Installing Windows from a usb external device

I do not want to install Windows onto an external usb device, I want to install Windows "from" an external usb device. The bios on this machine supports usb booting. How do I make the usb external hard drive bootable just as a cd is so it will boot and let me install Windows?

Thanks

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Comments

Sie

Bart PE i believe is what you need.

Just because im feeling extra helpful heres a link:

http://tomshardware.co.uk/2005/09/09/windows_in_your_pocket/index.html

Hope thats what you need!!

[Edit -

Oh and incase you want the M$ info on it

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

/Edit]

royal

BartPE appears to allow you to create an .iso or make bootable onto a cd only. That and it doesn't support Vista because it requires a file in i386 folder. Vista doesn't have i386 folder.

sprkymrk

To boot from the USB drive you would need to check your boot order in the bios as far as I know.

However, I would advise caution using this method, because Windows may try to install TO the boot device as well. Then after removing the USB drive after install you won't be able to access Windows. Additionally, even if you specify a different hard drive to install to, you then have to leave the USB drive attached to boot Windows, at which point you would then have to modify the boot.ini file so you can run Windows without the USB device attached. I know it sounds weird, but it's happened to a couple of clients of mine who tried to do exactly what you are attempting. Maybe your experience will be different. Let me know how it goes.

royal

Thankfully one of the guys at work had a usb bootable cd-rom. I was just able to burn the .iso to a dvd-r and just use the bootable cd-rom.

Sie

You never mentioned Vista

royal

Sie wrote:

You never mentioned Vista

Indeed I did not. My apologies.