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The "Linux questions (and other stuff)" thread

Now I understand what you're wanting to do. I have done it before but it was quite a while ago. First, the computer will have to be able to boot to the external drive. Then you would have to set it to be the first boot device in the BIOS when you want to boot from it.

Sorry if I'm not being very clear but I'm at work and doing this from memory.
 
saptech said:
Now I understand what you're wanting to do. I have done it before but it was quite a while ago. First, the computer will have to be able to boot to the external drive. Then you would have to set it to be the first boot device in the BIOS when you want to boot from it.

Sorry if I'm not being very clear but I'm at work and doing this from memory.
Click to expand...

And I'm cool with all that. What I need to figure out is how to set all that up correctly during the installation process (that being installing a distro to the external HDD). Like I said, the only way I can get the option to install the bootloader to the external drive is using the manual partitioning option and its tricky to figure out AND be confident that I'm in no way affecting my internal drive...because the internal and all its partitions show up on there as well. I'd be way more confident to throw caution to the wind if when I clicked on my external drive, the internal drive would go away so I'd know for sure it wasn't in play.
 
I'm half tempted now that I already have Kubuntu installed on my external HDD by using the automatic/guided method, to boot back to the Kubuntu live disc (pendrive) and re-install it over the top of itself. I think the manual method might be easy then since it's already partitioned for a typical install.

OR, will it not work over a pre-existing install since the partitions are already being used?

In either case, I'd rather learn the correct, manual way to do it during the initial install. If that plan did work, it'd be more of a workaround than anything.
 
What I do and it works for me is create a partition on the external hard drive. You can do that with Windows or whichever OS already installed on the main computer. You do not have to format it, but just create it and then start the installation routine again.

Once the installation has started, choose the manual route and go from there. Just pay attention to which device you're working with /dev/sda or /dev/sdg.

The external partition can be as big as you would like, from 10gb on up. 20gb or bigger would be better. If you have Ubuntu already installed, you can let the external OS use the current swap partition.

When it comes time for Grub, install it into the external drive's root partition and not the MBR (sda).
 
Dngrsone said:
When I want to make sure a certain drive is not brought into play, I just unplug the damn thing...
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea. I have considered that. My tower is somewhat of a pain to access in it's current home but it'd be squat compared to rebuilding the contents of that internal drive. I don't even want to contemplate the nightmare that would accompany that.
 
Actually, didn't turn out so well. I moved the tower and the cable connecting the external was taught enough that it pulled the external drive off the back of the desk and it landed on the floor and broke. Experiment over. Ah well, it was fun while it lasted. :)
 
Hey guys, I've just recently installed Linux Mint on my Dell laptop (I have a thread in this forum about it slowing down) and there are (quite) a few things I don't understand. No really!

One of the things that came up in my other thread was that Moodyblues asked me why I only had one mount point. LOL. No reason except that I have no idea what mount points are or how many I should have. I only set one up ("/") because the installer wouldn't install Linux without it.

This is what my system looked like when Moody asked me:

Screenshotfrom2014-01-20165605_zps40dd9567.png


She got me wondering whether I should set up other mount points, but... without consciously doing anything that would change things, I now have TWO mount points:

ScreenshotgpartedwithDATAmountpoint_zps0f27ace6.png



For some reason my DATA partition (from my old Win 7 installation) now has a mount point /media/dave/DATA.

I don't know how this happened or whether it is ideal. Could anyone enlighten this poor ignorant soul?

ANOTHER thing... I have setup Dropbox but it isn't working as I would expect. Every time I reboot my computer, Dropbox cannot find my dropbox folder - which is on the DATA partition. I have found I need to click on DATA in files because the drive isn't mounted. Then I need to kill Dropbox in Terminal and restart it and then it syncs (I'm learning stuff :).)

I'm wondering why this partition isn't mounting automatically, and when it is mounted the Removable Drives notification appears in the "system tray" and when I click on it, DATA appears in a list (sorry don't know the linux lingo for that bottom right-hand part of the "task bar" - or for the task bar, for that matter.)

