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How to setup Windows from an external hard drive?

How to setup Windows from an external hard drive?

Is it possible to install Windows from an external hard drive?

Asked by: Guest | Views: 289
Total answers/comments: 2
Guest [Entry]

"Follow the directions here:


Plug-in your USB flash drive to USB port and move all the contents
from USB drive to a safe location on your system.
Open a Command Prompt with admin rights. Type ""cmd"" into the Start
menu search box and hit
CtrlShiftEnter.
Type DISKPART and hit Enter … Next type LIST DISK and note down
the Disk number (e.g. ""Disk 1"") of your USB flash drive.
Next type all the below commands one by one.

SELECT DISK 1
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
SELECT PARTITION 1
ACTIVE
FORMAT FS=NTFS
(Format process may take few seconds)
ASSIGN
EXIT


Don’t close the command prompt as we need to execute one more command
at the next step. Just minimize it.
Next insert your Windows7/Vista DVD into the optical drive and
check the drive letter of the DVD drive. In this guide I will assume
that your DVD drive letter is “D” and USB drive letter is “H” (open my
computer to know about it).
Maximize the minimized Command Prompt in the 4th step.Type the
following command now: D: CD BOOT and hit enter.Where “D” is your DVD
drive letter. CD BOOT and hit enter to see the below message.
Type another command given below to update the USB drive with
BOOTMGR compatible code.

BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 H:



Where “H” is your USB drive letter. Once you enter the above command
you will see the below message.


Copy your Windows 7/Vista DVD contents to the USB flash drive.
Your USB drive is ready to boot and install Windows 7/Vista. Only
thing you need to change the boot priority at the BIOS to USB from the
HDD or CD ROM drive. I won’t explain it as it’s just the matter the
changing the boot priority or enabling the USB boot option in the
BIOS."
Guest [Entry]

The BIOS needs to support booting from a USB storage device, and the device needs to have a boot sector. If there is no boot sector then you cannot boot from the device. Unless the boot sector contains or loads code that is capable of reading a bootable ISO image, then no, you cannot boot an ISO image on an external storage device.