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Install Ubuntu Without Risking Harm to Windows: Install to an External HD

ubuntuforums.org — While many people are intrigued by the live Linux CDs which are readily available, some are still worried that installing Linux on their hard drive could kill Windows (and if they're not careful, they're right). By installing Ubuntu to an external hard drive, nearly all of that risk is taken away through these step-by-step instructions...

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  • lowkey, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Or you could install Debian onto the to the hd or even a usb key with everything encrypted using the following howto:

    http://www.debian-administration.org/articles/179
  • tokyopimp, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0If you go threw the trouble of installing linux on your PC, and you don't make sure not to nuke windows while doing it. You shouldn't be running alternative operating systems.
  • russellpeters, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1does anyone have a guide for installing suse on a external hd
  • Mantarii, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Every time you install Ubuntu, you harm the Windows empire.
  • makenshi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Or you could just install the free VMware Player and download a ready-made virtual machine

    VMware Player
    http://www.vmware.com/download/player/

    Ubuntu Virtual Machine
    http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/vm/ubuntu.html
  • StealthTomato, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Uhh...duh. That's like saying: "Store things WITHOUT YOUR HARD DRIVE! Put it on a CD!"
  • michaelburns, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0hmmm... but do I want to do no harm to windows .. hehehe... jk

    --
    http://visionspc.blogspot.com
  • AlexGrundner, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I've been doing this for a while. You just need to setup your GRUB bootloader correctly and you can auto-boot into your OS of choice (or select manually) from a separate hard drive. In fact, Ubuntu's latest release makes the whole process simple by detecting pre-installed OSs and configures GRUB accordingly. Note: I switched XP into my slave drive slot and made Ubuntu primary.
  • markgarrigan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Windows harms Windows
  • RacerX, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Every time you install a Linux OS, an angel gets its wings!!!!
  • xodex, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0RacerX that made me giggle :)
  • RacerX, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0Thank you. You've been a wonderful audience, drive home safely.
  • axiomofstealth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Why would you choose an external over an extra internal?
  • LoathRevolver, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Install Ubuntu and get rid of Windows all together.
  • Anhaedra, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1You won't mess up windows unless you are a retard and set up the partitions wrong.
  • buffymcmuffy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Installing most linux distros makes a boot menu to choose which OS to boot into.
    Installing windows nukes whatever boot manager is installed so you can only boot into windows.
    Can someone remind me which is the least user friendly again?
  • esavato, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1When I installed Ubuntu, I used the partitioner to resize my windows partition and I just made sure that I defragmented the drive first. Luckily, it was a new install of windows that had all of the data written at the begining of the drive. It works perfectly.
  • futoshi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0just install vmware player
  • lilblackdemon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@russellpeters:

    I did onto a USB drive.

    The easiest way is best if you have a laptop or tool kit handy, and you remove all the internal hard drives but leave the USB drive attached. Install normally onto the drive, and then on reboot leave the DVD/CD in and choose to install normally, then boot into the existing installation (the disc boot will load the proper drivers, but you still need to tell the installation that the drivers need to be loaded on boot.) Then, edit the file /etc/sysconfig/kernel and add the following line to the end:

    ehci-hcd usb-storage scsi_mod sd_mod usbcore

    Then type "mkinitrd -o /boot/initrd" and edit the /boot/grub/menu.lst to point to the new initrd.

    I have a blog posting about it here:
    http://lilblackdemon.livejournal.com/12271.html

    Also, you'd follow the same general process for Ubuntu, only you add the files directly to the mkinitrd call rather than to /etc/sysconfig/kernel
  • michaeljsmalley, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I did this about two weeks ago actually. A bit differently. I went over to CompUSA (I know... Gasp!), and got a HDD. I bought the 100GB one in fact. Just to mess with Linux on without having to worry about partitions and all that jazz.

    The process went as follows:

    1.) I installed it in my case, and set it to master...
    2.) I unplugged my Windows drive from the IDE cable, and swapped the cable over to the new drive.
    3.) I unplugged my Windows drive from the Molex power cable, and swapped the cable over to the new drive
    4.) I installed Ubuntu on the drive.

    Now, whenever I want to spend some time with Linux, I can take the side of my case off, and swap the cables. Some may say this is too much work, but I've got a nice case where the hard drives actually have their backs facing the side of the case, so it is very simple for me to do. In the event you don't have a case like this, you can always purchase a 3.5 inch hard drive rack, and mount the drives in their own trays. Then you can simply swap the trays whenever you want to use whichever operating system suits you.

