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Thread: I'm newly installing Ubuntu onto a USB Drive, and I have a partition question

  1. #11
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    Re: I'm newly installing Ubuntu onto a USB Drive, and I have a partition question

    Well, you didn't ask, but I'll tell you how I would do it.

    If I already had windows on a partition and I really wanted to be careful, I'd use a rescue CD like rescatux and repartition the HD with gparted.

    Let's say you can get by with half the disk for windows. Resize it. Then I'd make a swap the same size to the amount of RAM you have and the rest an Ext3/4 partition for ubuntu.

    Next, don't install ubuntu, but boot windows. (The MBR is still the same at this point.) It will tell you the disk is bad, and then fix itself. Now windows is happy and you can install ubuntu on the partition you made.

    Of course, you don't need to do it this way. You can use the install procedure to do all that, too. That's what it's meant for. My way just gives you the chance to boot windows first on the new smaller partition and make sure all is well or fix it if it isn't.

    There are other things you may consider.

    1. Is half the disk enough for what you have in windows right now? If not, make sure you leave windows enough space.

    2. maybe even optimize the disk first in windows. I've heard it's a good idea. Never did it myself.

    Of course, this is scary, especially the first time. But back up and go for it. Live a little.

    Just don't blame me if you bork windows. That's why you back up first.

    Best,

  2. #12
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    Re: I'm newly installing Ubuntu onto a USB Drive, and I have a partition question

    I usually don't recommend using Gparted to shrink windows, and definitely don't use the ubuntu installer to do that.
    Since win7 has the ability to resize partitions using Disk Management, you have all you need.
    Make sure you make a rescue cd of win7 first with the included Backup utility, and also a full backup, just in case.

    Also, before you start anything you need to plan your hdd layout. Branded machines these days come with all 4 primary partitions used, so you can't create more. In that case you would also need to delete one of the partitions, not only resize to get unallocated space.

    And the next thing to consider is whether or not the machine uses UEFI boot. If it does, the limit of 4 partitions doesn't apply but there are other considerations to take into account.

    If you decide to install to the hdd feel free to ask for details how to do this.

    Having the stick labeled high performance doesn't really say much. Even if they claim a certain transfer rate, it's alwaus "up to", not something they guarantee. It will always be slower than a hdd, but I am little surprised it is slower than the cd.
    Darko.
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    Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 64bit

  3. #13
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    Re: I'm newly installing Ubuntu onto a USB Drive, and I have a partition question

    Quote Originally Posted by darkod View Post
    I usually don't recommend using Gparted to shrink windows, and definitely don't use the ubuntu installer to do that.
    Since win7 has the ability to resize partitions using Disk Management, you have all you need.
    Make sure you make a rescue cd of win7 first with the included Backup utility, and also a full backup, just in case.
    Good post darko. I always use some form of gparted without major problems, but yes, the windows utility would be better. Accessible from booting the win7 dvd?

  4. #14
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    Re: I'm newly installing Ubuntu onto a USB Drive, and I have a partition question

    Quote Originally Posted by furtom View Post
    Good post darko. I always use some form of gparted without major problems, but yes, the windows utility would be better. Accessible from booting the win7 dvd?
    No, from windows itself. Since Vista, the built-in tool Disk Management can do partition resize. In XP this was not an option so you had to use third party tools. Since Vista you can do it with Disk Management and of course it's the way windows prefers.
    Darko.
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  5. #15
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    Re: I'm newly installing Ubuntu onto a USB Drive, and I have a partition question

    Quote Originally Posted by darkod View Post
    No, from windows itself. Since Vista, the built-in tool Disk Management can do partition resize. In XP this was not an option so you had to use third party tools. Since Vista you can do it with Disk Management and of course it's the way windows prefers.
    Yeah, but you would be running on the partition you want to resize.

  6. #16
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    Re: I'm newly installing Ubuntu onto a USB Drive, and I have a partition question

    Quote Originally Posted by furtom View Post
    Yeah, but you would be running on the partition you want to resize.
    It only sort of schedules the task, it will ask you to reboot and do it when windows is not running.
    Darko.
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    Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 64bit

  7. #17
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    Re: I'm newly installing Ubuntu onto a USB Drive, and I have a partition question

    Quote Originally Posted by darkod View Post
    It only sort of schedules the task, it will ask you to reboot and do it when windows is not running.
    Ahh. Got it. Cool. Thanks.

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