How to install OS in external USB HDD

**DANIEL 602** · 11-02-2008

I have Windows Vista installed in the internal Sata hard drive and I have connected a USB hard drive to the same computer. I then formatted a partition on the USB drive and then tried to install Windows XP by booting from the CD drive and pointing to the parition of the USB drive, but after the first restart I got an error message that "ntldr is missing" and that made the Vista operating system unbootable as well, so I had to repair it to make Vista bootable again. Is there any special commands to install Windows XP on a external hard drive, does anyone know about it. Thanks

**.:MUNDITO:.** · 11-02-2008

I dont think that Windows XP will be able to boot from an external hard drive, it will not work for you or anyone at all. I have heard that if you have got an external e-SATA drive then perhaps you will be able to boot the operating system, but note that you motherboard also needs to have eSata connections and the BIOS of your motherboard should also support booting from an eSata device.

**DANIEL 602** · 11-02-2008

When I checked the BIOS then it seems to me that the USB drive cna be placed in the boot order list. So, it means that Windows Vista can be installed in an external Usb drive? Thanks for the reply by the way.

**.:MUNDITO:.** · 12-02-2008

No, it is not possible to install any operating system as it will not boot from an external hard drive. I have seen somewhere that it can be done with some hacks but I have never got the full details about it, how one can do that. And for your information the eSata drive is usually held in an external enclosure and it usually connects to the motherboard directly and not via USB. So, even if it is outside of your computer but it works like an internal component.