How to boot from 'drive A' and iff 'drive A' is not detected, boot from 'drive B'
Relevant Information
I am running Windows 10 (BIOS version is dell inc 1.2.9) on a machine with two internal disks:
128GB SSD (Windows installed here).- 1TB HDD
Now, I bought an external SSD and I want to install a GNU/Linux operating system on it. When I am using the SSD with the GNU/Linux OS, I won't need to access any of the other drives and when I run my pc normally (with Windows), I will never have the external drive connected.
I don't want to partition any disks!
Questions
I want to instruct my system to boot from the external SSD, but if it is not detected at boot time (so, if it is disconnected from my pc), then boot from internal SSD.
- Is this possible?
- Does the UEFI fast-boot option have anything to do with this scenario and should it be disabled?
- Are there any complications with having 2 OSes installed, in the way that I describe above?
- Could running a Linux distro this way, corrupt the files on my other (Windows) drives?
linux windows-10 hard-drive boot bios
asked Jan 28 at 18:24
P. SoutzikevichP. Soutzikevich
1064
add a comment |
Relevant Information
I am running Windows 10 (BIOS version is dell inc 1.2.9) on a machine with two internal disks:
128GB SSD (Windows installed here).- 1TB HDD
Now, I bought an external SSD and I want to install a GNU/Linux operating system on it. When I am using the SSD with the GNU/Linux OS, I won't need to access any of the other drives and when I run my pc normally (with Windows), I will never have the external drive connected.
I don't want to partition any disks!
Questions
I want to instruct my system to boot from the external SSD, but if it is not detected at boot time (so, if it is disconnected from my pc), then boot from internal SSD.
- Is this possible?
- Does the UEFI fast-boot option have anything to do with this scenario and should it be disabled?
- Are there any complications with having 2 OSes installed, in the way that I describe above?
- Could running a Linux distro this way, corrupt the files on my other (Windows) drives?
linux windows-10 hard-drive boot bios
asked Jan 28 at 18:24
P. SoutzikevichP. Soutzikevich
1064
1
Hi, you should be able to setup bios to boot from USB (If you connect the drive via USB) first in any case (and if there is no USB connected, BIOS goes for next in the line - SSD with Windows), so ad1. I think its possible.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:17
1
Ad2. I am not sure. Ad3. Yes, some components like usb mouse, keyboard and so one are sometimes problematic a stops the booting proces because of error... Ad.4 Shouldn't, if you dont make changes on your own - from linux you can acces all drives, but the OS will run only on the drive from it is booting from. if you don't setup it otherwise. I would recommend to study BIOS you have on your machine.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:24
@Bad IT technician Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!
– P. Soutzikevich
Jan 29 at 9:18
add a comment |
Relevant Information
I am running Windows 10 (BIOS version is dell inc 1.2.9) on a machine with two internal disks:
128GB SSD (Windows installed here).- 1TB HDD
Now, I bought an external SSD and I want to install a GNU/Linux operating system on it. When I am using the SSD with the GNU/Linux OS, I won't need to access any of the other drives and when I run my pc normally (with Windows), I will never have the external drive connected.
I don't want to partition any disks!
Questions
I want to instruct my system to boot from the external SSD, but if it is not detected at boot time (so, if it is disconnected from my pc), then boot from internal SSD.
- Is this possible?
- Does the UEFI fast-boot option have anything to do with this scenario and should it be disabled?
- Are there any complications with having 2 OSes installed, in the way that I describe above?
- Could running a Linux distro this way, corrupt the files on my other (Windows) drives?
linux windows-10 hard-drive boot bios
asked Jan 28 at 18:24
P. SoutzikevichP. Soutzikevich
1064
Relevant Information
I am running Windows 10 (BIOS version is dell inc 1.2.9) on a machine with two internal disks:
128GB SSD (Windows installed here).- 1TB HDD
Now, I bought an external SSD and I want to install a GNU/Linux operating system on it. When I am using the SSD with the GNU/Linux OS, I won't need to access any of the other drives and when I run my pc normally (with Windows), I will never have the external drive connected.
I don't want to partition any disks!
Questions
I want to instruct my system to boot from the external SSD, but if it is not detected at boot time (so, if it is disconnected from my pc), then boot from internal SSD.
