Storage/Portable Ubuntu Studio Workstation

A while ago I posted a review on a portable SSD enclosure that I had intended to use for a storage/portable Ubuntu Studio workstation (https://www.geekpantsmedia.com/post/tech-review-asus-rog-strix-arion). In this post, I discuss how I installed Ubuntu Studio on the drive and got the portable storage working.

There are a few methods that I have seen online. These methods take what is considered a safe approach by either removing the systems internal drive first or using the bios to disable the drive. The reason for doing this is to protect your system drive from accidentally being overwritten or having the bootloader for their primary OS (usually Windows) from being overwritten by the Ubuntu one. However, it is possible to install Ubuntu Studio safely without removing the internal drive or disabling it (I have not tried it with other versions of Ubuntu or any other Linux OS). In this post, I will go through all the steps I took to perform the installation.

In this post, I assume you, the reader, already know how to create a Ubuntu bootable USB key and boot from a CD/USB key. This is a pretty simple process. There are programs (like Rufus) which will do this for you in Windows and, if you are using Ubuntu already, you can create a bootable USB key (or CD if you like optical drives) in Ubuntu so I leave it up to the reader to select their preferred method. I also assume the reader knows a bit about partitioning drives or is at least familiar with the concept. It is easily possible to loose your data or even render the drive you are partitioning inoperable during partitioning if it is done wrong so if you are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with partitioning, you should learn about it before you try to follow this method. In the following method, I will go through each step of the process I followed. Even simple steps, such as selecting a keyboard layout, are included.

Disclaimer:

While installing Ubuntu, or any other OS as a dual boot, it is possible to break your bootloader or loose the data on your computer. This information is offered without any warranties or guarantees and you acknowledge that, by following any of the information in this post, you are accepting responsibility for any damage or loss (software, data, hardware, or otherwise) that may occur and that I, Geekpants Media, and anyone associated with Geekpants Media are not responsible for any loss or damage (software, data, hardware, or otherwise) that may occur from following the information on this post.

Step 1: Read the Damn Disclaimer

Step 2: Create a Bootable USB Stick

Step 3: Boot from the USB Stick

Step 4: Plug in the External Drive and Connect to the Internet

Step 5: Select your Ubuntu System Language

Step 6: Select your Ubuntu Keyboard Layout

Step 7: Connect to the Internet

Step 8: Select Installation Type

Step 9: Install Proprietary Software

Step 10: Select Manual Installation

Step 11: Set up the Ubuntu and Storage Partitions

Step 12: Create Your Account

Step 13: Select a Time Zone

Step 14: Review and Confirm Your Settings

Step 15: Installation Complete!

Step 16: Verify the Storage Partition is Working

Step 17: Repair Storage Partition (If Needed) A

Step 18: Repair Storage Partition (If Needed) B

Step 19: Repair Storage Partition (If Needed) C

Step 20: Repair Storage Partition (If Needed) D

Step 21: Repair Storage Partition (If Needed) E

Step 23: Repair Storage Partition (If Needed) G

Step 24: Test the Repaired Storage Partition