Linux - NewbieThis Linux forum is for members that are new to Linux.
Just starting out and have a question?
If it is not in the man pages or the how-to's this is the place!
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
is there any way i could boot linux from an external hdd usb. I have pc without a cd rom and i would like to install a linux distribution on it (opensuse or ubuntu).
So could someone pls tell me how (if even possible) to copy the .iso on the hdd so it will boot, when i plug it into the pc. and also if its possible without having to remove the files i have on it(documents n stuff).
Your appraoch will not work. As far as I know you must install an image on the external HD (note that this basically will wipe all data of it). A tool that comes to mind is unetbootin.
Else you can give Ubuntu 9.04 Netbook Remix a shot (it's already an image). If you have a 1GB (or bigger) memory stick, you can 'copy' the image onto it or you can also try to get it onto the external HD. Read the instructions here
i ereased the external hdd and installed opensuse 11.1 using unetbootin, but when i choose the disk in boot options i get a black screen with a cursor in bottom left and nothing happening.
i got a 4GB usb key which works now so problem solved.
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.