[Question] - is it possible to install a win os to a usb hard disk?

[chee]

due to lack of disk space needed for an installation of windows vista, i venture to raise the following question:

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is it possible to isntall Vista/longhor to a USB hard disk?

and, how to boot such an os from the USB hard disk if the former is feasible?

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any suggetsions will be appreciated!

Title Edited - Please follow new posting rules from now on.

--Zxian

[Maleko]

all i know is that once, i had to disconnect my FIREWIRE hard drive, as when windows was detecting hard drive, it kept detecting that as my primary, i dunno if u can install to it, but win xp did detect mine.

wouldnt it be slower though if u can?

[chee]

thanks!

i just wanted to try vista out most of the time i'm using xp sp2+ fedora core 4.

i personally don't think this is an easy problem.

[RJM]

Possibly, look here - http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/09/09/win...in_your_pocket/

and here: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/usb-boot.mspx

And yes, it will be a slow.

Edited February 28, 2006 by RJM

[jaclaz]

@chee

SO you want to try an EXPERIMENTAL OS, not yet RELEASED, in a UNDOCUMENTED way?

I am afraid there is no known way at the moment to do so.

@RJM

The first link in your post refers to BartPE, i.e. Bart's PRE-INSTALLATION ENVIRONMENT, NOT to a Windows OPERATING SYSTEM.

The second one is a Microsoft document stating which requirements WILL be needed WHEN they will release a USB bootable operating system.

@all

Just for the record, it has recently become POSSIBLE to boot a FULL Win2k or XP from USB, thanks to the great work of Dietmar at the 911CD forum, the procedure is still HIGHLY experimental, but it works:

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=14181&hl=

jaclaz

Edited February 28, 2006 by jaclaz

[chee]

thanks! (especially to Jaclaz, for his kindness and mastership )

i've downloaded windows vista beta1, and wanted to try it out!

i'm reading the contents your links guide me to!

and i'll post more/later if needed!

[LLXX]

Please kindly note that there is a Vista forum on MSFN. It is here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showforum=67

Edited March 1, 2006 by LLXX

[TravisO]

This is a really bad idea!!!! USB is MUCH slower than IDE and Vista still isn't optimized so it's already slow enough. Booting on the USB would make it unusably slow.

But doing it would be extremely easy only if your motherboard supports booting from USB (which is still rare).

Edited March 1, 2006 by travisowens

[chee]

thanks!

i'm still collecting info

and i'll try all your suggestions this summer vacation

[HyperHacker]

I'd like to try this myself with a 1GB SD card, such that I can 'copy' my Windows install (all settings and the most important apps) to it, plug it in some other computer, and use it there. Is this possible at all, assuming I find some way to smash it all into 1GB?

BTW, make sure if you do this that the page file isn't on the USB stick. Flash memory like the kind they use can only take a few hundred thousand writes before it dies. Having the page file on it will take it out quick.

[LLXX]

1Gb is a bit small for XP/2K... but if the BIOS supports booting from other removable storage devices then I guess it should work... though really you need at least 2Gb and 4Gb is a good amount.

[jaclaz]

The "authority" on putting XP (not VISTA) on a CF card is Sfiorito.

Search on this board for his posts and/or got to his Howto:

http://osf1.gmu.edu/~sfiorito/eXPinstall.htm

The EWF filter is a MUST, if you use NTFS.

jaclaz