Booting to XP on USB (installed on internal HDD in same machine)

[Attila-C]

Hi,

I like to run XP on a Vista machine (Acer 5720).

There are many info on installing and running XP on a USB HDD....

But...

My question is:

If I put a new, blank HDD into my laptop as an internal disk and install an XP on it, can it boot later as an USB HDD after I have put back the original Vista ?

Of course, instead of the multiboot option I set the boot device in the BIOS....

So ... Would that work?

Does XP install itself "remembering" that it sits on an IDE HDD or just happy to find the MBR on the boot device ?

Thanks !

Attila

[BertImmenschuh]

It's my understanding the OS has to be installed on the drive it will be used on, e.g. plug in the USB HDD, boot to the OS CD and make the drive change when prompted to start the install to the USB drive. Then the BIOS boot sequence can be changed as desired. I did it a different way on one of my Notebooks, have a second HDD with WinXP to exchange with the Vista HDD.

[Attila-C]

Hi!

If I understand well, that is good news to me.

So far what I read they said that I need to edit some system files on the XP install CD and burn it again... that is a bit messy for me...

So you installed XP on the USB drive, by simply selecting it during XP installation?

[BertImmenschuh]

I did it a different way on one of my Notebooks, have a second HDD with WinXP to exchange with the Vista HDD.
I didn't do it using USB, just have 2 different HDDs and swap as needed.

[Attila-C]

yes...That would had be too nice...

I was thinking of it with my old Acer, because the HDD was sliding in and out like a draw....

But the new one has a flap door on the bottom and does not looks it was designed for frequent HDD change....

Thanks anyway !

Attila