Using windows 7 from removable drive ?

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HpBaxxter

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I want to use Windows 7 from removable drive, but it can't boot
I configured the bios (Lenovo ThinkCentre M58e )
 

My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell
OS
Windows 64bit
CPU
I7
Memory
4 GB
Graphics Card(s)
1GB
Sound Card
SRS
Hard Drives
500 GB
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IE 11
You are trying to boot Windows from an external drive connected by USB?

I think it can be done, but only with considerable difficulty and jumping through a bunch of hoops.
 

My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Ignatz Special; 4 speed manual gearbox; factory air conditioning; one of one
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
CPU
Intel Skylake i5-6600K, not overclocked
Motherboard
AsRock Z170M Extreme 4, micro ATX
Memory
8 GB HyperX DDR4-2666 (2 x 4 GB)
Graphics Card(s)
none; graphics are integrated on CPU
Sound Card
onboard: Realtek ALC1150; external: USB Behringer UF0-202
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell S2340M 23 inch IPS
Screen Resolution
1600 x 900
Hard Drives
System: Crucial MX100 series SSD, 128 GB;
Data: Samsung Spinpoint 103SJ, 1 TB;
Backup: WD Caviar Green WD30EZRX-00D8PB0, 3 TB
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Rosewill SilentNight 500 watt fanless, semi-modular
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Antec Solo II
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Noctua NH-U12S; Noctua F12 intake, Noctua S12A exhaust
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Microsoft 200 6JH-00001 USB
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Dell or Microsoft optical wired; USB
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Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes Premium
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Pale Moon
Other Info
All fans PWM; speeds at idle: CPU circa 500 rpm; intake circa 600 rpm; exhaust circa 600 rpm; CPU temps 27 idle and 47 C load in a warm room (27 C/81 F) when running Intel Extreme Tuning Utility stress test.
Assuming that you want to INSTALL Windows on an removable external drive, it is possible. :)
You can use PWBoot (Portable Windows Boot Project). Just Google it.
 

My Computer

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PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Assembled
OS
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (x64)
CPU
AMD FX-4100
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Gigabyte GA-78LMT-S2 R2
Memory
8 GigaBytes
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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti
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Realtek
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Acer
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768
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WDC WD5000AAKX-001CA0 (500 GB)
Seagate ST1000LM (1 TB)
WD Elements 2.5" External (1 TB)
Seagate Expansion External (3TB)
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Corsair VS550
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Normal
Cooling
Default
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Normal
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Normal
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50 Mbps
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Windows Security
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Google Chome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera
mvthakar said:
Assuming that you want to INSTALL Windows on an removable external drive, it is possible. :)
You can use PWBoot (Portable Windows Boot Project). Just Google it.
Click to expand...

I already installed windows 7 on external driven it booted well on dell desktop but it didn't on Lenovo desktop
 

My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell
OS
Windows 64bit
CPU
I7
Memory
4 GB
Graphics Card(s)
1GB
Sound Card
SRS
Hard Drives
500 GB
Browser
IE 11
That's because it was never meant to do that. Moving it to different hardware causes driver issues. You'll have activation issues too. Windows To Go is the official way to do it. You need Windows 8.1 Enterprise for that though. There are unofficial tutorials on how to create your own Windows To Go drive. Just google it. May or may not work though, as its not sanctioned by Microsoft. Even if you do get it to work you'll likely still run into activation issues if you move it from PC to PC.
 

My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Home Built
OS
Windows 10 Education 64 bit
CPU
AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
Motherboard
Asus M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
Memory
8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
Graphics Card(s)
Zotac NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
Sound Card
VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
Monitor(s) Displays
22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
Screen Resolution
1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
Hard Drives
Crucial M100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
PSU
Thermaltake TR 620
Case
Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
Cooling
Stock heatsink and fan
Keyboard
Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
Mouse
Logitech Wireless M570 Trackman Wheel
Internet Speed
80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
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Windows Defender
Browser
Internet Explorer 11
Other Info
HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
USB throttles the OS speed terribly. Not really worth the trouble unless you're using eSata.
 
alphanumeric said:
That's because it was never meant to do that. Moving it to different hardware causes driver issues. You'll have activation issues too. Windows To Go is the official way to do it. You need Windows 8.1 Enterprise for that though. There are unofficial tutorials on how to create your own Windows To Go drive. Just google it. May or may not work though, as its not sanctioned by Microsoft. Even if you do get it to work you'll likely still run into activation issues if you move it from PC to PC.
Click to expand...

I used winToUsb to install windows 7 on the external drive. I don't care about the activation !
I just want to understand why I can't boot it !
 

My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell
OS
Windows 64bit
CPU
I7
Memory
4 GB
Graphics Card(s)
1GB
Sound Card
SRS
Hard Drives
500 GB
Browser
IE 11
HpBaxxter said:
alphanumeric said:
That's because it was never meant to do that. Moving it to different hardware causes driver issues. You'll have activation issues too. Windows To Go is the official way to do it. You need Windows 8.1 Enterprise for that though. There are unofficial tutorials on how to create your own Windows To Go drive. Just google it. May or may not work though, as its not sanctioned by Microsoft. Even if you do get it to work you'll likely still run into activation issues if you move it from PC to PC.
Click to expand...

I used winToUsb to install windows 7 on the external drive. I don't care about the activation !
I just want to understand why I can't boot it !
Click to expand...

More than likely a driver issue. If the two sets of hardware are very different it will cause issues like a failed boot.
 

My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Home Built
OS
Windows 10 Education 64 bit
CPU
AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
Motherboard
Asus M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
Memory
8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
Graphics Card(s)
Zotac NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
Sound Card
VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
Monitor(s) Displays
22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
Screen Resolution
1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
Hard Drives
Crucial M100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
PSU
Thermaltake TR 620
Case
Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
Cooling
Stock heatsink and fan
Keyboard
Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
Mouse
Logitech Wireless M570 Trackman Wheel
Internet Speed
80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
Antivirus
Windows Defender
Browser
Internet Explorer 11
Other Info
HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
HpBaxxter said:
alphanumeric said:
That's because it was never meant to do that. Moving it to different hardware causes driver issues. You'll have activation issues too. Windows To Go is the official way to do it. You need Windows 8.1 Enterprise for that though. There are unofficial tutorials on how to create your own Windows To Go drive. Just google it. May or may not work though, as its not sanctioned by Microsoft. Even if you do get it to work you'll likely still run into activation issues if you move it from PC to PC.
Click to expand...

I used winToUsb to install windows 7 on the external drive. I don't care about the activation !
I just want to understand why I can't boot it !
Click to expand...

But MS cares about the activation, which is why they make it as impossible as they can to install to an external drive unless you use Windows To Go which they designed for that purpose.

How did you make the external bootable exactly? You realize it must boot via USB which will make it horribly slow? An OS is meant to run internally and not via USB.
 
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