OS on External HDD Question?

[lyndonguitar]

Guys i need a little help here. i'm thinking of buying an 500Gb external HDD(USB) or even a 32 Gb Flash Drive and install an OS(XP/W7) to that Ext. HDD/Pen drive and bring that to any PC that I can use. will it work? can i boot up normally(i know how to adjust it in the BIOS)

I know how to properly do it but will it work? I don't have a USB-only External Hard Drive right now that i can reformat to Test so i asking first.

Example. I go to my friend's house, fire up his computer with my HDD plugged in, change his bios to boot from my HDD, My friend's computer will boot up my OS with my files and such.(software is all mine, im just using his hardware) then after i'm done return the bios again to normal.

I know that constantly changing your hardware can mess up your computer but will it al least boot?

I plan on making that OS, my "Portable Computer Symbiote" that needs other "PCs" in order to "survive" hahaha. I would bring my PC to someones place and use my OWN software at their hardware.

 

[Black Haru]

that should work. my only concern is that USB s a relatively low transfer speed (and external hard drives aren't to fast either) so it may be a bit slow responding.

 

[lyndonguitar]

Thanks, now i know that it should work.

Well, i have no choice but to use a usb, or 2 usbs working together. In our country PCs with eSATAs are very rare(like mine) and i think the places i will use my HDD for have no eSATAs so usb only. T_T

 

[roast]

With every different PC you use with that memory-stick OS, it will probably need to install drivers every time. Thats even if it makes it to Desktop.
I've noticed that switching HDDs with an OS on it between different platforms can sometimes just result in a bluescreen on boot.
I'm not saying it wont work.... just be aware that it *might* not work on every machine.

 

[lyndonguitar]

With every different PC you use with that memory-stick OS, it will probably need to install drivers every time. Thats even if it makes it to Desktop.
I've noticed that switching HDDs with an OS on it between different platforms can sometimes just result in a bluescreen on boot.
I'm not saying it wont work.... just be aware that it *might* not work on every machine.

Okay I'll keep that in mind.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

With every different PC you use with that memory-stick OS, it will probably need to install drivers every time. Thats even if it makes it to Desktop.
I've noticed that switching HDDs with an OS on it between different platforms can sometimes just result in a bluescreen on boot.
I'm not saying it wont work.... just be aware that it *might* not work on every machine.

there is that, also the fact that win7 will be painfully slow running on a usb stick/hdd at -30mbps, also evey different machine you use it with will require you to reactivate windows. So cant really see this working imo

 

[i43]

just a note .. with Windows OpSys - if you ever get it working from usb hdd on one computer - it will be good,
but on other- (your friend's) computer - you may meet compatibility issues caused hardware differences: platforms-amd or intel, + motherboard drivers and so forward )
also there may occur the the product key issue!
as it is attached to the certain mobo. ( you know .. the windows genuine check and all this sort of crap )

maybe this helps http://portableapps.com/

as far as i have tried with Win 7 Ultimate ... i didn't make it working
Used 4-5 years old usb external box with 120GB ide HDD

don't know but IMO simplest way is to go with (Linux) Ubuntu 9.04 will be good
( maybe 10.04? not tested my self )
all you need is at least any 4GB pen usb drive, and working pc capable boot from usb
ok fist you need working pc to prepare the usb drive ..
and lots of instructions here: http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

 

[lyndonguitar]

there is that, also the fact that win7 will be painfully slow running on a usb stick/hdd at -30mbps, also evey different machine you use it with will require you to reactivate windows. So cant really see this working imo

well i could try other OSs and wait for usb 3.0 to dominate our planet.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

well i could try other OSs and wait for usb 3.0 to dominate our planet.

Other non MS OS's such as Linux and usb 3 = Win

 

[lyndonguitar]

just a note .. with Windows OpSys - if you ever get it working from usb hdd on one computer - it will be good,
but on other- (your friend's) computer - you may meet compatibility issues caused hardware differences: platforms-amd or intel, + motherboard drivers and so forward )
also there may occur the the product key issue!
as it is attached to the certain mobo. ( you know .. the windows genuine check and all this sort of crap )

maybe this helps http://portableapps.com/

as far as i have tried with Win 7 Ultimate ... i didn't make it working
Used 4-5 years old usb external box with 120GB ide HDD

don't know but IMO simplest way is to go with (Linux) Ubuntu 9.04 will be good
( maybe 10.04? not tested my self )
all you need is at least any 4GB pen usb drive, and working pc capable boot from usb
ok fist you need working pc to prepare the usb drive ..
and lots of instructions here: http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

Yea thats very helpful thanks

EDIT: I have a 16GB pen drive so i might try it out tommorow with Ubuntu.

 

[HalfAHertz]

I know this works without an issue for most linux distros but I think you'll have a problem with a windows OS if it is an OEM install, due to the changing hardware and software activation and all that crap.

 

[$immond$]

If your not going to use esata, usb 3.0 or firewire 800/3200 for your external HD expect poor performance loading and utilizing your OS.

 

[Geofrancis]

The way I would do it is get a live operating system that you can boot from cd or USB. I used to use a live USB ubuntu when I was at college so I could have all my own apps with me. I'm sure if you lok on your favourite torrent site there are plenty of live operating systems including windows.

 

[angelkiller]

Definately not Windows. If it doesn't have drivers.... yeah.

This will be just like running a Live CD, but it'll be on a flash drive instead of a CD. In fact, a flash drive should be around 3x faster than a CD Rom drive. [citation needed] And you'll be able to save your data too.

IIRC, if you put the Ubuntu CD back into a Windows machine, you'll get some options for installing it to a USB drive. [citation needed]


EDIT: This is a guide that will do exactly what you want.


.

 

[lyndonguitar]

Definately not Windows. If it doesn't have drivers.... yeah.

This will be just like running a Live CD, but it'll be on a flash drive instead of a CD. In fact, a flash drive should be around 3x faster than a CD Rom drive. [citation needed] And you'll be able to save your data too.

IIRC, if you put the Ubuntu CD back into a Windows machine, you'll get some options for installing it to a USB drive. [citation needed]

What i did is i actually installed ubuntu to the flash drive. just like installing a normal OS to a normal HDD. when i tried to boot it up it didn't work. i removed my system drives and it worked. From what i've seen its not too slow and its pretty usable. I will just use it for simple purposes. browsing the net. editing word files. etc. but the problem is. If i will put the Pendrive into other's computers. i have to unplug the system HDD(disabling it will not work)

So i reformatted again. and still thinking of a way to do this.

I WILL try your idea. i was having second thoughts of just using a Live OS because i thought you can't save files but now i found out that its just on the Live CD.

Thanks guys. I will try it Asap.

so if i set my pen drive just like a live cd(from ubuntu's options on windows) and boot from the flash drive, will it boot up just like the live cd version?(without the "press any key to boot from cd") just faster and files can be saved?

 

[lyndonguitar]

The way I would do it is get a live operating system that you can boot from cd or USB. I used to use a live USB ubuntu when I was at college so I could have all my own apps with me. I'm sure if you lok on your favourite torrent site there are plenty of live operating systems including windows.

Sorry for out of topic question but. Are torrents discussion allowed in here? or as long as its not illegal?

 

[Mussels]

Sorry for out of topic question but. Are torrents discussion allowed in here? or as long as its not illegal?

its iffy.

for example, you can link to a linux website that hosts a torrent for linux files, but linking to a torrent on a site that also hosts illegal/dubious files, is not.