Re: External disk doesn't boot. Install GRUB on USB key?

greg wrote:
Hi all,
I have an external disk with Linux, and Windows on the internal disk
of my laptop. I have GRUB installed on the external disk, so I can
boot either Linux or Windows. This used to work just fine.
Lately I have been having lots of problems in loading GRUB. Most of
the time it doesn't load and the machine just boots Windows from the
internal disk. It seems to be getting worse with time.

When I boot another linux on a different machine, I can read and write
on this external disk, so the disk is not broken. I don't think it's
a problem with the BIOS either (boot order seems fine, plus I tried
with another laptop and got the same problem).

Questions (I've googled around but I still can't figure them out):

1. could it be a software problem with the MBR? If so, how do I fix
it?

2. if it's a hardware problem (heads cannot read the MBR?), is it
possible to install GRUB on a USB key and from the USB key boot
Linux on the external disk and Windows on the internal disk?

here's another idea... maybe it's the USB port. Often times
a computer contains some true USB ports and other that are massively
hubbed. For example, if you're plugging into a front usb port, try
the ones attached to the motherboard that are available in the back
and see if that makes a difference.

I only mention this because just recently ALL of my front USB
ports went belly-up. They did some weird things, then just died
altogether (cables look fine). Even when it was working, only
some devices worked correctly. Everything worked correctly
when I plugged them into the real USB ports directly off
the mb.


3. If the answer to 2. is yes, how do I do it? For example, should I
reformat the USB key?

Thank you.
.

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