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I plan to install a portable Ubuntu. I prefer to install on a flashdrive whith a full functionality. But seems it is not easy, so does not easy to install on an external harddrive. So I would like to put the external harddrive become an internal harddrive and I will install the Ubuntu on it. When all are completed, then I will remove the harddrive from internal and I will put back as an external harddrive. And I expect it will work with full functionality.

Then my question is, is it possible to do so? In this case, the external harddrive will be fully dedicated to Ubuntu, and will not be used for another purpose, such as external storage.

AirCraft Lover
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    Yes it should work if only drive when installing. Its just that internal drive will boot from an ubuntu entry if UEFI and then as external drive only from a drive entry that has to use /EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi. Grub now creates that /EFI/Boot folder also. Your internal entry may work, but only from the computer you installed it from. If BIOS, it will just have grub boot loader in MBR. – oldfred Mar 04 '19 at 04:22
  • Yes, it will work, and it is quite easy to try. An installed system is portable between computers, but not quite as portable as a persistent live system. If you unplug the [original] internal drive, you can install Ubuntu into a USB flash drive in the same way as you install it into a hard disk drive or an SSD. See this link and links from it: How do I install Ubuntu to a USB key? (without using Startup Disk Creator) – sudodus Mar 04 '19 at 07:42
  • Why didn't you post your answer rather that just comment like this? – AirCraft Lover Mar 04 '19 at 11:17

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Ubuntu does not care if the drive was internal or external when it was installed. You can install to an internal drive then move it to external enclosure or vice versa.

The procedure to install to internal drive, external drive or flash drive is the same.

There should not be any problem installing proprietary drivers, (Nvidia), if the drive will remain on one computer.

I prefer a drive that will boot both BIOS and UEFI as it is often tempting to move the drive from computer to computer: Ubuntu on a USB stick - boot in both BIOS and UEFI modes

C.S.Cameron
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