sort of an outfield topic for this blog, but im recently learning about Linux & Windows alternatives & was trying to boot from an Ubuntu loaded Flashdrive.
long story short, if you are being forced into the Grub screen, you most likely didnt create a "boot partition". After some testing & trial & error, i realized that if you try to make your entire disk a single partition & put the Ubuntu .iso contents on it, your default file options are ntfs or exFAT, however, if you make a smaller partition (i tried 10gb then 5gb a different time) you must choose between FAT32 or ntfs instead. exFAT was no longer a selectable option (however after making a FAT32 boot partition, the larger leftover partition is still limited to exFAT or ntfs).
with the .iso contents on the smaller FAT32 partition, i had no problems getting into the Ubuntu install screen.
the .iso contents on a full disk exFAT partition always took me to the Gnu Grub cmd script screen.
this frustrated me for hours, hopefully you have found this solution with a quick google search instead of those endless inane jabbering nerd forums.
the more you know〰️〰️〰️〰️✴
** another frustrating thing that in retrospect is painfully obvious, is that the disk you have the initial ubuntu .iso files on cannot be the disk you INSTALL to. this disk is unaffected when you reach the "Erase disk & install" or "something else" menu options in the install menu.
i kept being forced into the something else menu because i disconnected my windows disks so they would be safe.
i ended up testing a blank sd for the install alongside the boot disc (with the .iso files).
this is confirmed by the prompt after the install to "remove installation media".
major homer simpson moment but hindsight of course is much sharper.
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some trivia i was searching for but couldnt find:
* the fresh install of focal fossa ends up being 14.07gb (after installing brasero to try to make an .iso file). (sticking with fossa because it seems like canonical is turning into microsoft with the jammy jellyfish release).
* the "erase & install" option creates x2 gpt partitions: a primary - FAT32 512mb with 6.1mb occupied, & a primary - ext3 118.54gb with 14.07gb occupied. this is on a 128gb disk.
* macrium reflect is able to make an .img file of the ubuntu disk in a booted windows session. this .img file ended up being 5.63gb.
