Booting From External USB Floppy Drive

[HoppaLong]

I need to save a customized version of 98SE. The system is currently

installed on an old Gateway desktop. I want to copy or clone the system

onto a refurbished laptop. As long as you stay within the RAM limits

for 98, it will run ok on a newer laptop like this Dell Latitude D600:

http://www.hcditrading.com/Shop/Control/Pr...r_by/sell_price

I've got a set of Acronis floppy boot disks. After the Acronis software

is loaded I can use the CD burner in the Gateway desktop to backup the

system. The whole thing fits onto three or four CDs. (If you're under

25 years old, you may not remember how limited booting options were

in these early Pentium based desktops.)

Like most newer laptops, the D600 doesn't have an internal floppy drive.

eBay has hundreds of listings for external USB floppy drives like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-External-USB-1-44M...id=p3286.c0.m14

It comes with drivers, which I assume are needed only with Windows 98.

Will the BIOS setup in a laptop like the Latitude D600 allow me to boot

from the USB external floppy drive? Those same Acronis floppy boot

disks are needed with the laptop, if I want to clone the system burned

onto the CDs.

[Ponch]

Will the BIOS setup in a laptop like the Latitude D600 allow me to boot

from the USB external floppy drive?

Most probably yes. This seems like a Pc from around 2002-2003. You could also try to transfer your floppies to a bootable cd, it's worth a try.

[HoppaLong]

Thank you Ponch.

I've got to know for sure. HDCI Trading has a good reputation. A friend told me they

reply to e-mails. I e-mailed them last week, before the holiday. So far, no reply.

Supposedly, they test every laptop before its shipped. If that's true, they must know

something about the BIOS in these computers.

Downloading the Dell manual for this laptop may answer my question. I'm not sure

about that, either.

[dencorso]

Enter the BIOS, change nothing, but do take a look at which boot options it gives you. In case you find a USB-FDD option, you've hit jackpot!