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Question

Installing Umbuntu on USB hard disk

Jan 30, 2012 3:26PM PST

Hi all.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
(sry don't know how to edit posts)
Jan 30, 2012 3:34PM PST

Also I should mention that my USB disk is not partitioned, and I'm leaving the installer at the default 18Gb installation (it gives me options from I think 2Gb up to 30Gb).

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update
Jan 30, 2012 5:09PM PST

I tried it one more time, this time selecting a 10Gb install. This time the install finished and I was able to actually get in and play around a bit, even changing the desktop background and whatnot. Tried rebooting just to make sure it would still work...and it didn't. After selecting Ubuntu from the OS selection screen the computer gave me an error screen, saying that Windows (!) had a missing or corrupt file - listing an Ubuntu file in the Ubuntu directory - and asking me to insert my Windows CD or choose a different OS. Also tried plugging the drive into the bad machine, and got "Non-system file or disk error/insert disk press any key to retry." Both machines are set to be bootable from USB hard disks, and both are set to try USB drives before the internal drive. On the bad machine, I still have to F9 for the boot menu to choose the USB drive, or I get the same problem that started this whole foray in the first place (<span id="INSERTION_MARKER">http://forums.cnet.com/7723-6142_102-554371.html).
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<span>The working machine (the one I used to install Ubuntu) is described in my original post above; the other machine is an HP/Compaq 6710b with XP SP3.