A quick question...

[monkeybreath98]

I have removed Kubuntu from my computer and replaced it with windows.
The ONLY reason I have done this is for my iPod + iTunes integration. I would have made my computer a dual-boot system but I don't have that much room to play around with in the first place (30gB Hard drive isn't much at all).

I want to put Kubuntu back onto my system, but would like to do so with an external hard drive. Which is where my question begins.

What kind of external Hard drive should I get? And is it possible to put just Kubuntu on the hard drive and still run it as a primary boot up?

Oh and some other information that may be useful. My laptop is a Dell Latitude D500, 30gB internal hard drive. Current OS Windows XP Professional SP3.

Side Note: Yes I know you can use Amarok to use your iPod with, but it doesn't sync with iTunes, therefore, not allowing software updates to the iPod. That is the only reason I installed Winblows! And I still wanted to have enough space for other programs only accessible by Windows.

[Qqmike]

Re: A quick question...

Quick question?
Quite an undertaking you are considering. I have not tried various booting experiments involving a laptop; my experience is with a desktop only. Given that caveat ... I think you can do this if you are willing to do some reading and research and are willing to play around with it until it goes.

Considerations:

If you want to set the laptop BIOS to boot from the internal hard drive, have GRUB installed to the MBR of the internal hard drive, and boot Kubuntu on the external drive, that would be Case 1 to try.

Case 2 would be where the BIOS is set to boot from the external hard drive, GRUB is installed to the MBR of the external hard drive, and you boot Windows from that GRUB. In this case, you should use a special patched GRUB that contains the usbshift function. Furthermore, to get Windows booted, you'll be booting Windows on a non-first hard drive, and so will need to use map functions in Windows boot entry in the menu.lst located on the external hard drive. Your BIOS must support "Boot from USB."

Case 3 might be where you put GRUB for USB on a flash drive and attempt to boot both Windows (on the internal laptop drive) and Kubuntu (on the external USB hard drive) from the flash drive. Again, you'll need to install to the flash drive the special GRUB for USB (that contains usbshift). And your laptop BIOS must support "Boot from USB."


Finally, and first, you'll have to figure out how your laptop handles your external drive.
Is the external drive truly eSATA and therefore hot-pluggable?
Or, is the external drive functioning as USB and must you power down the PC, connect the external drive, turn it on, and then power up your laptop for the external drive to be recognized? Before you can boot anything on the external drive, or before you can boot anything from the external drive, the external drive must, of course, be “ready” and recognized by the laptop.


Those are the considerations. What you need here is a partner on the forum who has a laptop and can help experiment. Lot of work. If you are not already versed in booting methods, you'll need to do that first. Remember, if you are successful setting this up, you will need to maintain it as you change things, e.g., Kubuntu versions.


Option:
Install Kubuntu to a Live, persistent flash drive.


Good luck with your project!




The principles (for booting) are (and see the references given in the links):

How To GRUB Methods - Toolkit
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081671.0
Reply #12: Install Windows XP *after* Kubuntu, and install XP to a non-first hard drive: map command Reply #12

How To Make GRUB Thumb Drive
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081748.0
How to install K/Ubuntu 7.04 to an external USB hard disk drive (HDD), Reply #1
USB experiment: USB drive shifting Reply #5
Kubuntu 7.10 on LIVE Flash Drive Reply #13

Bigpond, home: http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/
Click on his GRUB page for dual booting and GRUB methods.

[monkeybreath98]

Re: A quick question...

Ok thanks that helps alot, just one more question though, would it be possible to move Windows, without losing any data, to the external hard drive then use the internal hard drive for my root folder and use the rest of the external drive for the home folder?

[Fintan]

Re: A quick question...

would it be possible to move Windows,

Yes,
the simple way if you want to go the vmware path:
http://www.howtoforge.com/vmware_con..._windows_linux

and then install vmware player and run it from the external drive.

I use that method to run photoshop cs3, flash cs3 and dreamweaver cs3 with no problems at all on a 1gig ram pnetuim 4 machine. So for ipod /itunes you shouldn't have any problems.

i can give you details if you want.

The difficult way is to reinstall windows on the external drive, figure out how to boot from it and then install kubuntu on your HD and point grub to boot both. Qmike can help you with that part..

Either way I would suggest putting your data on a separate partition HD or external.

We can help there as well.

[monkeybreath98]

Re: A quick question...

Ok well i'll tell you how things work out. Just may be a week or two before i get the external drive.

[Qqmike]

Re: A quick question...

If you use the map commands, you do NOT need to use the special USB patched version of GRUB (that uses usbshift). That'll become clear in the how-to's.