- Is this possible?
- Does the UEFI fast-boot option have anything to do with this scenario and should it be disabled?
- Are there any complications with having 2 OSes installed, in the way that I describe above?
- Could running a Linux distro this way, corrupt the files on my other (Windows) drives?
linux windows-10 hard-drive boot bios
linux windows-10 hard-drive boot bios
asked Jan 28 at 18:24
P. SoutzikevichP. Soutzikevich
1064
asked Jan 28 at 18:24
P. SoutzikevichP. Soutzikevich
1064
edited Jan 28 at 18:31
P. Soutzikevich
asked Jan 28 at 18:24
P. SoutzikevichP. Soutzikevich
1064
asked Jan 28 at 18:24
P. SoutzikevichP. Soutzikevich
1064
asked Jan 28 at 18:24
P. SoutzikevichP. Soutzikevich
1064
1064
1
Hi, you should be able to setup bios to boot from USB (If you connect the drive via USB) first in any case (and if there is no USB connected, BIOS goes for next in the line - SSD with Windows), so ad1. I think its possible.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:17
1
Ad2. I am not sure. Ad3. Yes, some components like usb mouse, keyboard and so one are sometimes problematic a stops the booting proces because of error... Ad.4 Shouldn't, if you dont make changes on your own - from linux you can acces all drives, but the OS will run only on the drive from it is booting from. if you don't setup it otherwise. I would recommend to study BIOS you have on your machine.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:24
@Bad IT technician Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!
– P. Soutzikevich
Jan 29 at 9:18
add a comment |
1
Hi, you should be able to setup bios to boot from USB (If you connect the drive via USB) first in any case (and if there is no USB connected, BIOS goes for next in the line - SSD with Windows), so ad1. I think its possible.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:17
1
Ad2. I am not sure. Ad3. Yes, some components like usb mouse, keyboard and so one are sometimes problematic a stops the booting proces because of error... Ad.4 Shouldn't, if you dont make changes on your own - from linux you can acces all drives, but the OS will run only on the drive from it is booting from. if you don't setup it otherwise. I would recommend to study BIOS you have on your machine.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:24
@Bad IT technician Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!
– P. Soutzikevich
Jan 29 at 9:18
1
1
Hi, you should be able to setup bios to boot from USB (If you connect the drive via USB) first in any case (and if there is no USB connected, BIOS goes for next in the line - SSD with Windows), so ad1. I think its possible.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:17
Hi, you should be able to setup bios to boot from USB (If you connect the drive via USB) first in any case (and if there is no USB connected, BIOS goes for next in the line - SSD with Windows), so ad1. I think its possible.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:17
1
1
Ad2. I am not sure. Ad3. Yes, some components like usb mouse, keyboard and so one are sometimes problematic a stops the booting proces because of error... Ad.4 Shouldn't, if you dont make changes on your own - from linux you can acces all drives, but the OS will run only on the drive from it is booting from. if you don't setup it otherwise. I would recommend to study BIOS you have on your machine.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:24
Ad2. I am not sure. Ad3. Yes, some components like usb mouse, keyboard and so one are sometimes problematic a stops the booting proces because of error... Ad.4 Shouldn't, if you dont make changes on your own - from linux you can acces all drives, but the OS will run only on the drive from it is booting from. if you don't setup it otherwise. I would recommend to study BIOS you have on your machine.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:24
@Bad IT technician Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!
– P. Soutzikevich
Jan 29 at 9:18
@Bad IT technician Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!
– P. Soutzikevich
Jan 29 at 9:18
add a comment |
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1
Hi, you should be able to setup bios to boot from USB (If you connect the drive via USB) first in any case (and if there is no USB connected, BIOS goes for next in the line - SSD with Windows), so ad1. I think its possible.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:17
1
Ad2. I am not sure. Ad3. Yes, some components like usb mouse, keyboard and so one are sometimes problematic a stops the booting proces because of error... Ad.4 Shouldn't, if you dont make changes on your own - from linux you can acces all drives, but the OS will run only on the drive from it is booting from. if you don't setup it otherwise. I would recommend to study BIOS you have on your machine.
– Bad IT technician
Jan 28 at 23:24
@Bad IT technician Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!
– P. Soutzikevich
Jan 29 at 9:18