boot on my PC, but it doesn't have any space left. I have an M.2 NVME in an external enclosure that I use as an external drive and I would want to download linux ubuntu on it. I tried doing that but I failed, I got to the point of installing Ubuntu but when I have to restart the system I can't boot to Ubuntu. I tried installing Ubuntu on the external SSD through my laptop, because I don't have any important files on there and I was scared of installind the Ubuntu on the wrong drive/messing up something with the partitions on my main PC. Can someone help me?

noble nymph
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run gparted app and UNFLAG the laptop drives' EFI partition

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then also in gparted, make a new partition table , in GPT style on the external SSD

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then do a manual installation (the something else option)

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click plus button to add a 200 MB efi system partition to the external ssd, then add the rest as ext4 filesystem . mountpoint at root (/)

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then set the bootloader location box to be the device and partition number of the EFI u just made

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once installed, that external drive should boot on any computer

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reflag the original efi partition later.

tight lichen
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I am going to try what you just said right now @noble nymph , thanks

noble nymph
tight lichen
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I will let you know how it goes

noble nymph
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pretend sda in this pic is ur actual external ssd. adjust to suit your own case

tight lichen
noble nymph
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sure

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it'll be something like that

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dont make a new partition table cuz that will wipe all

tight lichen
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i should just boot from the usb?

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never mind, i need to unflag still

noble nymph
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yes start in the exact order i wrote

tight lichen
noble nymph
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on laptop drive

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is only one efi partition

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that one

noble nymph
tight lichen
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i see

noble nymph
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pick it, r-clcick : manage flags

tight lichen
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then do i remove all flags?

noble nymph
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the esp and boot ones

tight lichen
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done

noble nymph
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now u say ur external ssd has stuff on it to preserve already?

tight lichen
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yes

noble nymph
# noble nymph

call up that drive in this app. and turn info view on as shown

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and show clear photo

tight lichen
noble nymph
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tag me when it's posted here

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oh

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show the whole window

tight lichen
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sorry that i have to do it like this, i can't send screenshots because i don't have discord on my laptop

noble nymph
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dos partition table. still doable tho

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which of the three partitions have ur 'to-keep' data?

tight lichen
noble nymph
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r-click the two with keys

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'unmount'

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then delete sdc2 and sdc3

tight lichen
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done

noble nymph
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and u sure u unflagged the other ESP

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of the internal drive

tight lichen
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yes

noble nymph
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ok then close gparted

tight lichen
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i removed the esp check box and the boot check box was disabled automatically as well

noble nymph
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107 to 200 MB for efi

tight lichen
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i have problems when booting to the usb for some reason @noble nymph

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I chose this and this screen comes up after

noble nymph
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u better be sure

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that last grub pic is NOT live grub

tight lichen
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the brand is Intenso

noble nymph
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live grub has the OEM option in it

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see if u can get it to show.

tight lichen
noble nymph
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if this is a picky uefi, u may have to redo the USB with GPT style partitioning ... ventoy is good for that

noble nymph
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that's likely detecting the ESP on somewhere else. idk which of the other two drives

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u did all the unflagging while working on the desktop or something?

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u were SUPPOSED TO DO IT ON THE LAPTOP the whole time!

tight lichen
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i think there's a misunderstanding here

tight lichen
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the only thing i do on my desktop is have discord open

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i will send you the picture of the flages just to make sure

noble nymph
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i dont get what ur talkinga bout now

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what the hell is that bios pic u just sent?

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from what machine?

tight lichen
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everything i send is from the laptop, i am trying to install ubuntu on my external ssd using my laptop

noble nymph
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ok so if u were booted into the usb flash stick the whole time why tf can't u now?

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did u finish installing linux to the ssd enclosure already?

tight lichen
noble nymph
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is that meaning the usb enclosure or flash stick?

tight lichen
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I was trying to say that for some reason i can't boot the usb stick which i have the Ubuntu installer on

noble nymph
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sigh

tight lichen
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sorry for not making it clear

noble nymph
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how did u unflagged the shit then if u werent already booted into live mode?

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ffs

noble nymph
tight lichen
noble nymph
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FUCKKKK

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do it in the order I SAID

tight lichen
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my windows brain forgot that you can use ubuntu before installing it

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i thought its unusable and you cant do shit on ubuntu before you go through the installation proccess

tight lichen
noble nymph
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check the usb stick on ur desktop

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see if it is gpt or mbr

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remake to gpt the live ubuntu stick

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if needed, so it will show up as a bootable in the laptop

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dont have any other drive but the usb and the internal drive connected when u attempt to boot live ubuntu

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once at live 'buntu desktop THEN plug in ur external enclosed ssd

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#1295816480256163892 message

tight lichen
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Hey @noble nymph, I managed to make some progress, however I can’t make 200MB partition efi for some reason

IMG_0925.jpg
noble nymph
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you can do it from gparted. make it 500 MB FAT32 primary

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since i think ubuntu expects bigger idk why

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and then add the boot and esp flags to it

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then restart the installer

noble nymph
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any news on this, @tight lichen ?

tight lichen
noble nymph
tight lichen
noble nymph
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plug the external drive to your Desktop PC

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boot up Ubuntu

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then open and maximize a terminal

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run lsblk -o name,model,size,fstype,partuuid,mountpoint ; efibootmgr

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and show result.

noble nymph
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@tight lichen