I recently set up Linux on an external SSD, but I'm only seeing 8GB of system storage available. Can someone help me understand what went wrong and how to fix it?
3 Answers
If you’re looking for visual aids, there are plenty of YouTube tutorials out there for installing Linux. Here are some you can check out:
- https://youtu.be/n8vmXvoVjZw
- https://youtu.be/_BoqSxHTTNs
- https://youtu.be/FPYF5tKyrLk
- https://youtu.be/IyT4wfz5ZMg
Definitely check which distro you're using and follow its specific installation guide. Also, it’s important to clarify what’s showing as 8GB—is that coming from your PC or the external SSD? Keep in mind, you’re supposed to use a bootable USB thumb drive for installations.
It sounds like you might have just booted into a live environment instead of a full installation. When you write the ISO directly to the SSD, it treats it like a trial version where your changes aren't permanent. What you should do is use an 8 or 16GB USB thumb drive to write the ISO. Then, during the installation, select your SSD as the target. This will create the necessary partitions and install the full system onto the SSD. Just a heads-up, if you install Linux on an external SSD, it might only work on the machine you initially installed it on—it's best not to try booting from it on different machines.
That's not entirely accurate though! As long as you manage some settings, like avoiding certain proprietary drivers and making sure both machines boot in the same mode, you should be fine. Linux is pretty flexible with hardware!
I agree! More details would help a lot. Also, make sure you downloaded the ISO properly. Using an external SSD is fine, but you should typically start with a USB drive for the install process.