Installing and running Linux Mint from an external HDD connected to a Win 10 laptop.

[grain]

I've tried Mint using a USB flash drive, but I want to investigate further and use Mint and test many apps before deciding if I want to go with Mint or remain with Win.

 

I don't really want to buy another laptop just to try out Mint, so if I bought an ext HDD, can I set that up and install Mint apps and retain all my settings, and just use that plugged into a USB port on my Win 10 machine?

 

If so are there any pitfalls I need watch out for? I don't want to change or screw up anything in the Win 10 settings. 

[gargamon]

You can do everything you want with mint on a usb stick too. The keyword is persistence.

 

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=344536

[freeworld]

Don't need another notebook to try out linux.

 

I bought an nvme ssd installed it into a portable case and connected to my pc via usb 3 and installed manjaro and endeavouros onto it, there was no noticeable diff between that and using linux on a usb.

 

Trying out linux on an ext hard disk is a bit overkill, the usb stick should suffice for that.

Edited August 10, 2023 by freeworld

[circa02]

Open your laptop,  and find out if it's NVMe or 2.5" SSD, buy another drive - 500-600thb (e.g. 240gb ADATA ssd or 240gb nvme), it takes a few minutes to change drives over, easy to experiment with no risk to your existing setup, the omg dual booting borked my system is all too common

 

External drives are generally rated slower, then the issue of USB bus speeds, cable, power if not latest setup... risks giving you a bad experience, although as freeworld notes with everything lined up perfectly it can potentially work. Also I wouldn't start with Arch derivative if you're just testing the waters and have no prior exposure to arch ecosystem / arch ivory tower

Edited August 10, 2023 by circa02

[grain]

Thanks for the comments guys, I've got a couple of spare usb flash drives and I'll see how I go installing to one of them.

[grain]

regarding me question above: I've ordered an ext hdd from Shopee. I plan to install Mint to this ext hdd and then install and test the various apps, and run Mint from that ext hdd via my Win 10 laptop.

 

My next questions are: can I get a Thai tech to install Mint to my ext hdd for me? Then I bring the ext hdd home and plug it into my Win 10 laptop and boot and use it? Or does Mint have to be installed to the ext hdd while connected to my Win 10 laptop?

 

If possible I want someone with more knowledge than me to set up Mint on the ext hdd. I'm concerned if I do it myself I'll screw up my laptop. I've read it's possible to stuff up my Win 10 installation if not done correctly.

[freeworld]

 

1 hour ago, grain said:

regarding me question above: I've ordered an ext hdd from Shopee. I plan to install Mint to this ext hdd and then install and test the various apps, and run Mint from that ext hdd via my Win 10 laptop.

 

My next questions are: can I get a Thai tech to install Mint to my ext hdd for me? Then I bring the ext hdd home and plug it into my Win 10 laptop and boot and use it? Or does Mint have to be installed to the ext hdd while connected to my Win 10 laptop?

 

If possible I want someone with more knowledge than me to set up Mint on the ext hdd. I'm concerned if I do it myself I'll screw up my laptop. I've read it's possible to stuff up my Win 10 installation if not done correctly.

It is quite easy to do.

 

1. Download the linux mint iso from mint website.
2. Download rufus from rufus website (I usually use the portable version, there is no installation to the pc)
3. Plug the HDD drive into the usb port and format it.
4. Open Rufus and select the iso from your pc folder where the iso is downloaded into.
5. Create the persistence (this saves all the updates and settings and apps installed and any modifications) just move the slider over to however much you need 4,8 12GB etc...
6. Click install and mint will be installed to your ext HDD (It may take a little bit of time to install)
7. After it is installed close rufus.
8. Reboot your pc to BIOS and select or set the ext usb HDD as the boot drive, save and reboot and linux mint will boot to the desktop environment.

 

Nothing on your win 10 pc will be affected by this.

 

If you are in Bangkok, there is only Fortune town and pantip, one of the small shops would be able to do it.

 

Yes the linux mint installed on the ext harddisk can be installed via another pc and opened/booted on another pc, the only thing is on the other pc one has to set in bios the ext hdd linux as the priority boot drive.

Edited August 25, 2023 by freeworld

[grain]

16 hours ago, freeworld said:

 

It is quite easy to do.

 

1. Download the linux mint iso from mint website.
2. Download rufus from rufus website (I usually use the portable version, there is no installation to the pc)
3. Plug the HDD drive into the usb port and format it.
4. Open Rufus and select the iso from your pc folder where the iso is downloaded into.
5. Create the persistence (this saves all the updates and settings and apps installed and any modifications) just move the slider over to however much you need 4,8 12GB etc...
6. Click install and mint will be installed to your ext HDD (It may take a little bit of time to install)
7. After it is installed close rufus.
8. Reboot your pc to BIOS and select or set the ext usb HDD as the boot drive, save and reboot and linux mint will boot to the desktop environment.

 

Nothing on your win 10 pc will be affected by this.

 

If you are in Bangkok, there is only Fortune town and pantip, one of the small shops would be able to do it.

 

Yes the linux mint installed on the ext harddisk can be installed via another pc and opened/booted on another pc, the only thing is on the other pc one has to set in bios the ext hdd linux as the priority boot drive.

Thank you for a very detailed reply. However I don't understand #5: how do I know how much to set this to? Is this like a partition? I have a 2TB ext drive that I'll be using.

[freeworld]

3 hours ago, grain said:

Thank you for a very detailed reply. However I don't understand #5: how do I know how much to set this to? Is this like a partition? I have a 2TB ext drive that I'll be using.

Yes, that creates an internal partition within the os to save any updates, changes you make etc... You dont really have access to this as it will be part of the operating system.

 

With a 2TB hard drive the OS will take up about 15GB and you can set the persistence to max I think is 12GB.

 

The rest of the harddisk will be free for you to store personal files, data etc...

 

If you want to resize or create more partitions there is a software in linux called gparted. There additional partitions can be created on the remaining free space of the ext harddisk.

[grain]

1 hour ago, freeworld said:

Yes, that creates an internal partition within the os to save any updates, changes you make etc... You dont really have access to this as it will be part of the operating system.

 

With a 2TB hard drive the OS will take up about 15GB and you can set the persistence to max I think is 12GB.

 

The rest of the harddisk will be free for you to store personal files, data etc...

 

If you want to resize or create more partitions there is a software in linux called gparted. There additional partitions can be created on the remaining free space of the ext harddisk.

Thanks again for a very helpful reply.

[grain]

On 8/26/2023 at 8:40 AM, freeworld said:

Yes, that creates an internal partition within the os to save any updates, changes you make etc... You dont really have access to this as it will be part of the operating system.

 

With a 2TB hard drive the OS will take up about 15GB and you can set the persistence to max I think is 12GB.

 

The rest of the harddisk will be free for you to store personal files, data etc...

 

If you want to resize or create more partitions there is a software in linux called gparted. There additional partitions can be created on the remaining free space of the ext harddisk.

As these sizes you give me here are not that large (15GB + 12GB) I've now got a 300GB ext hdd that'll use, I reckon 2TB is going to be lots of wasted space.