I'm trying to install Linux on an external hard drive and I'm struggling with the partitioning. I have to do it manually since it's an external drive. What's the best way to set this up?
4 Answers
Are you looking at dual booting or just using the external drive as your main system?
I’m hoping to help you out. If it’s just a blank drive, running a live boot USB should technically work. But to avoid issues, focus on creating your partitions as you install. It's usually a smooth process with the right setup.
Make sure to select the external drive during boot after installation. It may take a bit longer to initialize compared to an internal drive since it's external.
Honestly, the process can vary by distro. I've installed on external drives using several distros like Linux Mint and EndeavourOS without any hassle. They often handle the partitioning automatically, making it easier for you. Typically, you'll end up with a 1-2GB EFI partition (FAT32) and the rest as ext4 for the root filesystem.
To set up your external drive, you'll need a couple of partitions: start with a FAT32 partition for EFI—about 512MB should work. Then, use the rest of the drive for an ext4 partition where the OS and your files will live.
If you want, you can make the root partition smaller, like 64GB, and then create another ext4 partition for your home directory. This way, all your personal files are kept separate from the OS, making it easier to reinstall Linux without losing anything!
I'm going for both! I want it to work as a dual boot but also act like a regular hard drive. I’m having issues with partitioning the SSD; it doesn’t behave like I expect when I try to set it up. Should I install the ISO directly on the HD and try again? Maybe it’s because it’s blank?