Boot from external drive via USB


  1. Posts : 25
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
       #1

    Boot from external drive via USB


    Hi, I have a HP dv6 and I want to operating systems on 1 laptop. I don't want to partition the drive, I just want to boot from and external hard drive via USB.

    My OS paths

    C:/ Windows 7 (original)
    ?*:/ Windows 8 Pro (want to boot to)
    *Don't know the path

    I don't have a extra drive so I'm willing to buy one.

    Any suggestions are appreciated :) Thanks
      My Computer


  2. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #2

    Try this: Portable OS - Carry your OS on an External Drive And if you get an external drive, get a 60GB SSD.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 25
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thanks whs, but I have one question - why do you need to use VMware player?
      My Computer


  4. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #4

    Main reason is that VMware Player becomes the 'Host' and you do not get problems with the activation as you move to different PCs. The other reason is that you can really only install the Enterprise edition on a stick without using VMware. Last reason is that it is the easiest t0 install on a USB attached device.

    The Win8 CP and RP versions could be installed in another way. But that does not work with the commercial versions. This was my tutorial at the time. Windows 8 To Go - Setup on a USB Flash Drive or USB Disk
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 25
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    I'll have to try it later because my computer just died (won't boot) and now I'm using my less powerful pc
      My Computer


  6. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #6

    No problem. We'll be here.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 25
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Thanks :)
      My Computer


 

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