USB external hard drive

[cariboo]

Thanks for the kudo.
I fail to understand the side note ... I'm about 99% certain this has to do with hardware and not Ubuntu version - 1% maybe grub2

Yes it is, but you mentioned 13.04 in the thread, and one of the mods automagically assumed that the thread actually had something to do with Raring, so it was moved here.

[GeorgeVita]

I have Ubuntu 12.10 installed on my internal HDD and daily 13.04 on my external usb hdd. Grub2 correctly identifies both installations...

... Testing on USB drive helps (but not eliminates) early development screw ups where Grub2 fouls up and I have to do Grub Rescue or wipe the hard drive and start over...

Many "old" BIOS identify an USB-HDD as USB-FDD choosing the lower throughput "Full Speed" mode. Also multi-partitioning is not covered in a Floppy! You can determine if you faced this problem from a GRUB prompt (press "C" at GRUB menu) using the command "ls". Your internal hard drive will be (HD0) and your partitions (HD0,x) or (HD0,MSDOSx). Your USB mass storage will be shown as (HD1) which means HDD or (FD0) if supposed to be a FDD.

Best setup for a "true portable system" is to attach your HDD using SATA into your desktop/laptop/netbook, do an "entire hard drive" installation using the first partition for the whole system (or the /boot directory) and then place the HDD into the USB>SATA enclosure.