IDE External USB Disk Bootable

[MAXNET]

We have an HP6120 laptop with IDE 80gb 2.5" disk running XP Pro that has some Games on which we do not have the CDs for.

Trying to get them to play on a new install of Windows7 Dual Boot - or - One Time Boot to external caddy with the IDE disk

Can workout how to diskpart and set the USB drive as active etc. But with One Time Boot it hangs. Then with F8 Safe Mode it blue screens 0000007A after MUP.SYS

I have a Dell D430 and a E6500 that I am trying it on. One has XP the other has Win7.

Wanted to get them working as an external drive so they can be moved to either laptop.

I would appreciate any ideas to get these games playing for my daughter

Thanks - Max

[jaclaz]

We have an HP6120 laptop with IDE 80gb 2.5" disk running XP Pro that has some Games on which we do not have the CDs for.

Trying to get them to play on a new install of Windows7 Dual Boot - or - One Time Boot to external caddy with the IDE disk

Can workout how to diskpart and set the USB drive as active etc. But with One Time Boot it hangs. Then with F8 Safe Mode it blue screens 0000007A after MUP.SYS

I have a Dell D430 and a E6500 that I am trying it on. One has XP the other has Win7.

Wanted to get them working as an external drive so they can be moved to either laptop.

I would appreciate any ideas to get these games playing for my daughter

Thanks - Max

What you want to do (though doable ) is NOT "easy-peasy" as you seem to expect .

Bascially having an install of XP work:

1. on different hardware
   
2. from a USB connected disk
   

is something that needs a lot of knowledge or a lot of time to learn how to do it.

Depending on your current familiarity with this kind of things (and a little bit of luck, that is always a factor) the length of the "path" can be very variable.

Casually, recently on 911cd we managed to get an almost completely newbie to succeed in this, so if you review this thread, it is the longest possible path:

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=24161&hl=

and contains ALL the needed info/steps (and even many more than those strictly needed)

jaclaz

[MAXNET]

Re: my post = IDE External USB Disk Bootable Dual Boot or One Time Boot STOP Error

Thanks for the info Jaclaz . . .

I've been working in the field for years (now as a 3rd line support analyst) Got a couple of MCPs so I have a little knowledge of systems but Win7 is new to me esp registry

If it's do-able then I would like to try & get it working. Doesnt need to have all the devices just to play games - only the display adapter etc.

Any other info on the above would be great.

Thanks,

Max

[jaclaz]

Re: my post = IDE External USB Disk Bootable Dual Boot or One Time Boot STOP Error

Thanks for the info Jaclaz . . .

I've been working in the field for years (now as a 3rd line support analyst) Got a couple of MCPs so I have a little knowledge of systems but Win7 is new to me esp registry

If it's do-able then I would like to try & get it working. Doesnt need to have all the devices just to play games - only the display adapter etc.

Any other info on the above would be great.

Thanks,

Max

Well, the good thing is that you need not any particularly specific Windows 7 "additional" knowledge, and since as said, in the given thread the OP finally succeeded and believe me we had almost *all* possible problems, including a stoopid BIOS with a 240 head translation and what not, and the OP was (when she started, not after we finished ) a complete newbie, it means that it can be done allright, even starting from 0.

Xp is in itself a "plug n' play" OS, removing it's automatical loading of drivers when new hardware is found would be (even if possible) much more work than simply "forcing" it to load the correct "vital" ones (basically Mass Storage and Video) and later, with the booted system, tackle eventual problems with "accessories" (I presume that for gaming Audio drivers are also "vital" though not as vital as those that would prevent either booting or actually be able to see if it has booted).

The steps are not exceptionally difficult or complex "per se" but each needs some attention and possibly a few attempts:

1. set video "as standard as possible"=VGA
   
2. clone the disk on the new disk (or clone the partition and adjust Disk Signature and DosDevices entry in the Registry)
   
3. add provisions for USB booting
   
4. see if it boots
   

The thing that would have worried me the most is the actual disk and the USB controller in it's enclosure, we have found (in the mentioned threaad and elsewhere) that some disks (so called "green" ones) don't play well with some BIOSes, but if you get to a BSOD it means that this is not a problem and the initial part of booting works.

Making an XP that can boot TWO different machines is a further (and greater IMHO) issue, if possible at all I would stay (hopefully) with it woking with just one of the two notebooks, at least initially.

jaclaz