Unable to dual-boot (Win7/Ubuntu)

[vincero]

have a linux stand alone desktop
have a dell laptop win7
downloaded ubuntu 11.05 on sata external hard drive, cant boot in laptop or desktop with it. can you help, i am a very beginner
in my late 70s. so please write slowly.
thank you.

[howefield]

Post spliced off to its own thread.

[vincero]

i don't know what (Post spliced off to its own thread." means
thank you

[darkod]

When you say downloaded to ext disk, you mean downloaded the ISO image to ext disk or you installed onto the ext disk?
How are you trying to boot the desktop and laptop exactly?

[vincero]

downloaded complete ubuntu 11.4 on e atta
usb drive enclosure. plugged it in laptop win7, tried to change to dual boot on f12
reboot to no avail. same on ubantu desktop
thank you.

[darkod]

You can't boot like that from the image file.
What are you actually trying to achieve? Install ubuntu on your win7 laptop as dual boot?

You need to burn a cd from that image you downloaded, and you can boot the laptop with the cd and install on it.

You can burn it under windows or ubuntu, what ever is easier for you. Just make sure you burn the cd from image, not just burn the ISO file as a file onto the cd. Don't burn at a speed higher than 8x or 10x.

Try making the cd first and then try to boot the laptop with it selecting the Try Ubuntu option. It will run from the cd and you can check how it works on the laptop.

After you see it's running fine from the cd, we can talk about installing it.

[buckyaustin]

to make the cd, use windows 7 with the steps on this website.... from which you downloaded ubuntu.... it tells you each step as a how to.... Part two tells you how to make the cd.... and part 3 tells you how install ubuntu.... I hope this is off some help.... Its good to see a person of your age interested in computers.....
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download

[vincero]

i want to use the sata drive as a linux that i can boot from on either computer
or other computers.
one can boot from usb memory sticks, why can't i boot with usb hard drive?
thanks for your help, and i am sorry for my nineptitude.

[buckyaustin]

The steps of making a bootable flash drive and a bootable usb hard drive.... I have been done it before.... so go to http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download and select the option for usb.... the steps are exactly the same.... if it doesn't work i will give you the windows command line to which will allow you to do it....

act this is better... go to this website download it, and follow the wizzard to creating a bootable usb
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/downloads/Universal-USB-Installer/Universal-USB-Installer-1.8.7.8.exe

[Mark Phelps]

+1 for the PendriveLinux approach. I tried using unetbootin (the preferred approach) to create bootable Ubuntu USB and although the app said it worked, it didn't boot. I redid the same thing using the Universal USB Installer from PendriveLinux -- and it worked great!

[buckyaustin]

+1 for the PendriveLinux approach. I tried using unetbootin (the preferred approach) to create bootable Ubuntu USB and although the app said it worked, it didn't boot. I redid the same thing using the Universal USB Installer from PendriveLinux -- and it worked great!

I think this thread should be marked as solved.... would some like to make one more post having the multiple answers together.... I know that each answer posted works....