I'm looking to set up a dual boot system on my HP Victus laptop, with Windows installed on my internal SSD and Linux on an external SSD. I'd like Windows to boot automatically when the external SSD isn't connected. Is there a reliable way to do this?
4 Answers
Just a tip: try to make your titles a bit more descriptive next time. Specifics really help in forums and can attract the right advice quicker. Good luck with your setup!
Here's a solid approach:
1. Create a bootable installation USB for your preferred Linux distro using Rufus.
2. Remove the Windows SSD from your laptop to avoid any complications.
3. Connect both the USB and the external SSD to your laptop, then install the Linux distribution onto the external drive. This will take care of partitioning the SSD and setting up the necessary boot partition.
4. Finally, put the Windows SSD back in.
This method allows the Windows and Linux installations to remain completely separate. You can choose which system to boot by pressing "Esc" or "F9" when you start up. I've relied on this method for years, and it works flawlessly without any headache from boot partition tags.
Running Linux off an external drive absolutely works, and I've had success with it! I have a Beelink Mini S that relies solely on external SSDs for my Linux distributions, like Ubuntu and Fedora. Each distro is installed on a different SSD, and they all boot up just fine. The trick is to keep each drive self-contained with its own boot partition to avoid issues.
I totally agree with the previous suggestion; it's a straightforward process. I have an HP laptop myself, with Windows 10 on the internal HDD and Fedora on an external SSD. Whenever I need to maintain Windows, I just unplug the Fedora drive. Trust me, managing dual booting from a single drive often leads to complications; this way is definitely cleaner.
Yup, all major Linux distros can run off external drives! It's super convenient for testing and evaluation, which I do frequently as part of a retiree group. We've been trying out various distros without any serious troubles.