BSOD HDD Failed - Install Windows 7 on external hard drive from boot

Hello everyone,

I am new to the forums and not sure where the best place to ask this question is, any help would be appreciated, even if you refer me to somewhere else.

I have a Dell Inspiron 1545 (2.5 years old). All my data is backed up so I have no concerns about recoverying data.
First, the laptop crashed and ran several chkdsk on start up. I froze several times during this. It said it had fixed some errors then started up again.
This time it wanted to do start up repair. Same thing kept happening, froze at least twenty times during this. Eventually it gave me the blue screen of death.

'Technical information

*** STOP: 0x000000F4 (0x0000000000000003, 0xFFFFFA8004C1D260, 0xFFFFFA8004C1D498, 0xFFFFF8000130DDA0)'

This repeated several times. I ran the diagnostics and it told me the hard drive could not be found (error code 0146, 2000-0146). Essentially, it's a Dell laptop (I know) and I am not bothered about recovering the hard drive.
I would, however, like to install Windows 7, or alternatively Linux, onto my external hard drive. But I just can't seem to get it to work.
I have extracted a Linux iso to the external hard drive I want to install on, onto a cd, onto a FAT32 8gb usb stick, but it has given me the bootmgr is missing error every time. I have tried it with the interal HDD in and removed.
I am no longer concerned about the internal HDD, i can use it for a door stop for all I am concerned, I just want to load ANY os onto my external hard drive so I can get the laptop working. Any ideas about what I am doing wrong?

lehnerus2000 said:

As a temporary work-around, you should be able to run Linux from the CD or USB.
This would allow you to use your machine until a better solution is suggested.

If you can get Linux to run you might be able to format the internal HDD (using GParted for example) and then reuse it (temporary solution).

Thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately I can not get Linux to run from wither cd or usb. And I have tried to format the HDD using a windows recovery disk. But it told me the drive was unavailable.

oliverdowning said:

lehnerus2000 said:

As a temporary work-around, you should be able to run Linux from the CD or USB.
This would allow you to use your machine until a better solution is suggested.

If you can get Linux to run you might be able to format the internal HDD (using GParted for example) and then reuse it (temporary solution).

Thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately I can not get Linux to run from wither cd or usb. And I have tried to format the HDD using a windows recovery disk. But it told me the drive was unavailable.

When I try to run Linux on usb or cd it says bootmgr is missing. I don't know why this might be, but the usb and cd drive are definately being recognised outside of windows because when I boot up without them I get the system repair attempting to start.

lehnerus2000 said:

Just to confirm:

• You have a Linux ISO (e.g. Ubuntu).
• You have burnt it to a CD.
• You have set your BIOS to boot from the CD.
• When you try to boot it, you get a "bootmgr is missing" message.

You shouldn't get that message if your machine is booting from the CD.

Yes, that is correct. This also happens when I boot Ubuntu (11.10) from usb (both external hard drive and 8gb memory stick)

lehnerus2000 said:

I should have been more specific.
I once told Windows to burn an ISO file to a CD and it did just that.
It didn't "unpack" the contents of the ISO file, it burnt "File.iso" to the CD.
Luckily I always use a rewritable disk for tests.

It sounds like your machine is ignoring the instruction to boot from the CD.
That message is the one you get, when you have a problem with your HDD (or the boot files have been corrupted).

Can you disconnect the internal HDD and try booting with your Linux CD?

I have to admit I'm stumped.

I have done that. I get the same result. I know. It's confusing the hell out of me.

lehnerus2000 said:

Maybe your BIOS has become corrupted somehow.

Do you know how to reset your BIOS?

Ok. this is weird. It's changed what it is doing now. I have jsut tried it again (HHD disconnected). First time it said there is no bootable devices etc. Then it is now just flashing _ in the top left hand corner of the screen. Left it ten mins and it is still flashing that.