Installing an OS on a external USB hard drive.

[Jorge_Ruiz]

There is a way to install an OS on a external USB hard disk... using vmware ?

I've trying with windows and Ubuntu. Should be simple:

1º- Create a new virtual machine as usual.

2ª- Use an installation disk image file (for example ubuntu linux)

3º- From the menu "Virtual Machine" -> "USB", connect the USB Mass storage to be visible for the virtual OS

4º- Start the virtual machine, and you'll can select the USB disk as destination disk for the installation, until now all is Ok.

5º- When the installer tries to format the USB disk, a error mensaje is showed something like this: "The disk is read only, you can´t install or format,..."

This issue happended trying to install Windows or Linux, and I don´t know how to make de disk "read-write enable" for the installer.

In other words, Is possible to install an OS on a external disk like an real machine?

[MPM01]

During the process of creating a Virtual machine under VMware Fusion, it Gives an option for selecting the location of the VM to be created. you can choose the USB external Drive.

[Jorge_Ruiz]

Ok, but I don´t want to put the virtual image file on a USB disk. That can be done simply copying the file.

What I want is to install de OS on the USB disk, like on a real computer.... formatting the disk and installing in it.

[WoodyZ]

Ok, but I don´t want to put the virtual image file on a USB disk. That can be done simply copying the file. What I want is to install de OS on the USB disk, like on a real computer.... formatting the disk and installing in it.

Raw-Disk OS installation is not a feature of VMware Fusion.