View Full Version : How do I run XP on an external drive?
belgarin
April 16th, 2007, 03:46 AM
I just recently had to replace my laptop (dead motherboard) The new machine came with Vista Business. I want to boot my old drive which has XP pro on it using my new machine. I have already set it up as an external usb drive. How can I make this happen? Thank You!
degsy
April 16th, 2007, 10:59 AM
Welcome :)
AFAIK you cannot install or boot XP from an external drive using Windows.
You would have to install the drive to one of the internal ports in your PC.
Saying that,
There are articles available showing how to use Apple OSX to install and boot windows on an external HDD, but I doubt that would be much use to you.
And I did find some articles on google for installing to USB
http://www.informationweek.com/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=177102101&pgno=1
All of them involve a lot of work though.
jamesbond_007
April 29th, 2007, 06:05 AM
Hi there, you can run windows from an external drive. U just need to make sure that your motherboard bios can support it. If so then just plug in your external usb drive and then enter your bios (Basic Input Output System) and change your boot order so that the first boot device is USB-HDD. And then you should be able to run windows from your external hard drive. Please let me know how you go with this. :D
renegade600
April 29th, 2007, 08:13 AM
one thing to consider, if the xp came with the computer you had to replace, you cannot run it - period. Its only good for the computer it came with.
jililan
April 29th, 2007, 12:55 PM
one thing to consider, if the xp came with the computer you had to replace, you cannot run it - period. Its only good for the computer it came with.
Where is the knowledge of what computer XP came on is kept?
Is it on the hard drive? I have the same thing going on with me. My motherboard fried and I have a lot of things on my old XP hard drive I would like to get at if I could, but don't know if there is a way to get to it if it can't be hooked up to the new computer somehow. My new comp came with Vista.
renegade600
April 29th, 2007, 03:17 PM
Where is the knowledge of what computer XP came on is kept?
Is it on the hard drive? I have the same thing going on with me. My motherboard fried and I have a lot of things on my old XP hard drive I would like to get at if I could, but don't know if there is a way to get to it if it can't be hooked up to the new computer somehow. My new comp came with Vista.
you can slave the harddrive to the new so you can get at the files - not programs.
jililan
April 29th, 2007, 03:30 PM
Thanks, all I want is some pictures of my grandson I put on the computer from my camera the day before it crashed and burned and hadn't backed up in time.