Okay, since nobody could answer my previous question: Virtual Burner
I came up with another...

I've installed Linux to a portable hard drive with the assumption that I would be able to transfer that hard drive to my other computers and be able to boot into Linux from them. I know for a fact that these computers are capable of running the same linux installed on the portable HDD via LiveCD or LiveUSB flash drive.

However, when I try to start my portable hard drive on any computer other than the one I installed it on, it boots to a black screen and stays that way indefinitely.

So, I would like to know how to make my portable hard drive more versatile, and to automatically adapt to different computers during boot.

Thank you

If it's booting to a black screen it's probably due to a mismatched graphics driver. You might want to try booting up with a more generic driver like vesa. But then again, you didn't tell us what hardware your moving to and from, or how you setup Ubuntu in the first place.

That's my first thought.

As an alternative, you can always enter the Grub menu, boot to "Recovery Mode", and run "xfix" to correct driver mismatch errors. Not as simple as switching to Vesa, but will allow for use on non-Vesa-compatible hardware.

You generally can't just move a Linux install around machines with drastically different hardware. An installed system will store setting for the machine it was installed into, these same setting may not work at all in a different machine. For maximum portability, you will need to be using a Live distro with some persistent storage, instead of using an installed system. A LiveCD performs detection routines on every boot that an install system does not.

The Ubuntu LiveCD is capable of creating a LiveUSB stick with persistent storage to keep your files & desktop settings, this is the best option in your case.

Alright, I understand that the Live CD detects hardware on each start-up, and a live USB does the same. Is there any way I can have my install detect hardware on each start up, or is there any way to put a live--but persistent--system on a hard drive, similar to a live USB?

Can anyone at least point me in the general direction of a boot configuration file? Or tell me how to install a Live system onto a hard drive?

See here: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/

Note that as far as linux goes, there's no difference between a USB "pendrive" and a USB "HDD". They are both USB storage.

And, as ongte said above, the ububtu 9.10 live CD will let you install ubuntu to an external USB HDD, with persistent storage: Boot from the CD.
When you get to the desktop, plug in your external USB HDD.
Then go to System .. Administation ... USB Startup Disk Creator
Make sure you select the right "Disk to use" - it needs to be your external USB HDD.
Click "Format"
Wait.
Select "Store Data in reserved extra space"
Select how much you want.
Click "Make startup disk".

That should be all you need to do.