Need help installing Ubuntu onto hard drive (currently on USB. Windows on HDD)

Nightwolf411 · 03-09-2010, 02:20 AM

Well hello everyone, I am a first time linux user, and I am in desperate need of help. Currently, I have linux installed on a USB drive, and I am running the OS from there. That is fine and dandy, but I REALLY wanted in on the HDD. I am using a laptop, and I thought I had to be running linux to install linux on a HDD. Well... I'm clueless as to how to get it on the HDD now. I do NOT have any CDs, so I need to install from the Hard drive. By what means can I do this? My computer is so,so, slow running the OS from the USB drive, so please, anyone, help me figure out how to run linux from my HDD.

Thank you!

woodmaster · 03-09-2010, 02:33 AM

looks like, from your tags, you're running Ubuntu, right? Download an iso file and burn it to a CD. Then boot that and install.

linuxlover.chaitanya · 03-09-2010, 02:47 AM

Well if you are running it from USB drive in live mode, then you can install it and when it asks you for the partition, you can specify the internal disk.
If you have already installed it on the usb disk and need on the internal drive, you will need to again install it.
If you do not have a cd, then I suppose you have at least an iso image or something that you can use to install or borrow it from someone.
And you could give more information about your machine. How is the partitioning and if ubuntu in external drive is live or installed?

FireRaven · 03-09-2010, 02:11 PM

The way I would do it is copy the partition information over from the USB to the HDD.

To do this open terminal and assuming sda is your HDD (destination) and sdb is your USB (with ubuntu) then type this...

WARNING THIS WILL DESTROY ALL DATA ON YOUR HARDDRIVE!

Code:

#umount /dev/sda1 (might not be needed, check '#mount | grep sda' on its own to see if anything is mounted)

#dd if=/dev/sdb of=/dev/sda

... wait 10 minutes or so.

#reboot

I highly recommend booting from a live CD or another USB and do this so none of the drives are in use. If this is the case make sure your ubuntu USB is not mounted either just to be safe.

I do this all the time from different size harddrives and it works, I assume it works the same for USB drives though.