I'm planning to dual boot Linux on my PC that runs Windows 11. I've bought an M.2 SSD specifically for Linux Mint to avoid partitioning issues. I know I need a bootable USB stick for the installation, but the only USB drives I have are tiny 250 MB pen drives. I do have a couple of external hard drives from WD and Seagate that I can wipe clean. I'm wondering if I can use one of those instead of a USB stick for the installation. Once I transfer my files off the external drive, would there be any risks or caveats to using a 1TB external hard drive for this purpose?
3 Answers
Yes, an external hard drive will work just like a USB stick for creating installation media. When you set it up, it will just be treated as another storage option and will be reformatted in the process. However, remember that any files on the external drive will be deleted, so make sure you back them up first! If you plan on doing this often, it might be worth investing in a USB stick, as they are affordable and easier to use for this purpose.
Using an external hard drive is fine! Just wipe it completely after transferring your stuff, and format it for the installation. Just keep in mind that it’s best to have a USB stick handy in case any problems come up later.
It's basically the same as using a USB. Just be careful that when you write the ISO image, all the data on the external drive will be erased. Also, you'll need to repartition and format it again to use it afterward. In case you run into issues later, having a dedicated USB installation media is a good idea.
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