is it ok to install linux on exteral SSD

jefro · 03-12-2024, 03:40 PM

I had ClearLinuxOS on an ssd for quite a while and moved between machines. One update it stopped letting me move around. Didn't bother to find out why but many quality SSD's exist and many are not quality.

A quality usb SSD drive will work quite well and fast.

floppy_stuttgart · 03-13-2024, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newabc

if i make additional partition for linux , it would through dual boot only or is there any other way

Install linux onto the SSD (connected with USB3); normally the install (Debian?) will see there is a windows system and will ask which drive has to start first and where to put the boot loader (on the SSD) etc.
Update the BIOS setup for the SSD to be the first recognized at boot
Reboot
done..

JeremyBoden · 03-13-2024, 08:37 PM

There is another way...
If you just want to trial a second OS:-
Make the external SSD purely Linux, including making it bootable.
Then at start-up time choose the disk to boot from, by choosing the appropriate disk from your BIOS.

This is clumsy though, and you will soon want to go for another option, such as dual boot or running one OS as a VM hosted by the other OS.

newabc · 03-13-2024, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyBoden

There is another way...
If you just want to trial a second OS:-
Make the external SSD purely Linux, including making it bootable.
Then at start-up time choose the disk to boot from, by choosing the appropriate disk from your BIOS.

This is clumsy though, and you will soon want to go for another option, such as dual boot or running one OS as a VM hosted by the other OS.

isnt method written in above post by floppy_stuttgart same

if not i cant make out the difference

TB0ne · 03-14-2024, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newabc

isnt method written in above post by floppy_stuttgart same if not i cant make out the difference

No, JeremyBoden's approach doesn't dual-boot, and that's the way I'd go too. Yes, it's a bit clumsy to go into BIOS and tell the system to boot from USB every time, but it is easiest. Also, if you go to another computer, you just have to tell IT to boot from USB and you're up. And a lot of PC's these days already default to USB boot as the first option.

newabc · 03-14-2024, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TB0ne

No, JeremyBoden's approach doesn't dual-boot, and that's the way I'd go too. Yes, it's a bit clumsy to go into BIOS and tell the system to boot from USB every time, but it is easiest. Also, if you go to another computer, you just have to tell IT to boot from USB and you're up. And a lot of PC's these days already default to USB boot as the first option.

so i would have to make SSD bootable , and install linux in it

JeremyBoden · 03-14-2024, 11:03 AM

You would just install Linux to the external SSD and the installation process would make it bootable.
Be careful that you are installing to the SSD and not possibly overwriting your Windows disk.

For absolute peace of mind, you could disconnect the signal cable to your Windows disk whilst you do the Linux install.
Note that Linux will want to reboot part way through the install - but it will do this only once.

As I understand it, you wouldn't need a USB to be present once the Linux install has finished & you've reconnected the Windows disk.

newabc · 03-14-2024, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyBoden

You would just install Linux to the external SSD and the installation process would make it bootable.
Be careful that you are installing to the SSD and not possibly overwriting your Windows disk.

For absolute peace of mind, you could disconnect the signal cable to your Windows disk whilst you do the Linux install.
Note that Linux will want to reboot part way through the install - but it will do this only once.

As I understand it, you wouldn't need a USB to be present once the Linux install has finished & you've reconnected the Windows disk.

thank , great advice about disconnecting windows disk