I'm trying to set up a dual-boot system with Linux Mint Cinnamon and Windows, but I want to use my external hard drive instead of a USB stick for the installation. I've had issues with USBs, as the only one I had broke. I've formatted my 1.81 TB external hard drive and I'm struggling to make it bootable. I tried using Ventoy to load the Linux Mint ISO, but while it boots into the live environment, I encounter errors during the installation, indicating issues with copying files. Any tips on how to get this working?
4 Answers
You can definitely use Ventoy on your external drive, but the process can be a bit tricky. Make sure your external hard drive is set up correctly with Ventoy installed, then just drop your ISO files onto it. When you boot from your external drive, select the ISO you want to install and try booting from that. Remember to choose the right 'Grub2' mode in the Ventoy menu to avoid installation issues.
You really could try copying a few different Linux distro ISOs onto your external HDD and see if you can get any of them to install. Sometimes the issue is just with a particular ISO file. Also, ensure you're booting from the right device when starting your PC; it can be easy to accidentally boot from the wrong drive if you're not careful.
Going back to the basics, if you do have access to a different USB drive, they are pretty cheap these days. A simple one with enough space should work just fine. Trying to install from an external drive can cause complications, especially when it's the same drive you're using for ISO storage. It's usually best to have a separate bootable USB or DVD.
You're right, I should probably just get another USB for this, but I want to make sure this external HDD method is also a viable option if I need it.
If Ventoy isn't working for you, another method is to write the ISO to a DVD if you have an optical drive. I personally used to burn the installer ISO to a DVD-R and then boot from that—it's a straightforward method that often gets the job done without all the hassle of USB issues.
I did check the ISO and it seems fine, but I think I might try different ones just to be safe.