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I installed Ubuntu on my laptop with a USB stick, but it doesn't work right. If I remove the USB stick, the laptop won't boot. If I boot with the USB, I get the installation menu including trying Ubuntu before installing. I tried changing the boot procedure in BIOS, but it didn't change anything. Is it because Ubuntu was installed into the USB stick and not the hard drive?

SorenSondberg
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  • May be best to see details, use ppa version with your live installer (2nd option) or any working install, not older Boot-Repair ISO: Please copy & paste link to the Boot-info summary report ( do not post report), the auto fix sometimes can create more issues. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair – oldfred Mar 11 '20 at 18:28
  • Sounds like you installed the bootloader onto the USB stick. Try again. In "Something else" confirm that "Device for boot loader installation", the dropdown at the bottom of the page, points to the Target drive, (the laptop HDD). if you had installed to the USB you would not get the try/install page. for other possible errors see https://askubuntu.com/questions/1190764/why-doesnt-a-bootable-usb-boot – C.S.Cameron Mar 12 '20 at 02:53
  • I tried installing again and choosing "Something else". Device for boot loader installation was set to the HD by default, but when I click Install now, I'm told that "No root file system is defined". So what do I do? – SorenSondberg Mar 12 '20 at 11:29

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GRUB2 on a LiveUSB is designed to first show you the option of installation, and then the option to run Ubuntu from what the LiveUSB copies into memory. Only if you install Ubuntu to your internal drive will it boot Ubuntu from the internal drive.

Here's the installation procedure:

Download Ubuntu's ISO file at https://ubuntu.com/download

or for a supported 'flavour' with a different Desktop Environment, download from https://ubuntu.com/download/flavours .

Next, check for download errors by following https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/tutorial-how-to-verify-ubuntu#0 .

Make a LiveUSB following these instructions on another Linux PC https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/tutorial-create-a-usb-stick-on-ubuntu#0

or on a Windows PC https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/tutorial-create-a-usb-stick-on-windows#0 .

Once you make a LiveUSB, install it following these steps https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/tutorial-install-ubuntu-desktop#0 .

If you have problems with the installation, please check back here and provide details.

K7AAY
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  • I'm sorry, but I don't understand a single bit of what you're writing. I tried downloading the ISO file again, but I don't understand anything about checking for download errors. Something about some sort of files with some sort of checksum??? I'm sorry, but I'm not a software developer, and I have no idea how to do the things the guide says. Then I'm supposed to make a new USB stick with the Ubuntu ISO, but isn't that just doing the same thing one more time? Thank you for your help, but I'm just a human being and not a computer expert. – SorenSondberg Mar 12 '20 at 11:35
  • Checksum means you run a program to check the integrity of what you have downloaded. You do this before you install from a download to make sure what you're installing won't have a flaw in it. You can run the checksum to verify the ISO file you originally downloaded, If it comes up AOK, then we know the LiveUSB you make doesn't have a download flaw and and look for other causes. Please let us know the checksum result so we can know which way to go to find a solution for you. – K7AAY Mar 12 '20 at 15:36