Trying to install Ubuntu onto external USB drive

[Jon Wade]

Hello

I am trying to install Ubuntu onto an external USB drive, and so far have had no success. Before installing Ubuntu, the USB drive was shown in the BIOS boot options, however since installing, I can no longer view these options. If the USB drive is on when I turn on the pc, I just get a flashing cursor in the top left and nothing happens. I have attempted to grub-install to the drive, and on the last attempt this seemed to work. I am wondering now if maybe my Bios needs to be updated to allow USB install. Here are my details:

AMIBIOS Ver 3.31a
Bios 1.08
Bios release 10/14/03
HP d230 MT (DQ357T)
Chipset NR138 GE

The USB drive is a Seagate 320Gb.

Ubuntu gives the drive the following directories:

/dev/sdc

I attempted:
sudo grub-install /dev/sdc
but this failed.

I then did this (following advice on this forum: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?t=566505)

sudo -i
grub
root (hd0,5)
setup (hd0)

I attach a screenshot of the result.

However, this still did not work.

So, am I having a BIOS problem or an installation problem? Is it possible to run Linux on an external USB with my pc?

Cheers,

Jon.

PS. I am really new to this forum, Linux, OSs, command lines / terminals - everything really. So I apolgise if I have posted o the wrong thread or omitted any essential info!

[Jon Wade]

Amendment -

this is what I typed into the terminal:

sudo -i
grub
root (hd2,0)
setup (hd2)

As I have 2 internal drives and the external USB drive.

[sshakthi]

verify that you enabled the usb boot option in BIOS also the boot device priority.