Ubuntu Linux

Fergie76

I am new to Linux and trying to use it for the first time, however I can't get it to load.

I made a LiveUSB (16GB USB Flash Drive) with Ubuntu Linux 17.10 and I am trying to install it on to a 2TB WD My Passport HDD.

I have set my Bios to boot from USB first (UEFI) and I am able to get Linux (try Linux mode) to run from the LiveUSB. I then install it on to the HDD, with no apparent errors. I remove the Flash Drive and restart my laptop, however, the boot won't recognise my HDD and just loads Windows.

I have tried on another laptop and same result.

Can anybody advise on how to get my HDD to load Linux?

Many thanks.

Frozen_up_north

You might find it a lot more convenient to use Oracle Virtual Box under Windows, then install your Linux in VB. You are then able to use both at once, if need be. I run XP 32 bit under Win 10 64 bit courtesy of VB.

The best part is it’s free and you can isolate the O/S that runs in the Virtual Box, so no need to worry too much about virus and malware in the case of XP.
https://www.virtualbox.org

MS1950

Assuming one or both of your laptops has a cd/dvd read/write drive (?) I'd recommend downloading a appropriate version of Linux Mint (based on Ubuntu but more complete) and burning a bootable dvd from it.

https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

During the installation process it will automatically detect the existing Windows installation and give you the option of wiping it completely or partitioning the HDD so both are installed side by side and you choose from a boot menu which to run when you turn on the laptop.

Fergie76

Frozen_up_north wrote: »

You might find it a lot more convenient to use Oracle Virtual Box under Windows, then install your Linux in VB. You are then able to use both at once, if need be. I run XP 32 bit under Win 10 64 bit courtesy of VB.

The best part is it’s free and you can isolate the O/S that runs in the Virtual Box, so no need to worry too much about virus and malware in the case of XP.
https://www.virtualbox.org

I looked at the virtual box and even downloaded, but as I wasn't quite sure what I was doing and didn't want to accidentally delete anything, I having it on an external drive was the safer option, until I get my head around it.

Fergie76

MS1950 wrote: »

Assuming one or both of your laptops has a cd/dvd read/write drive (?) I'd recommend downloading a appropriate version of Linux Mint (based on Ubuntu but more complete) and burning a bootable dvd from it.

https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

During the installation process it will automatically detect the existing Windows installation and give you the option of wiping it completely or partitioning the HDD so both are installed side by side and you choose from a boot menu which to run when you turn on the laptop.

Thanks, I'll look into this. On the version I have, it did give me the option of installing alongside Windows, but again, don't want to risk anything until I am confident I know what I am doing.

Frozen_up_north

You might like to play with Linux on a Raspberry Pi, they are cheap and fairly easy to use. The O/S is installed on a micro SD card, which you can separately back up, making experiments relatively fool proof.

The Rasps generally use Raspbian, a variation of Debian Linux, but can run others. The O/S SD card images can be written to, or backed up, in Windows with Win32DiskImager.

DoaM

Did you create a separate partition on the HDD onto which Linux could be installed?

As far as I know you can't have Windows and Linux coexisting on the same partition ... the file systems are different for a start.

AlSto

https://askubuntu.com/questions/446682/how-to-install-ubuntu-on-portable-external-hard-drive

Fergie76

DoaM wrote: »

Did you create a separate partition on the HDD onto which Linux could be installed?

As far as I know you can't have Windows and Linux coexisting on the same partition ... the file systems are different for a start.

I'm not trying to install it on to my internal HDD where windows is stored. It's a brand new external HDD, and it only has Linux on it.

onomatopoeia99

MS1950 wrote: »

Assuming one or both of your laptops has a cd/dvd read/write drive (?) I'd recommend downloading a appropriate version of Linux Mint (based on Ubuntu but more complete) and burning a bootable dvd from it.

Debian. Always debian. Never the clones.

I'm biased though, been using i since potato.

emptybox

It occurs to me that setting the BIOS to boot from USB first was perhaps not the correct move, because Ubuntu by default will put it's bootloader files (grub) on the main HDD (usually sda), so if the BIOS is looking to boot from the external USB drive it won't find grub there.

Can you remember where you asked it to install grub to?

Perhaps set the BIOS to boot from the main HDD first, and if you want to boot from USB subsequently then press F12 while booting up.

ETA: reading your OP again, you say that it just loads Windows, which suggests that grub was not installed on sda, so perhaps you installed grub to the external drive, and your system can't boot from it for some reason.

Maybe try again, installing grub to sda.
Or, if you don't want to disturb the Windows hard drive in any way, install grub to the external drive, and make that the primary HDD in BIOS, and use BIOS to switch between OSs.

Either way, I think it's the location of grub coupled with your BIOS settings that are causing your problem.
Sorry for the rambling post, but I was trying to think while typing it.