External hard drive boot problem
 

Hello everybody. I made a thread several hours ago, but it returned no responses. I will try to re-word it so hopefully you can understand my problem.

I have a brand new external 320 GB USB HDD. I divided it into two partitions. I put Ubuntu Netbook Remix & the GRUB on a 152 GiB partition, and on the other I made an NTFS partition to backup my Windows data.

I changed my BIOS settings to boot into USB HDD first, and then I booted into Linux just fine. I then shut down Linux and removed the USB HDD to boot into Windows, which worked. Then after I saw Windows was running well, I wanted to get working on my Linux box so I shutdown Windows. Then I plugged the USB HDD in, and started the computer, which booted directly into Windows. Now this part confuses me: If I *restart* Windows, or Ubuntu, or 'save changes and exit' from BIOS (which restarts my computer), then my HDD brings up GRUB. But If I shutdown the computer, or turn it off by the power button, my computer just boots directly into Windows. How do I fix this so I can bring up GRUB and boot into Linux every time I plug the USB HDD in?

Its a Seagate FreeAgent Go brand if that helps.

Thanks Everyone,

leopard

I'm not sure if I understand your scenario, but from what you have in your post when you have the external set to first boot priority, you boot into Ubuntu. So I would assume you have Grub stage1 in the mbr of the external and if you unplug the external and boot you just get windows with no grub menu. then you have windows boot file in mbr of the internal disk so windows boots.

As long as you have Ubuntu/Grub files on it and stage1 Grub in the mbr of the external, you just need to leave the external set to first boot priority with your internal second. If the external is not attached, the BIOS just looks at the other drives in sequential order for boot code.

Thanks for the reply.:hattip:

The BIOS does not recognize the External Hard Drive off a cold boot. It does recognize it when I restart the computer.

I have the external HDD set to first priority in the boot order.

Is there a way to fix this or should I take the drive back to Wal-Mart and get a different one?:banghead:

thanks,

leopard

It sounds like you need to boot a linux CD into rescue mode and reinstall grub to the external drive. Almost any distro's install CD-1 will have a rescue system on it. You have to boot with the install CD, and follow the instruction for rescue. One of the choices is reinstall grub bootloader

Also, if the bios did not detect the drive, there would be no option for usb boot.

Thank you for your reply.

GRUB boots properly when the computer is restarted.

In the BIOS, the device name FreeAgent Go is listed next to the option USB HDD when the computer is restarted. When the computer goes off a cold boot, the BIOS does not list the device name FreeAgent Go.:tisk:

So basically, If I want to access my USB HDD Ubuntu off a cold boot, I have to enter BIOS, then save changes and exit, which reboots the computer and therefore allows me into Ubuntu.

I just installed Linux on the HDD yesterday. If I reinstall GRUB wouldn't I still be in th same situation I'm in now?

I will reinstall GRUB, and will post back result. PLEASE, if anybody has even a CLUE as to why this is happening, PLEASE post.

Thanks for your reply again, AwesomeMachine.

Sincerely,

leopard

Reinstalling GRUB did not work:cry:

I am getting so frustrated. I just want to boot the hard drive off a cold boot. Thats all I want to do. Right now I can only boot the hard drive off a restart. Why?!

Please help me,

leopard

So you have the external set to first boot priority and don't change that?

FreeAgent Go is the name of the Seagate Hard Drive as see at this link?

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pro.../freeagent_go/

How old is your system board? Doesn't seem like a Grub problem. I'd highlight the FreeAgent Go hard drive in the BIOS, you should be able to set an option to auto-detect, save the changes and re-boot and see if thedrive is detected correctly. If it is, I have no other ideas about it. If it's not, you probably need to upgrade BIOS.

The link is my exact hard drive.

My computer is an Acer Aspire One. I bought this computer 3 weeks ago. The BIOS always detects the drive off a restart or reboot.

The drive is never detected when the computer is Shut Down.

I can and have booted into the drive after a reboot.

It will not boot the drive or even detect it off a cold boot.

I will see if there is an auto-detect option in the BIOS, and will post results.

Thanks for trying, your effort is greatly appreciated.

leopard

There is no auto-detect option.
Since I "Shut Down" Windows the BIOS did not detect it when I presssed the power button.
But because the BIOS requires me to reboot when I save changes, it detected it upon reboot...