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I have two hard drives in my computer and would like to install Ubuntu 18.04.3 on the second hard drive. I wanted to know if there is any way to install it without leaving my main drive?

Asaf M
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  • You can install on any drive you like, what is the question? – Pilot6 Sep 18 '19 at 22:10
  • If I can install while still on my first drive. –  Sep 18 '19 at 22:11
  • What do you mean by "still on my first drive"? You can keep Windows and install Ubuntu. – Pilot6 Sep 18 '19 at 22:11
  • Instead of moving to my second drive to install it, can I install it while in windows on my first drive. –  Sep 18 '19 at 22:12
  • @Pilot6 That question and answer don't cover the "something else" method of installing to a separate disk. I think this one is more appropriate: https://askubuntu.com/a/163544/167115 – mchid Sep 18 '19 at 22:20
  • This doesn't look like installing on an external drive. – Pilot6 Sep 18 '19 at 22:26
  • https://askubuntu.com/a/163544/167115 This question covers installing to a USB drive but the method should remain the same for your extra hard drive. As mentioned in the top answer to this question, you will need to choose the option "something else". Your main drive with windows should show up as /dev/sda and your extra drive should show up as /dev/sdb but make sure to verify this before you proceed. For example, if /dev/sdb shows windows, then you will need to install to /dev/sda instead. – mchid Sep 18 '19 at 22:27
  • Beware that Disk C: and D: in Windows may be one physical drive. – Pilot6 Sep 18 '19 at 22:27
  • @Pilot6 This covers installing to a USB instead of a hard disk but the method is exactly the same: install to /dev/sdb instead of /dev/sda. https://askubuntu.com/a/163544/167115 – mchid Sep 18 '19 at 22:28

1 Answers1

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You "are" not on any drive. To install Linux, for example Ubuntu, on your second drive, you boot your computer from for example a live DVD, instead of starting Windows. That live DVD offers you to install Linux. During the installation you can select which drive you want to install Linux on by selecting the option "something else" when the installer asks you if you want to install "along side windows". If necessary, you can create the appropriate partitions and the like.

Your main drive with Windows should show up as /dev/sda and your extra drive should show up as /dev/sdb but this can change so you will want to verify this to make sure this is the case before you proceed with the installation.

Be aware that if you install Linux on your second drive (or any operating system on any drive, for that matter), all data that's currently on that drive gets overwritten. So you might want to move stuff beforehand.

In the installation process you also set up a boot loader. That boot loader offers you the choice the choice to start Linux or to start Windows every time you start your computer.

mchid
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Henning Kockerbeck
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