Score:0

Install ubuntu on an external drive without affecting windows bootloader - not working

vn flag

I wanted to install Ubuntu 20.04 into an external drive without affecting the Windows Bootloader. That means on a normal boot, Windows should load. But if I entered the BIOS boot menu, I can switch it to the external drive, so that Ubuntu will load.

What I have done earlier is to "Try ubuntu", opened Terminal, ran ubiquity --no-bootloader, and installed ubuntu to my second drive (sdb, mount point: /).

It was successful with the installation, but when I try to boot into my external drive, nothing is happening.

I have read this answer: https://askubuntu.com/a/541859/1576323, but I am not sure what is going on there, and if it is still applicable to the new ubuntu versions.

Are there any other way I can achieve this Ubuntu-on-demand kind of installation on the external drive?

egdGGGG avatar
vn flag
I have also tried disabling Secure Boot. And still nothing is happening when booting using the external drive. I am using Lenovo ThinkPad T14.
cc flag
It should be as simple as running the install media and selecting the USB target, but the bootloader location is ignored and the first EFI partition found (on your internal disk) is used. See bug https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+bug/1396379 . If you always have the external drive attached, it'll work, but you system wont boot without it.
egdGGGG avatar
vn flag
is there a way to boot even if I don't have the external drive inserted to my laptop?
Score:1
vn flag

As what @ubfan1 said, I just opt to install Ubuntu on a normal installation (without the --no-bootloader option).

During installation, I have formatted /sdb1 to ext4, and selected /sdb as the location for the bootloader.

After installation, and everytime the laptop boots up, the GRUB bootloader will load. If the external drive is present on my laptop, it will show the menu for Ubuntu boot list. Otherwise, if the external drive is not present, the GRUB bootloader will show, but with a terminal. I can just type exit, and the laptop will boot to Windows.

Although typing exit is an extra step, it doesn't hurt that much.

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