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On my Windows 10 laptop, I had installed Ubuntu on a portable SSD and it was working well. I have an ongoing motherboard issue (Factory Program Mode, serial number not identified) that is quite stable now after BIOS update and reinstallation of Win10. I can no longer boot Ubuntu from the portable SSD and I understand that must be due to requirements that were on the main drive but no longer are. I'd like to re-install Ubuntu on the portable SSD using the protocol explained here, https://medium.com/geekculture/installing-linux-ubuntu-20-04-on-an-external-portable-ssd-and-pitfalls-to-be-aware-of-388294e701b5 so that if the same thing happens again I'll have free-standing Ubuntu on the portable SSD. The main hard drive wasn't reformatted prior to the Win10 reinstallation and I'm concerned that there might be Ubuntu boot elements (in GRUB?) that aren't working but might prevent a clean boot from the portable SSD with Ubuntu. I've sought to find and remove any such elements from the main hard drive, without success. Should I be concerned? If so, how can I ensure that the main drive is "clean" before following the above Ubuntu/portable SSD protocol?

Christopher Mundy
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  • Default Ubuntu install using Ubiquity, creates in the ESP - efi system partition an /EFI/ubuntu folder next to /EFI/Microsoft folder and creates in UEFI boot menu an "ubuntu" entry. As long as booting external drive from the internal drive that works fine. But if you want stand alone, you boot just like booting the live installer or from ESP using /EFI/Boot using description of a drive that you choose each time in UEFI boot menu. Do you have ESP on external drive. If you do, you just need to install grub. Post this, in question above: sudo parted -l You can create a default entry also, then. – oldfred Aug 02 '23 at 12:43
  • Thanks very much. The portable SSD is now reformatted so there’s nothing on it. I’ll check the intended protocol for standalone for ESP. My concern was that the efi/ubuntu would interfere. I couldn’t find it but will look again. Thanks again. – Christopher Mundy Aug 03 '23 at 19:15
  • It now also depends on version of Ubuntu your are installing. Older and some current versions use Ubiquity. New version uses Subiquity & some flavors use another installer. If using Ubiquity installer, see this bug. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+bug/1396379 Multiple work arounds on install in bug report. But you must have an ESP on external drive. While I use the one I posted a couple of times in bug report, this is probably easier. https://askubuntu.com/questions/16988/how-do-i-install-ubuntu-to-a-usb-key-without-using-startup-disk-creator – oldfred Aug 03 '23 at 19:28

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