My DATA partition is obviously being considered a removable drive, and I'm wondering how I can change this so that Dropbox works automatically. :)
 
What I like to do is have a root (/) partition and a separate /home partition. This is so that I can reinstall Linux (currently Mint) without affecting the data in my /home folder.

I've only had to do that twice, to be honest with you, but old habits...

Anyway, having a separate /Data partition is fine. I have a separate /Data partition formatted NTFS as well, because I dual-boot Win 8 and Linux Mint 15.

I keep my music and any other data that I might need to be able to access from either OS on that partition, since Windows does not natively see the Linux partitions.

Ubuntu (and therefor Mint) no longer automounts NTFS partitions on bootup, but it is a simple procedure to fix that; just Google "automount NTFS ubuntu".

I'd do it for you, but I am pressed for time this morning.
 
Dngrsone said:
Ubuntu (and therefor Mint) no longer automounts NTFS partitions on bootup, but it is a simple procedure to fix that; just Google "automount NTFS ubuntu".

I'd do it for you, but I am pressed for time this morning.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I can search that myself now that I know the problem is that NTFS partitions don't automount. The difference a little bit of knowledge can make! :thumb:
 
saptech said:
What I do and it works for me is create a partition on the external hard drive. You can do that with Windows or whichever OS already installed on the main computer. You do not have to format it, but just create it and then start the installation routine again.

Once the installation has started, choose the manual route and go from there. Just pay attention to which device you're working with /dev/sda or /dev/sdg.

The external partition can be as big as you would like, from 10gb on up. 20gb or bigger would be better. If you have Ubuntu already installed, you can let the external OS use the current swap partition.

When it comes time for Grub, install it into the external drive's root partition and not the MBR (sda).
Click to expand...

this is pretty much what I do. I do it manually never had an issue with it.
 
Dngrsone said:
When I want to make sure a certain drive is not brought into play, I just unplug the damn thing...
Click to expand...

Thanks man. I turned my frown upside down and just walked in the door with a brand new 1TB Seagate external HDD. I decided I was worth it. :D

Not sure if the wife will agree though. :ahhhhh:
 
I actually jumped from Arch to Fedora over the weekend (really not much difference since I was using GNOME 3 before anyway)
 
I've been using Kubuntu almost exclusively as of late. I'm really liking KDE and the dark, Oxygen theme is right up my alley.
 
Finally found a college kid who is taking programming for Linux. He fixed all the strange errors Kubuntu had, now it's working just fine.

Some errors I can fix myself. I did get Pale Moon and SW Iron installed - both working fine.

Fixed an error with a Canon Pixma 6000 which would not print right.
I'm suspecting that some older Canon printers that have more than 4 cartridges might have a problem. I installed the printer as i850, and reversed the cartridge order in setup. Instead of CMYK, it's KYMC. I think that the 6000 having photo cyan and photo magenta, caused the problem. Newer printers and drivers should be ok.
 
Trying to get Origin to install correctly...

Like an idiot, I have bought C&C for the third or fourth time... at least this time the programs have been recoded to work in Vista.

But I would much rather play it in Linux. I am a glutton for punishment.
 
A small issue.

Hoping someone here can help me out with this. I'm Using OpenSuse 13.1 with KDE Plasma Desktop.

Currently I have my *.jpg, *.png and other picture formats set for Gimp to open when I click on the file. I have tried changing this by going to the file type choosing properties and then I move up the Program I want to open that type of file in the Application Preference Order Section of the dialog box. Click the apply button and close out the dialog box I click on the File and Gimp opens up. I re select properties and in the APO its Gimp up top again. So what is going to be a better way for me to set up my prefer'd Application for the file type?
 
I'm not certain but maybe try logging out and back in for the changes to take effect. You would think it shouldn't be needed but worth a try.
 
saptech said:
I'm not certain but maybe try logging out and back in for the changes to take effect. You would think it shouldn't be needed but worth a try.
Click to expand...

no that didn't work either there has to be some kind of association file in my home folder that i haven't found that is preventing the change. maybe a permission thing.
 
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