Use existing HD in enclosure, can I run win and programs from there?

[Interestor]

Here is what I want to do:
Remove my laptop HD, put it in a USB enclosure, run windows and programs from there.

I will be reinstalling that factory win7 on a new SSD, and slowly installing my drivers and programs there. I want to be able to still work with my computer while I build the new drive.

Step 1) problem. Can’t seem to tell it to boot from USB drive. Four choices on boot option bios: ASMT 2105, Network, Diagnostic, Enter setup. None do what I want.

So, is this plan even possible? Can I run my existing windows and programs via external USB enclosure?

I have Alienware M11x. i5 8gb ram
(I read on forums to use left side usb port, neither side works for me)


Thank you

 

[matts6887]

If neither usb port works; then its possible the setup for windows 7 could have disabled the 2 ports for whatever reason. I would still retry the setup off the disc; as yes you should realistically be able to install windows 7 on a ssd.

 

[Kari]

You cannot run Windows 7 from an external USB HDD. The fact that your external USB HDD is in fact old internal HDD now attached to a USB case does not change this; it still is an external USB HDD and not capable to run Windows 7.

Kari

 

[Interestor]

I will be installing windows from the factory disc via my external dvd drive with firewire. (Should work)

I just want to use my current setup in the meantime while I monkey with building the new SSD.

 

[Britton30]

If you instead put the SDD in the enclosure, you can transfer your existing system and use it as you have been, right away. Windows won't boot from a USB Hard drive or SSD.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

 

[Interestor]

You cannot run Windows 7 from an external USB HDD. The fact that your external USB HDD is in fact old internal HDD now attached to a USB case does not change this; it still is an external USB HDD and not capable to run Windows 7.

Kari

AHA, there is a clear answer, like I am seeking. Not the one I am seeking but clear.

OK plan B is to install win7 on the SSD, and access my files on the old HD.

Question: can I run the programs installed on the HD via the enclosure?

 

[Kari]

Before doing anything else, jump two posts up and read Britton's response (post #5). .

 

[Interestor]

Before doing anything else, jump two posts up and read Britton's response (post #5). .

Thanks, but a big part of this project is a fresh installation of everything. I currently have a few curious problems like unnecessary low drive space warning, web hesitations, random "not responding" crashes..

 

[Kari]

OK.

The thing is, although you can install some apps on an external HDD, quite a many won't work. Totally out of the question is to use programs installed on that HDD when it still was the system disk on your laptop.

You simply cannot replace the HDD with SSD, attach the the HDD to an enclosure, install Windows on SSD and use programs from old installation on that HDD.

To put it short: if your goal is to do a clean install on SSD instead of transferring your old Windows installation, there's not much you can do. You simply have to reinstall your programs on your new Windows installation.

 

[Britton30]

Yes if your old installation has issues a new one is best. Have a look here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html#post787192

 

[Interestor]

Yeah, damn, I guess I will have to budget some no-computer-work time and do this large procedure completely. I'll still have my files on the old HD to access, that's at least one step better than formatting the whole thing.

Thank you all.

 

[whs]

You can run your old system from a USB enclosure (hopefully USB3, but USB2 works too) if you run in virtual. I run 6 systems (Linux and Windows 8) like that. You have to do the following - it is a fun project.

1. Move the bootmgr to C if it is not there already: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html

2. Make a VHD from your system. The command is

WBADMIN START BACKUP -backupTarget:L: -include:C:

Where L is some external disk where you store the VHD. It is stored to the root.

3. Convert the VHD to a VMDK (with WinImage). Here is how: http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-to-convert-and-import-vhd-to-vmdk-vmware/

4. Install VMware Player on your SSD system. Download VMware Player 6.0.1 - FileHippo.com

5. Create a virtual machine in VMware Player using the VMDK that you created and copy that to your external disk.

6. Here is an example on how it works - this is running Windows 8 in virtual.

 

[whs]

But if you only want to have your old system handy to pick files etc, do only step #2 of the above. Then attach that VHD via disk management > Action tab and you will find it in Computer. There you can open it like any volume and read and copy what you want.