    Either way works, without the hassle of messing with GRUB or getting your BIOS to boot off of a USB Hard Drive (which some older BIOS's don't support). Simple and effective. Please, let me know what you think. Negative and positive comments are completely welcome... Just be nice!
  • bloodylip, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I installed Ubuntu using this method and it hosed my Windows MBR. Since I wasn't using any PATA HDDs, it went ahead and installed itself to my SATA MBR instead of on the USB disk.
  • michaeljsmalley, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Oh, and the total cost to me was 30 bucks for the 100GB drive (it was on sale, and I DID get my rebate processed lol).

    If you went the route of buying a 3.5 inch tray, that would only run you another 50 bucks max for a decent setup. Much cheaper than buying an external HDD enclosure or an external HDD that is pre setup with a HDD. I know they can cost a bit.
  • JNitz36, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0I am not going to digg this article, just because I would not recommend installing any OS on an external drive. I do understand the logic of it though, some people are just very hesitant to install another OS on their master drive, so they might feel safer if they do the install on an externel drive. A little researching on how OS's like Windows and Linux use the MBR is usually enough to clear up any questions a user have. I am surprised at the number of articles on Digg about Ubuntu. Seems like the digg community Looooves ubuntu. Nothing wrong with that, but there are so many other distros out there that don't get nearly as much recognition.
  • michaeljsmalley, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0ANDDD....I have the freedom to wipe the drive clean without messing up my MBR so that I can try other Linux/BSD flavors until I find one that I like the best! All completely independent of Windows and without worrying about boot files being corrupted by switching distros now and then.
  • JNitz36, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1michaeljsmalley : In response to your configuration. I see nothing wrong with that. In fact, I did it before too until I decided to go strictly Fedora core 4. The only thing is, I often had to unplug the power cable before reconnecting the IDE cables, or the hdd detection in the bios would not properly read the new drives. I had 2 drives for linux and 2 for windows. That was a great way to learn back in the day, before I was ready to totally ditch windows. But after I was comfortable, I wiped the windows ntfs drives and dedicated them to linux. If the time it takes you to swap cables/shutdown does not bother you, then i see no problem with that setup.
  • niqhil, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Statuatory Warning:
    Smoking Ubuntu can cause serious damage to Windows. Not recomended for dumbasses.
  • thyratron, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I was thinking "why external", but realized added internals weren't an option in laptops.
    I wish Apple would provide a slightly-limited bootable intel OS X package on iPods, where Windows users with newer hardware could boot from the iPod to try OS X. Several of the people I've switched to Ubuntu were very happy and stayed with it, but more have moved on to Macs. Had they been able to test drive the Mac OS, Some could have tried it just as soon as Linux, and perhaps known if they wanted to skip that step.

    Ubuntu just keeps getting better. When my Windows using friends get loaded with viruses/adware I help them once. I explain that more trouble is inevitable, and to be thinking about switching to a Mac is the most pleasant alternative, but they can also switch to Linux without getting a new computer. I show them how to back up data and let them know that the next time it happens they'll be switching to Ubuntu. After letting them get used to Open Office, the GIMP, Firefox and GAIM on Windows, they've already familiar with the majority of the software they'll run under Ubuntu Linux. (They could use the same software on the Mac too, except running Adium X or Apple's iChat instead of GAIM for chat)

    None of the people I've done this with use Windows online at all anymore. About half of the people have Macs now, with about half of the remainder saying they plan to get one. Several of those people kept their old machine around, after going through a stage of dual-booting Ubuntu and Windows. The old machines seem to be either kept around (offline) to play Windows games or get used as oversized MP3 players running iTunes, or handed to someone else in the house to use online with Ubuntu.
  • lotusleaf, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0@jnitz36:
    "but there are so many other distros out there that don't get nearly as much recognition"

    Cry me a river :P
  • miaow, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0ubuntu installed easily for me and my windows was unharmed. the only downside was the 4 items it puts in my boot manager which is confusing for a novice.

    I tried kubuntu install but it looks trickier for a novice. I think I need a partition mangager to hold my hand.

    I would have used the vm player above to try it if I had known.
  • JNitz36, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@lotusleaf: so are you an Ubuntu fan? I was not complaining/crying, just stating my opinion that the digg community Loooooves Ubuntu. I would love to hear about you vast knowledge.
  • JNitz36, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Whoops spoke too soon. I read your website... http://lotusleafslinks.tuxfamily.org/ and you obviously Loooove Ubuntu :P
  •  

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