Mint install on portable ssd | Linux Mint Community🍵 | Page 1

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 2:06 PM

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Im tryna install linux mint on an external ssd(samsung t7 1tb usbc port) and when im installing it, I select the bootloader location to be on this ssd (not just locally on the pc), but whenever i plug it in to another pc i select to boot the ubuntu(mint is an ubuntu fork) and it opens grub shell and it doesnt work except for the pc i installed it on. I can reinstall it from another pc and it works on that one but then it doesnt for the others.
Im not that tech savvy, I used linux minimally in some VMs.
I tried tails on a stick and that one works on any pc, so i dont really think its the pcs im using. Whats the problem here what can i run to make it hot pluggable, i mean portable, on any pc?

also I tried asking AIs for help quite a bit, one told me to update grub and reinstall the bootloader locally or something in the command line. Also I created another partition 512mb FAT32 for some EFI or something like that. (but it didnt help and I just got angry because it told me the same stuff even tho it didnt help)

(I do have secureboot on and I cannot disable it for set reasons, fastboot is off, and USB boot is on. Basically I wanna be able to run this os on a my school laptop and my personal computer as well and I dont want to touch the school's ssd, I tried disabling secureboot and it tripped bitlocker recovery something but i managed to get rid of that somehow and secureboot is on.

Mint looked cool and clean and a cool transition from windows (many common things) but if its a headache to make it work then I can choose another distro
sorry for the wall of text, thanks in advance

lusty rose Mar 25, 2026, 2:40 PM

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forest silo Im tryna install linux mint on an external ssd(samsung t7 1tb usbc port) and whe...

I never tried to do that, but I think the first thing you need is indeed a proper EFI Partition on the external drive and specify to install boot-loader on that drive during installation.

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 2:40 PM

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I did

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idk what about a proper EFI partition but I made a fat32 partition and set it to use as efi during instalation

lusty rose Mar 25, 2026, 2:44 PM

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forest silo idk what about a *proper* EFI partition but I made a fat32 partition and set it ...

The partition must also have the "efi" and "boot" flags set.

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150MB partition is sufficient...

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 2:45 PM

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lusty rose The partition must also have the "efi" and "boot" flags set.

yep

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set the flags with gparted

lusty rose Mar 25, 2026, 2:46 PM

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did you check in that partition if there is actually grub bootloader installed in ?

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Anyway, if you can't manage doing a portable installation this way, it still possible to create what is called "persistent live"

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The mkusb utility can be used to do that, this is not very user friendly, but that works. Maybe there is other applications

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 3:11 PM

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lusty rose did you check in that partition if there is actually grub bootloader installed i...

Yeah gemini made me verify that its there

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Sorry for delay

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 3:12 PM

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lusty rose Anyway, if you can't manage doing a portable installation this way, it still pos...

I mean yeah but isnt that just tails?

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I dont rlly wanna complicate myself that mucj

lusty rose Mar 25, 2026, 3:12 PM

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What do you want exactly ?

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I don't understand why you talk about Tail

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The goal of a "persistent live" is that you actually have device that boot like USB, but it is modifiable and modifications you did are saved

misty thistle Mar 25, 2026, 3:29 PM

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Maybe install and create users in qemu and then turn into .img and flash the ssd, it would work in theory because it thinks its installed already, without ever needing another storage unit

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 3:32 PM

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lusty rose Anyway, if you can't manage doing a portable installation this way, it still pos...

I explained that to him before I sent him on this server to make this post, I'll handle this, I'm just eating my lunch.

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:07 PM

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@forest silo , I assume you already have Rufus and your iso ready.

Live SSD with persistent (for portable OS)

Open Rufus.
Device → select your external SSD.
Boot selection → click SELECT → choose Linux Mint ISO.
Partition scheme → GPT (for modern UEFI PCs).
File system → FAT32.
Persistence → move the slider to allocate persistent storage (e.g., 50–100% of SSD).

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 5:07 PM

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Hey I'm back

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File system fat32

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But doesnt that not allow for files greater than 4gb?

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:09 PM

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forest silo But doesnt that not allow for files greater than 4gb?

That's why you have Persistence which automaticly makes a space on the drive with file system "ext4"

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 5:09 PM

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And also quick question. How easy is it to install other software with persistent storage

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There any hurdles

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:11 PM

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forest silo And also quick question. How easy is it to install other software with persisten...

It works normaly.

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 5:11 PM

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Oh

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Hmm. Interesting. Okay what is this balena or Rufus

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:13 PM

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https://rufus.ie/

Rufus - The Official Website (Download, New Releases)

Rufus is a small application that creates bootable USB drives, which can then be used to install or run Microsoft Windows, Linux or DOS. In just a few minutes, and with very few clicks, Rufus can help you run a new Operating System on your computer...

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:42 PM

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@forest silo , what's the situation?

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 5:43 PM

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Sorry imma be frank i tried installing ubuntu mate

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Thought maybe itll fix something

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But install failed twice

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I dont even wanna do nothing anymore

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:45 PM

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bru

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 5:46 PM

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I mean

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And whats the tradeoff with it being live

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:50 PM

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forest silo And whats the tradeoff with it being live

I don't get you, you just do this get Live SSD and when you get on the OS you set up files and settings to save on persistent.

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 5:52 PM

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I mean... nah its fine im sorry imma see if I can manage it on my own idk

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I kinda want an actual install

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:52 PM

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mossy zodiac I don't get you, you just do this get Live SSD and when you get on the OS you se...

and larger OS updates may be tricky

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:52 PM

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forest silo I kinda want an actual install

if you do an actiual install on external drive, it will work only on the PC you set it up on

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 5:53 PM

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also how do I delete some bootloaders?

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Idk maybe failed attemts but now I have like 3 other options in the boot screen that appear without anything plugged in, they all boot into grub

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:55 PM

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forest silo Idk maybe failed attemts but now I have like 3 other options in the boot screen ...

those are leftovers from failed attempts

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 5:55 PM

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i figured

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but how do I delete those

mossy zodiac Mar 25, 2026, 5:58 PM

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forest silo but how do I delete those

Eiether in your BIOS/UEFI or in the Linux OS with "efibootmgr"

forest silo Mar 25, 2026, 5:58 PM

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cant really in the bios idk

#Mint install on portable ssd