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I have Ubuntu 16.04 bootable iso (using Rufus) on my 1TB external hard drive. I want to boot from this instead of the Windows installation on my internal SSD. If I follow the instructions to boot from the external, is that drive used as storage, and are there any precautions I need to take so that using this OS doesn't affect the system on my SSD?

zcleghern
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    Just to clarify your situation - have you actually installed Ubuntu, using the ISO file, onto the external hard drive? What is the source of the instructions that you intend to use to boot from the external drive? – CentaurusA Oct 20 '18 at 18:12
  • I have only put the iso on the drive, so no. The instructions I was using were: https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-boot-from-a-usb-device-2626091 but that was really just for reference. I'm open to suggestions. Basically I want to be able to use the external drive as if I had dual booted my laptop. The only reason Im not doing that is storage limitations on my internal SSD. – zcleghern Oct 20 '18 at 18:20
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    If I understand correctly, you want an installed system in your external hard disk drive (installed like into an internal drive). You can find useful tips and detailed instructions at the following link, How do I install Ubuntu to a USB key? (without using Startup Disk Creator) – sudodus Oct 20 '18 at 18:47
  • If you can accept to modify the bootloader in the internal drive, you can install Ubuntu without any precautions (with the standard installer ubiquity and select the correct drive like any dual boot system), but if you want the internal drive to be untouched, use the link in my previous comment. – sudodus Oct 20 '18 at 18:53
  • Most installers that extract ISO to external flash drive assume a smaller drive and erase the entire drive. And many installers use the hybrid DVD/flash drive install that is not a standard partition table erasing the first 2GB of drive, but also partition table so data is difficult to get to, if not impossible. Best to use a smaller flash drive. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromUSBStick – oldfred Oct 20 '18 at 21:05

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The Lifewire page essentially describes using a bootable, external USB drive (produced by installing your ISO file onto the external drive using Rufus or a similar utility). Most modern computers will allow booting directly from the external drive, usually by means of a function key to temporarily re-assign the boot order for available drives. When you boot into Ubuntu from such a drive, the contents of your SSD will be unaffected, unless you specifically store or delete something on that drive. The SSD will basically act as a second (data) drive, while the external drive is running the operating system.

CentaurusA
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