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Thread: Can I create a bootable USB external (not Flash) drive?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
    Beans
    38

    Can I create a bootable USB external (not Flash) drive?

    I'd like to create a bootable external USB SATA3 SSD, which I will then install internally in another laptop. Do I need to go through the step of creating a bootable USB stick first, or can I write the system directly to the SSD?

    --- Edit ---
    Nevermind, I just realized that I already have a bootable USB flash stick. So, I might as well use it to do the install.
    Last edited by robert99999; 4 Weeks Ago at 03:14 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Beans
    7,711

    Re: Can I create a bootable USB external (not Flash) drive?

    You could do that in the same way you write the iso to a USB/flash drive. The problem is that most software used to do this will then make the device readonly and the additional space useless until you re-create a partition table and format it. Another method is to simply download the iso and create a loopback entry in your /boot/grub/grub.cfg file pointing to the path where the iso file exists. Obviously, you would need a Linux OS with Grub2 to do this. Writing the iso to a flash drive is simpler for new users.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    SW Forida
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Kubuntu

    Re: Can I create a bootable USB external (not Flash) drive?

    UEFI installs, put an UEFI boot entry into the UEFI that uses GUID/partuuid to find ESP partition on drive.
    If moving to a another system, and keeping as internal drive best to create new entry in UEFI.

    You will only be able to initially boot by using a drive entry like you do when booting USB flash drive.

    If fstab has correct UUID for ESP, then you can create new UEFI entry with this which assumes a lot of defaults.
    sudo grub-install

    To see UEFI entries, used to need -v to see details, but now efibootmgr has details & -v has even more data:
    sudo efibootmgr
    or
    sudo efibootmgr -v

    To see if ESP mounted:
    cat /etc/fstab
    mount

    To see uuid, partuuids & other useful info:
    lsblk -e 7 -o name,fstype,size,fsused,label,partlabel,mountpoint ,uuid,partuuid
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
    Beans
    38

    Re: Can I create a bootable USB external (not Flash) drive?

    Thanks for the answers. They're probably above my pay grade though.

    Just to clarify, I have an existing PC running Ubuntu, and I wanted to use that to create the bootable drive that I would then install in another PC. So, I have an existing Ubuntu machine available to do this.

    But as I mentioned in the edit of my first post, I did find an installer USB stick that I forgot that I'd made a few months ago. So, that turned out to be the simplest and quickest route. It's all up and running now.

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