How do I install Linux Ubuntu on an external SSD?

[Anurag94]

Hope this is the correct platform to ask this question.

I own a Dell XPS 15 (2016) model with a 512 GB internal SSD and 16 GB Ram installed with latest windows 10 update.
I want to dual boot my laptop with Ubuntu, but I don't want to install Ubuntu on the same internal SSD drive.

I was thinking of buying an external Lacie SSD thunderbolt for Ubuntu so that I can connect it with Thunderbolt port and using it along with windows 10. Hence Dual booting in 2 different drive ( Windows 10 in Internal SSD, Ubuntu in External SSD).
I want SSD for faster performance. I was using the Oracle VIrtual box on windows 10 for Ubuntu, but the performance is not what I expected. 

I can try to do it myself but it's a really huge investment so I am worried about damaging the SSD or my laptop in some way. 
My Questions:
Is this a good idea?
What are the shortcomings?
Any disadvantages to laptop or external SSD?

I know that External Drives have a shorter lifespan. So can anyone suggest any Desktop HDD/SSD which has a good lifespan?

Is there any tutorial for this? 
Best way explained somewhere: A walkthrough maybe? 
 

[Hauklien]

I’m not able to answer all your questions, but this is what I think:

It should work pretty well. An internal SSD might be faster when connected via sATA, but over thunderbolt I think the bottleneck is in the read/write speeds provided by lacie.

As for installation, I would connect it, and make an disk image of Ubuntu on the external drive, then restart in the boot up menu, choosing Ubuntu install, then use the external drive as target for the install.

[ReXiX]

I don´t think that it will perform very good via the external drive. I would rather go with getting a bigger harddrive and split it up

 

What do you want to use Ubuntu for?  if it is just to play with i would use Vmplayer as you said and just play with it there but if you are serious about dual booting you should split your disc

[Linus_torvalds]

19 hours ago, Anurag94 said:

I can try to do it myself but it's a really huge investment so I am worried about damaging the SSD or my laptop in some way. 

 

My Questions:
Is this a good idea?
What are the shortcomings?
Any disadvantages to laptop or external SSD?

I know that External Drives have a shorter lifespan. So can anyone suggest any Desktop HDD/SSD which has a good lifespan?

Is there any tutorial for this? 
Best way explained somewhere: A walkthrough maybe? 
 

Just dual boot on internal SSD! It's 512 GB SSD and laptop is from 2016. Your laptop will die much earlier then that SSD even if you triple boot. If it will not die it will be crap by that time. Just do not use ssd stupidly. Read some recomendations about how to use SSD and set your systems for SSDs according those recommendatitons.

 

P.S. windows 10 will kill SSD much faster then linux! Windows does so much unnesesery read writes. Try using windows 10 on HDD when you turn it on HDD goes crazy for about 5-10 minutes it's on 100% load. Only god knows what is it doing. If you do not need windows just get rid of it. Your SSD will thank you after 5 years

[Lenovo1984]

As others have said, just install Ubuntu alongside Windows. It won't damage your SSD.

[Fleetscut]

you install to an external drive the same way you would do any other, the computer cant tell the difference. Make sure that the drive you get can use the full thunderbolt/usb3 speeds otherwise you will see very poor performance. Your best bet is like everyone else has said and install on the internal drive. also if your intention is just to learn linux and not use it as your daily driver the best bet is to use a virtual machine. dual booting introduces a headache that turns most people trying to learn off of linux

[ltguy]

On 5/13/2018 at 9:47 AM, Anurag94 said:

Hope this is the correct platform to ask this question.

I own a Dell XPS 15 (2016) model with a 512 GB internal SSD and 16 GB Ram installed with latest windows 10 update.
I want to dual boot my laptop with Ubuntu, but I don't want to install Ubuntu on the same internal SSD drive.

I was thinking of buying an external Lacie SSD thunderbolt for Ubuntu so that I can connect it with Thunderbolt port and using it along with windows 10. Hence Dual booting in 2 different drive ( Windows 10 in Internal SSD, Ubuntu in External SSD).
I want SSD for faster performance. I was using the Oracle VIrtual box on windows 10 for Ubuntu, but the performance is not what I expected. 

I can try to do it myself but it's a really huge investment so I am worried about damaging the SSD or my laptop in some way. 
My Questions:
Is this a good idea?
What are the shortcomings?
Any disadvantages to laptop or external SSD?

I know that External Drives have a shorter lifespan. So can anyone suggest any Desktop HDD/SSD which has a good lifespan?

Is there any tutorial for this? 
Best way explained somewhere: A walkthrough maybe? 
 

Running kubuntu right now on a normal ssd hooked up via a usb 3.0 dongle. Works perfect and didn't require I do anything special.