Gentoo on external HDD?

smax · Jan 9, 2007, 05:02 PM

I'm curious. I have my MacBook Pro set up to dual boot OSX and Windows, and I really don't want to take up any more hard drive space with a third OS... but I do want to install Gentoo.

So my question is this: Is there a way to install it on a USB hard drive without changing anything on my internal drive at all?

RIV@NVX · Jan 24, 2007, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smax

I'm curious. I have my MacBook Pro set up to dual boot OSX and Windows, and I really don't want to take up any more hard drive space with a third OS... but I do want to install Gentoo.

So my question is this: Is there a way to install it on a USB hard drive without changing anything on my internal drive at all?

It would be possible, but I'm not sure since I haven't had any experiences with Macbook pro.

This is something that could be helpful:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=447655

Also, Gentoo Wiki is a good place to check out:
http://gentoo-wiki.com/HARDWARE_Apple_MacBook

BTW, did you just try to plug a USB drive, run Gentoo LiveCD and install it? It should just work, and we can worry later how to make it acutally boot

smax · Jan 24, 2007, 02:40 PM

I haven't really tried anything yet. A friend has to use my external drive for something first, then I gotta find a good day where I can do nothing but install it.

I was reading about using an init ramdrive, but haven't really looked into how to really do it yet.

H3X4D3C1M4L · Feb 15, 2007, 08:11 PM

If you can run Gentoo out of a cloop filesystem why not off an external hard drive?

I know I can do it on a PC but a Macbook? I guess if you installed the LiveCD onto an external hard drive via a PC then got the HDD bootable on a Macbook it could work

Jan 9, 2007, 05:02 PM	#1
smax DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 26 Rep Power: 0	Gentoo on external HDD? I'm curious. I have my MacBook Pro set up to dual boot OSX and Windows, and I really don't want to take up any more hard drive space with a third OS... but I do want to install Gentoo. So my question is this: Is there a way to install it on a USB hard drive without changing anything on my internal drive at all?

Jan 24, 2007, 02:40 PM	Thread Starter #3
smax DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 26 Rep Power: 0	I haven't really tried anything yet. A friend has to use my external drive for something first, then I gotta find a good day where I can do nothing but install it. I was reading about using an init ramdrive, but haven't really looked into how to really do it yet.

Feb 15, 2007, 08:11 PM	#4
H3X4D3C1M4L DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 6,794 Rep Power: 0	If you can run Gentoo out of a cloop filesystem why not off an external hard drive? I know I can do it on a PC but a Macbook? I guess if you installed the LiveCD onto an external hard drive via a PC then got the HDD bootable on a Macbook it could work