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I've been trying to install Ubuntu to a USB drive so I can save files and take it to friends house that don't use Ubuntu. This way I still have all my files with me when I travel. My issues is it seems to install I select install grub onto the USB stick but grub installs to the internal hard drive every time. I don't know if this is a bug I asked this question awhile back and someone said it might be a bug but I was hopping it would be fixed with the new version. Any thoughts?

  • you could manually install grub to the usbdrive using grub-install. – Phillip -Zyan K Lee- Stockmann Nov 11 '16 at 18:44
  • Do you prefer not to make a Ubuntu live USB? To me, it seems to be a good way to have a portable Ubuntu. It may not run on some computers, due to UEFI/BIOS issues, though. – theodorn Nov 11 '16 at 19:55
  • You could make an Ubuntu Live USB stick with persistent storage (so you could store files on the USB stick). See http://askubuntu.com/a/753163/25618 – waltinator Nov 12 '16 at 00:22
  • Sounds like the op wants to transfer files to/from his friends Win computers, this requires a FAT32 or NTFS first partition, not explained on that page. – C.S.Cameron Nov 12 '16 at 11:18

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The safest way to install to USB, (and ensure everything including grub is installed in the right place), is to first unplug the internal drive, boot the Live DVD or USB installer, once booted plug in the target drive and install to it.

You might want to use "something else" while partitioning to make the first partition FAT32 or NTFT so both Windows and Ubuntu can see data on it.

If you want to use the USB as an installer, (once your friends want to install Ubuntu), you can use mkusb to make the drive. It can make a persistent partition and automatically create a windows compatible partition.

C.S.Cameron
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