ok, i just bought an external hard drive, because i only had 20 gigs of space left, but i want to know if i can install programms onto the external hard drive, so it doesnt take up space on my regular hard drive, and 2, can i take that hard drive to another computer and run the computer????

nobody knows?

I tried to install Ubuntu linux on an external hard drive to no avail

I'm going to say no. I think it has something to do with the registry.

But I won't be surprised if someone can shut this idea down swiftly :)

Quote: but i want to know if i can install programms onto the external hard drive, so it doesnt take up space on my regular hard drive

If the installer allows you to select the path for it to be installed at, It should work.

Quote: can i take that hard drive to another computer and run the computer????

As a slave: Yes, as long as there is a bootable master hdd.

As a master: Not to sure about this one. I dont know if it is possible to install an OS on an external hdd.

Quote:
As a slave: Yes, as long as there is a bootable master hdd.

As a master: Not to sure about this one. I dont know if it is possible to install an OS on an external hdd.

you guys are probably gonna call me a noob for the rest of my life, but here it is, what is an hdd?

Quote:
what is an hdd?

hdd = hard disk drive

Quote: Original post by Drizzt DoUrden
I tried to install Ubuntu linux on an external hard drive to no avail

I'm going to say no. I think it has something to do with the registry.

But I won't be surprised if someone can shut this idea down swiftly :)

make the ubuntu harddrive the master, windows the slave.. point grub to windows (which will be on a diffrent HD) and it will work.. I would give more detail but I use Gentoo so while I can do this with text.. cant do it in ubunutu..

Quote: Original post by Drizzt DoUrden
I tried to install Ubuntu linux on an external hard drive to no avail

I'm going to say no. I think it has something to do with the registry.

But I won't be surprised if someone can shut this idea down swiftly :)

make the ubuntu harddrive the master, windows the slave.. point grub to windows (which will be on a diffrent HD) and it will work.. I would give more detail but I use Gentoo so while I can do this with text..I cant do it in ubunutu..


ontopic: if you can chose the install path, then yes it will work

If you are using Windows, then yes, you can put programs on the second drive, but no, they probably won't work when moved to another computer, because the registry lives on the system drive.

I use a second drive for big things, such as games (which I install and uninstall on a regular basis) and sample libraries (for making music). I use the main drives (which are faster) for the system, compilers, and other things that are more permanent, and more performance sensitive.