Booting Linux (Ubuntu) from portable HD??

[Coldhearth]

Hi,

I was wondering if it would be possible to use a portable HD (Iomega - Prestige Portable Hard Drive) as a boot disk for Linux (Ubuntu 9.10 and other versions also probably).

I would like to install Linux on the portable harddrive and then use that same linux distro on different computers in my home or at school.

Also the disk should be able to save data from windows and/or mac computers without affecting the space made avalaible for the Linux distro.

Is this all possible? I would buy a drive from 500GB

[WingedPanther]

Yes, it's possible.

[Hignar]

As WingedPanther said it is possible.

However, you'll only be able to use it on systems that will boot from USB. If the machines in question are reasonably recent then it shouldn't be a problem, but if they are more than about 3 years old then it can't be guaranteed that they be able to boot the drive.

There are ways 'round this by booting from a CD/floppy that will then allow you to boot from USB.

[marwex89]

My tutorial on LiveUSBs might interest you: LiveUSB - Take your system with you ANYWHERE!

It's on flash drives, but most of it applies to this as well. For the

the disk should be able to save data from windows and/or mac computers without affecting the space made avalaible for the Linux distro.

that is not a problem. Just format the _first_ partition to a windows/mac readable filesystem, and install Linux to later partitions. Windows only sees the first partition of a USB drive, I'm not sure about Mac.

[Coldhearth]

I'm using a macbook pro generation 1-1 and a imac that about 1 year old so...

[marwex89]

Oh well, then you'll find out. I recommend using the first partition for the data storage anyway, or else it won't be accessible from Windows (unless you have special tools)