Run Vista from an external HD (dual boot with XP on an internal HD)

Hi,

I am curious if Vista can be run from one of those portable external
hard drives that I see in Staples, etc... rather than have to install
another internal hard drive. I want to dual-boot with XP (already
installed on an internal HD) and it would also be great if I can bring
that external HD with us when we travel and hook it up to my wife's XP
laptop and be able to boot up in Vista too. We need something for
testing our software in Vista.

Thanks!

-paulw

External hard drives are for backups and file storage
only. Windows Vista can only be installed on an
internal hard drive.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------

"PW" <> wrote in message news:...
Hi,

I am curious if Vista can be run from one of those portable external
hard drives that I see in Staples, etc... rather than have to install
another internal hard drive. I want to dual-boot with XP (already
installed on an internal HD) and it would also be great if I can bring
that external HD with us when we travel and hook it up to my wife's XP
laptop and be able to boot up in Vista too. We need something for
testing our software in Vista.

Thanks!

-paulw

On Wed, 7 May 2008 21:32:16 -0500, "Carey Frisch [MVP]"
<> wrote:

>External hard drives are for backups and file storage
>only. Windows Vista can only be installed on an
>internal hard drive.

Thanks Carey.

PW wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am curious if Vista can be run from one of those portable external
> hard drives that I see in Staples, etc... rather than have to install
> another internal hard drive. I want to dual-boot with XP (already
> installed on an internal HD) and it would also be great if I can bring
> that external HD with us when we travel and hook it up to my wife's XP
> laptop and be able to boot up in Vista too. We need something for
> testing our software in Vista.
>
> Thanks!
>
> -paulw
===============
Maybe running Vista in a Virtual Machine
on the XP system would be an alternative:

Use Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 to
run multiple operating systems at
the same time on the same physical
computer.
http://tinyurl.com/387goe
or...
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...a&mg_id=20323b

Using Virtual PC for running Windows Vista
http://www.alexatnet.com/node/133

--

John Inzer
Digital Media MVP

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

I'm not so sure about that. Go and have a look at the web site:
www.accordancesystems.com These guys sell an external, (and internal), RAID
box which they say will boot up your Vista system.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> External hard drives are for backups and file storage
> only. Windows Vista can only be installed on an
> internal hard drive.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience -
> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "PW" <> wrote in message news:...
> Hi,
>
> I am curious if Vista can be run from one of those portable external
> hard drives that I see in Staples, etc... rather than have to install
> another internal hard drive. I want to dual-boot with XP (already
> installed on an internal HD) and it would also be great if I can bring
> that external HD with us when we travel and hook it up to my wife's XP
> laptop and be able to boot up in Vista too. We need something for
> testing our software in Vista.
>
> Thanks!
>
> -paulw
>

Yes, but external RAID is a way different setup than an external USB drive
or flash drive.
I have 'external' drives on many machines, but they are in hot swap adapters
or such, NOT USB.

"Electron" <> wrote in message
news:EB875106-BDBD-4E70-AC05-...
> I'm not so sure about that. Go and have a look at the web site:
> www.accordancesystems.com These guys sell an external, (and internal),
> RAID
> box which they say will boot up your Vista system.
>
> "Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> External hard drives are for backups and file storage
>> only. Windows Vista can only be installed on an
>> internal hard drive.
>>
>> --
>> Carey Frisch
>> Microsoft MVP
>> Windows Desktop Experience -
>> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> "PW" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I am curious if Vista can be run from one of those portable external
>> hard drives that I see in Staples, etc... rather than have to install
>> another internal hard drive. I want to dual-boot with XP (already
>> installed on an internal HD) and it would also be great if I can bring
>> that external HD with us when we travel and hook it up to my wife's XP
>> laptop and be able to boot up in Vista too. We need something for
>> testing our software in Vista.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> -paulw
>>

PW wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am curious if Vista can be run from one of those portable external
> hard drives that I see in Staples, etc... rather than have to install
> another internal hard drive. I want to dual-boot with XP (already
> installed on an internal HD) and it would also be great if I can bring
> that external HD with us when we travel and hook it up to my wife's XP
> laptop and be able to boot up in Vista too. We need something for
> testing our software in Vista.
>
> Thanks!
>
> -paulw



If it's an eSATA drive, yes. USB and/or FireWire, no.


--

Bruce Chambers

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killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:OCwM%...
> External hard drives are for backups and file storage
> only. Windows Vista can only be installed on an
> internal hard drive.


Actually, you can install Windows on external eSATA drives with no problem
at all.

ss.

On Fri, 9 May 2008 11:00:33 +0100, "Synapse Syndrome"
<> wrote:

>> External hard drives are for backups and file storage
>> only. Windows Vista can only be installed on an
>> internal hard drive.
>
>
>Actually, you can install Windows on external eSATA drives with no problem
>at all.

Carey never has been the brightest bulb in the string when it comes to
hardware... OR to anything outside of the Microsoft KB that he has
stored away for copying and pasting.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:
> External hard drives are for backups and file storage
> only. Windows Vista can only be installed on an
> internal hard drive.


You're assuming USB or FireWire external hard drives.
eSATA is virtually just SATA as far as the controller is
concerned, and OSes can be booted off an external eSATA
hard drive as long as there's a SATA controller. Unfortunately
for the OP, that is not the case for eSATA drives connected
to laptops through an eSATA Expresscard adaptor. It *might*
be possible to *install* an OS on an Expresscard-connected
eSATA hard drive and load and run it as long as the boot manager
resides on an internal hard drive. (I'll find *that* one out when
I get the time.)

*TimDaniels*