Installing and booting linux off External Hard Drive

[The[J]oker]

Hey everyone.
I wanted to know if it was possible for me to install different OS' on a external hard drive and boot them simultaneously.
If it was possible can anyone tell me a page for a guide or tell me how its possible.
Thank you!

 

[wmorri]

Hi,

Yes it is possible to install linux or any OS on an external drive, I believe that you might have to change a couple of config files due to load times, but we can deal with that when it comes. As for your second question the answer is NO. Think of it as if you installed Linux on a second internal hdd. You wouldn' be able to run an OS off the first and second internal either.

Cheers!

 

[The[J]oker]

Thanks wmorri,

So far I partitioned my External HDD in windows vista through 'stretch' and I'm planning on installing a OS onto it and try to boot off it.
I don't really understand what you mean in -

Think of it as if you installed Linux on a second internal hdd. You wouldn' be able to run an OS off the first and second internal either.

Although, would it be possible to create different partitions for different OS, IN the external hard drive?

 

[wmorri]

http://www.techsupportforum.com/alternative-computing/linux-support/324335-black-screen-install.html

Yes you can create different partitions on Internal hdds. But you can only run an OS from one partition at a time. So, that is how you might want to think of it. You will understand better when you get things underway.

You said that you partitioned our external. What file system did you create for the partition. Linux runs off of two main types ext2 and ext3 files systems. So you need to be sure that it is one of them.

Cheers!

 

[The[J]oker]

Thank you for your response.

Oh yeah, of course you can only run one OS at a time.

I tried installing OpenSUSE just before. It worked until I restarted then there was an error that loads right after my motherboard screen.
GRUB...
Error 21
(Or something like that) I loaded the OpenSUSE DVD again and deleted all the partitions and files of openSUSE because it installed some files onto my internal HDD and it wouldn't boot properly. I found a website that shows me how to do it

http://en.opensuse.org/Installing_SuSE_on_External_USB_Drive

I will give this a try tommorow morning.

Thanks for your help.