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How should I install Ubuntu onto a new SSD drive with Windows 7 on my old hard drive?

rated 0 times [ 2] [ 0] / answers: 1 / hits: 30884 / 2 Years ago, thu, april 21, 2022, 11:11:38

So I am buying a new 250 GB SSD drive and caddy to replace my CD Drive with. The laptop that I am installing this on currently has only Windows 7 on it. I plan on keeping the current hard drive in it just for Windows 7 and then using the SSD just for Ubuntu (I'm trying to install Ubuntu on the SSD).
Note that I am trying to also have the option to boot either Ubuntu or Windows at startup, so only one or the other.

Would I have to install the SSD under Windows first? Or would I have to create a partition for Ubuntu in my current hard drive and then use Ubuntu to install the SSD, then reinstall Ubuntu onto the SSD? Is it possible to simply replace my CD drive with the SSD without doing anything with software (will my computer recognize it for use right away?) so that I can boot Ubuntu directly from a USB flash drive onto the SSD? I'm very confused about how to go about this process, answers are very appreciated!

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arsleyeuth

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2 Years ago

answered 2 Years ago antorchestr · Accepted Answer

There's nothing special about an installation to a secondary drive. No need to fiddle with Windows or install to the primary drive first. I have Windows on a hard disk drive and Ubuntu on a solid state drive as you intend.

Perform a regular installation of Ubuntu,

choose the option ”Something Else”,

select the new drive and partition and format it to your liking and assign the necessary/desired mount points to those partitions,

pay attention to the boot loader location (also selectable from the partition manager during installation), which needs to be on the drive that your BIOS is configured to look at for a boot loader (see section below),

proceed with the installation as normally.

Repairing a botched/misconfigured boot loader

If you run into an issue in step 4, fret not. The worst thing, that can happen, is, that the BIOS only finds Microsoft's boot loader on the old drive and only boots Windows. You can change both the boot order in the BIOS and the location of Ubuntu's boot loader Grub after the installation, if you select the wrong drive or change your mind.

Some recommended resources to resolve boot loader issues with Grub:

How can I repair grub?

Boot-Repair

If none of these lead to a (satisfying) solution, open a new question and include a link to the info log created by Boot-Repair.