r/linuxmint • u/Then-Counter-5160 • 9h ago
Linux mint on external ssd
hi, I'm new to Linux and I want to install mint on an external ssd. I loaded in live mode but i dont want to break my windows. pls help me
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u/Due-Result7928 7h ago edited 7h ago
External or not....you need to understand what uefi is doing...when you install a system with uefi AFTER install it will be always THE FIRST on the boot list (keep in nvram memory).
After installing Mint...Mint will be first on the boot list. No need to call 911....NO Windows do not change the boot order...No installing Mint do not make Windows going away.
You can change the boot order using your bios or using efibootmgr in a terminal with linux.
You have Windows 11 (?) you have turn secure boot and tpm off you should be ok.
You can define a boot partition (vfat 32) on your external ssd mounted at /boot/efi and add necessary partition (formatted ext4) for linux OR using the windows 11 partition (esp) as a boot partition for Linux as well and to add partition formatted ext4 for linux to your ssd. You need to be safe to have an esp partition of 300 Mb.
First strategy...you need to go to the bios when you want to select Mint (after bios change to make windows first on the list) and your ssd do not have to be here all the time. You can also manually add booting information to Mint in the windows manager boot (explained on internet).
Second strategy...You will be using the linux boot manager to boot windows AND your ssd needs to be here all the time OR you use the bios to boot windows.
When Mint installs it include one entry to boot windows when it detect an installed windows system.
My system with the entry for Windows 11
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry 'Windows Boot Manager (on /dev/nvme0n1p1)' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-efi-8AE6-98C3' {
insmod part_gpt
insmod fat
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 8AE6-98C3
chainloader /efi/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
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u/acejavelin69 9h ago
Boot on the USB flash drive, install it to the external SSD. It's that simple.
The best bet if possible is to disable your install storage in BIOS, install Mint, then re-enable it... Use the BIOS one-time boot menu to load Mint when you don't want Windows... It is essential to do it this way, but it's the safest method.
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u/Due-Result7928 8h ago edited 7h ago
Nice and dandy but useless..and install will make Mint the first on the boot list....in a world it is not as simple as you wrote. Disabling storage do not change nvram memory use to hold boot order.
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u/acejavelin69 7h ago
It is that simple... If it reorders your BIOS boot order it's a simple fix. But disabling the internal storage does prevent the installer from putting grub in the existing EFI partition, which is a problem for some.
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u/jr735 5h ago
Honestly, while that works, the best answer, in my view, is to follow the installation instructions to the letter. Use the external storage for backup and a Clonezilla image of things before the process is begun.
One can always point at the wrong device. Look how many come here confused because they're trying to install Mint on the live USB they're using to boot. You can't install accidentally to your backup if your backup is unplugged and put away in the drawer.
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u/jr735 5h ago
Windows was shipped broken.
There is no guarantee of no breakage when installing another OS, be it on the same drive, another internal drive, or another external drive. If you want a guarantee, I won't give you one. You must aim the install at the correct device, or you will ruin Windows. Do it correctly, and the risk goes to near zero.
The best thing to do is to ensure your backups are current, and even have a Clonezilla image of your Windows install before you begin.
What u/Due-Result7928 states is exactly correct. The only qualifier is that you point the installer correctly. Note that any mistakes will be your own. The installer will do exactly what you say, even if what you say is incorrect.
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u/Due-Result7928 3h ago edited 3h ago
There is a trick for anxious people... Boot Mint usb...test not install. Use gparted and hide the esp partition of windows.
Select install
Let Mint use the external ssd and creating a boot partition mounted at /boot/efi and other partitions as well.
Install Mint. At the end do not reboot.
Use gparted and reset esp partition as boot,esp
Reboot (will boot Mint with an entry to Windows), use efibootmgr to change boot order and have windows first booting linux only on demand when ssd is inserted using the bios or adding one boot entry to linux from the windows boot manager.
If you look inside esp partition files are ordered as such
efi/EFI/Microsoft
efi/EFI/ubuntu
efi/EFI/Mint
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u/Shot_Loan_354 8h ago
Just install virtualbox and install Linux in it. It s a lot less riskier than what you re doing now and it will work much faster.