How to install Windows 7 on a portable hard drive

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  1. Posts : 3
    Windows 7
       #1

    How to install Windows 7 on a portable hard drive


    I have a portable hard drive 270gb. I want to install Windows 7 on it. Anybody knows? I need help. Thanks
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  2. Posts : 55
    W7 Professional X64
       #2

    As far as I know.

    All the Windows iterations I've tried will not boot from an external drive.

    If anyone can get Seven to do it- I want to know how :)
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  3. Posts : 8,476
    Windows® 8 Pro (64-bit)
       #3

    You can try this method and try your luck: HOW TO: Install Windows 7 from a USB stick
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  4. Posts : 4,573
       #4

    Will it work on an eSATA connection? I will attempt later today.
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  5. Posts : 8,476
    Windows® 8 Pro (64-bit)
       #5

    Antman said:
    Will it work on an eSATA connection? I will attempt later today.
    If its bootable, it may work.
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  6. Posts : 3
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #6

    My portable hard drive connected with PC by USB port, not eSATA. How to install windows 7 on the portable hard drive, please help.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 55
    W7 Professional X64
       #7

    Just try it.

    Direct your installation to your external drive and tell us what happens!

    If that doesn't work. Take out the HDD from your external and swap it with your internal.

    Install W7 on that drive.

    Take it back out and put it in your external and try and boot from it.

    You'll have to enter BIOS settings and change the Boot order first. Get that USB HDD to the top of the list and hit F10 to save and exit.

    And give us a report.
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  8. Posts : 4,573
       #8

    Henrybuiusa said:
    My portable hard drive connected with PC by USB port, not eSATA. How to install windows 7 on the portable hard drive, please help.
    You will have to rewrite the kernel, or at least the USB stack. Don't confuse installing from USB with running from USB. The install actually runs from a RAM drive.

    To satisfy your curiosity, try this. Assumes you can boot from USB.

    Install the ext disk in your PC as a single disk.
    Install OS.
    Remove "ext" disk and put it back in ext housing.
    Modify BIOS to boot from CD, then USB (or USB first, but I would do it CD - USB)
    Modify BIOS - no internal drives (step may not be necessary).

    Attach USB ext disk and boot.

    Estimated time on task: 75 minutes or less.
    Estimated percentage of wasted time: 100%
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  9. Posts : 3
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #9

    thank all of you for helping. But, no method worked at all. I want to insert USB cable (the Portable HD)into the USB port and install windows 7 on portable hd in order to run the OS from this portable HD afterwards. Need anybody's help.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 4,573
       #10

    IT CANNOT BE DONE.

    No se puede hacer. Il ne peut ętre fait. それはされることができません。Она не может быть сделано. یہ نہیں ہو سکتا ہے. Het kan niet worden gedaan. Nem lehet elvégezni. Nie można zrobić.
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