Using external drive for LiveUSB

[lou002]

I'm not sure if this should go here, but I recently switched from Windows 7 to Xubuntu. I'd like to try, and maybe install different distros (such as Ubuntu or Kubuntu or even Linux Mint) so on my Netbook, running Windows 7 Starter, I installed Unetbootin. I downloaded the Linux Mint iso and I reformatted my drive.

When I load Unetbootin, it won't recognize the drive even though the netbook will as the 'e' drive.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I don't have a USB stick (it got stolen and I can't afford another) and only recordable DVDs that have already been used.

Any help is appreciated; but please keep it simple. I'm still new!

[oldfred]

Most of the installers assume a USB flash drive and totally erase it. If it is another hard drive then you should not use the installers.

While not as easy as the installers the procedure is relatively easy if you just follow the instructions. Once you learn how easy it is then you can boot any or all the ISOs without installing to flash or CD. You do need a partition for the ISO and grub2's boot loader.

This will boot an ISO from a hard drive.
ISO Booting with Grub 2 from Hard drive - drs305
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1549847
Boot ISO from harddrive. To install it would have to be different partition
[SOLVED] Using grub 2 to boot an iso off hard drive
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1535864

[lou002]

Most of the installers assume a USB flash drive and totally erase it. If it is another hard drive then you should not use the installers.

It's an external drive that plugs in via USB.

[lou002]

You know what? Nevermind, if it's this hard I'll just stick to Xubuntu. i'll just have to buy a USB drive or something.