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I want to give my friend a hard disk with a Linux operating system for his/her unused computer. Using unetbootin, I tried to install a bootable iso on my hard disk in one small partition and then I tried to install the linux os from that hard disk to another larger partition on the same disk, and it failed. I came to the conclusion that unetbootin does not allow installing unto the same disk it currently resides.

How does one package a linux os on a hard disk for another computer?

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    Why don't you just install Linux on the drive normally, say using an installer on a bootable USB stick?
    – Karan
    May 21, 2015 at 20:49
  • @Karan You're right. I do have a usb stick with the os to install from. I was curious to know if there was another way to do it from disk drive itself.
    – linuxfreebird
    May 21, 2015 at 20:51
  • I'm with @karan on this one. While I cannot say for sure, installing the drive on your machine as primarry, and then installing linux on it should work.
    – Jarmund
    May 21, 2015 at 20:53
  • @linuxfreebird: You can install Grub and have it boot from the ISO on the HDD (1, 2), but honestly, why bother and waste time unless you want to experiment?
    – Karan
    May 21, 2015 at 20:59

1 Answer 1

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Well, I did this on my external hard disk, that is, installed ubuntu. To stay away from all the mess that is going to happen with the grub/bootloader of your current primary hard disk follow these steps:

  1. Make your USB flash drive bootable by putting that OS in that USB flash drive (you are familiar with unetbootin)
  2. Create separate partition(s) for your new Linux(/, /boot, /home, /swap, etc.)
  3. Now open case of your Laptop/Computer and remove your primary hard disk.
  4. Plug that new hard disk(externally or internally) and that bootable USB flash drive in your computer.
  5. Install it as you do it normally.

Just keep in mind do not let grub re-initialize its entries (while updating) when you have both the hard disks attached.

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