u/travelcat6

So, I used Rufus to, hopefully, create a bootable Kubuntu USB drive. I am using a 1TB external SSD drive. Rufus didn't give me many options on install, and I don't really know the current best way to make sure the ISO is actually there, and the drive is bootable. In Windows Disk Management, i see a 4.7GB RAW partition, a 5mb efi partition, and the rest is unallocated. Not sure that's what I want or need, but kind of assume I'd format that last bit booted into kubuntu.

Not sure what I need to do next. Is there a way to boot into this drive WITHOUT having to mess with BIOS? The BIOS on this machine sometimes won't let me in, and I'm not sure why, but as everything else works great i've been ignoring that little issue, lol.

This is the pertinent part of the log from Rufus:

Disk type: FIXED, Disk size: 931.5 GB, Sector size: 512 bytes

Cylinders: 121601, Tracks per cylinder: 255, Sectors per track: 63

Partition type: GPT, NB Partitions: 3

Disk GUID: {C6ACF484-C9B0-415B-91DB-9402CBEA775E}

Max parts: 248, Start Offset: 32768, Usable = 1000204820992 bytes

Partition 1:

Type: Microsoft basic data

Name: 'ISO9660'

Detected File System: ISO9660

ID: {C6ACF484-C9B0-415B-91DA-9402CBEA775E}

Size: 4.7 GB (5063202816 bytes)

Start Sector: 64, Attributes: 0x1000000000000001

Partition 2:

Type: EFI system partition

Name: 'Appended2'

Detected File System: FAT12

ID: {C6ACF484-C9B0-415B-91D9-9402CBEA775E}

Size: 5 MB (5271552 bytes)

Start Sector: 9889132, Attributes: 0x0000000000000000

Partition 3:

Type: Microsoft basic data

Name: 'Gap1'

Detected File System: (Unrecognized)

ID: {C6ACF484-C9B0-415B-91D8-9402CBEA775E}

Size: 300 KB (307200 bytes)

Start Sector: 9899428, Attributes: 0x1000000000000001

WARNING: FAT32 has been forcefully enabled, but this image may not work with FAT32.

Ignoring drive '\\.\S:' as it spans multiple disks (RAID?)

Ok, so I used to be an IT expert, and I did have a Linux box for a while (forget which distro), which I accidentally bricked and could never fix, so... that was the last time I used Linux. That was well over a decade ago. Maybe two.

Due to... MS things.... I'm wanting to NOT go to 11, and considering going to Linux, which shouldn't be too hard software wise as most software I use regularly also has a Linux version.

But.. decades. I've downloaded Resolute Raccoon (love the name) but the install instructions are for a CD. Now... I have tons of CDs, but my current system doesn't have a drive. I can still run it on a USB key, right? I'll need to get a bigger key than what's laying around, so first question would be - suggestions for key size and should I only get one with newer versions of USB, 30. or greater?

I've never run Linux as a virtual machine, so unsure of requirements there.

So, second question might be - which install method should I use if I want a complete testing environment, where I can use all my apps, including saving data. The PC itself has PLENTY of space across multiple drives and drive types.

Feel free to offer any other pertinent advice. The system is capable, the user... used to be but is more than rusty, lol. Been an "appliance user" most of the time for more than a decade, but really disliking where MS is going so I need to 'go elsewhere', and I'm not interested in the fruit :)

Oh, and I'm running a dual monitor BOX, not a laptop.

Update: Ok, I think I used Rufus to install Kubuntu on a 1TB SSD I'd forgotten about. So, yay but... maybe i'm just brain dead today but... what now? Windows can see it in disc manager but (not surprisingly) not in windows explorer. So, assuming i have a nice new Kubuntu bootable drive ... what now?