I’m trying to install Qubes OS on a 1TB external SSD connected via USB 3.0 to a Mini PC. My primary drive has Ubuntu installed.I
’m a novice at this, so I might be missing something obvious.
I created a Qubes OS installation disk, which boots to the installer and detects the external SSD. However, when I select the automatic partitioning option, it shows only ~1 MiB of free space, and the install button remains greyed out.
I’ve tried completely formatting the SSD and removing all partitions using Ubuntu. After doing so, the Qubes installer recognizes the free space. But when I select automatic partitioning, it returns to the main screen, the install button stays greyed out, and the drive screen shows only ~1 MiB of free space again.
I’ve also tried formatting the drive with different ext4 configurations, but the result is the same.
I also attempted the custom partitioning option with the following setup:
/ 900 : GiB, ext4
/boot : 1 GiB
swap : 4 GiB
/boot/efi : 200 MiB
After setting these mount points and accepting the changes, I return to the main screen with no errors, but the install button is still greyed out. When I re-enter the custom partitioning screen, it prompts me to accept the creation and destruction of my previous changes, even though I haven’t modified anything. It seems like the custom configuration isn’t being saved, though the mount point details remain visible.
I’ve tested this on another external HDD with the same results.
Should I try installing Qubes OS on my Mini PC’s main drive instead? Or perhaps connect the SSD via a SATA port on another PC?