Is Bootability from USB Stick an USB Stick feature or motherboard dependent or both ? Detecting with

[Joe deAngelo]

If I want to boot from USB Stick:

Is this feature dependent from the USB sticks hardware internals or
from the motherboards hardware features or from both ?

Is there a software tool which can show me if all requirements for booting from USB stick are
given or is this only possible by reading the USB Stick/motherboard manual(s) ?

Joe

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

If I want to boot from USB Stick:

Is this feature dependent from the USB sticks hardware internals or
from the motherboards hardware features or from both ?

Is there a software tool which can show me if all requirements for
booting from USB stick are given or is this only possible by reading
the USB Stick/motherboard manual(s) ?

Joe

It's dependent on the BIOS of the computer you're trying to use.

 

[Alan C]

This is usually a motherboard BIOS setting.

 

[Malke]

If I want to boot from USB Stick:

Is this feature dependent from the USB sticks hardware internals or
from the motherboards hardware features or from both ?

Is there a software tool which can show me if all requirements for booting from USB stick are
given or is this only possible by reading the USB Stick/motherboard manual(s) ?

Joe

In order to boot from a USB drive, you must have two things:

1. Your BIOS must support this. Go into the BIOS and look at the boot
order. If USB devices are listed, then you can boot from one.

2. The operating system you wish to boot must support this. Windows XP
and Vista cannot boot from an external drive. DOS (and other
non-MSDOS-type variants such as Caldera DOS), OS X, Linux, and some
flavors of Unix can.


Malke

 

[Arno Wagner]

If I want to boot from USB Stick:

Is this feature dependent from the USB sticks hardware internals or
from the motherboards hardware features or from both ?

Only the mainboards BIOS is really an issue. And, depending on boot
method chosen, the size of the stick.

Is there a software tool which can show me if all requirements for
booting from USB stick are given or is this only possible by reading
the USB Stick/motherboard manual(s) ?

Actually you have to try it out. Some insights into the border
conditions may be gotten here:

http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Bootable_USB_Key

where making a bootable USB memory stick with Knoppix on it
is described. A part of the discussion carries over to other
OSes as well.

Arno

 

[Rod Speed]

If I want to boot from USB Stick:

Is this feature dependent from the USB sticks hardware internals
or from the motherboards hardware features or from both ?

Motherboard and what you are trying to boot. It isnt that easy
to boot the more complex OSs like XP from a USB stick.

Is there a software tool which can show me if all requirements
for booting from USB stick are given or is this only possible by
reading the USB Stick/motherboard manual(s) ?

I'm not aware of a tool that can show you.

 

[db ´¯`·.. >]

yes, if your bios supports
booting from usb, then you
can install winxp onto a
flash drive and boot with
it. i made one last year.

query the instructions at
techrepublic.com.

it basically entails using
a unique formatting utility
from hp.

--

<)))º>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

..

 

[smlunatick]

If I want to boot from USB Stick:

Is this feature dependent from the USB sticks hardware internals or
from the motherboards hardware features or from both ?

Is there a software tool which can show me if all requirements for bootingfrom USB stick are
given or is this only possible by reading the USB Stick/motherboard manual(s) ?

Joe

It is not a feature based on the USB sticks but mainly the
motherboard. Your motherboard must permit USB device to boot and then
you need software in order to set up the USB stick for booting. HP
provided a special "software" to set up a USB stick to boot as a
floppy. However, you need to know that Microsoft has not permitted XP
(any versions) to boot from any "external" device. Microsoft
considers any USB or Firewire to be "external" devices. However,
there is "reports" of people successfully getting XP to boot off a USB
drive.

 

[Edward W. Thompson]

If I want to boot from USB Stick:

Is this feature dependent from the USB sticks hardware internals or
from the motherboards hardware features or from both ?

Is there a software tool which can show me if all requirements for booting
from USB stick are
given or is this only possible by reading the USB Stick/motherboard
manual(s) ?

Joe

It is not a feature based on the USB sticks but mainly the
motherboard. Your motherboard must permit USB device to boot and then
you need software in order to set up the USB stick for booting. HP
provided a special "software" to set up a USB stick to boot as a
floppy. However, you need to know that Microsoft has not permitted XP
(any versions) to boot from any "external" device. Microsoft
considers any USB or Firewire to be "external" devices. However,
there is "reports" of people successfully getting XP to boot off a USB
drive.

While WINXP may be bootable from an external drive after modification of the
software, this will violate the MS licence and be illegal.

 

[Ace]

Booting from USB media (any type) completely depends on what the
motherboard supports in terms of boot devices.
Check your motherboard manual, and check the motherboard manufacturer
website for any BIOS updates that may include changes to boot device
support for that particular motherboard.

http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm

Note that item #2 is generally true; IF the drive you wish to use has
been made bootable (ofcourse) - See the METHODS section.

You'll have to discover what works reliably for you.
I had no success with the HP utility, but Bart's mkbt did work when
copying the bootrecord off of an old DOS bootdisk (Disks formatted with
boot options from within Windows 2000 and up didn't work either.)





(e-mail address removed) (Joe deAngelo) wrote in

 

[db ´¯`·.. >]

microsoft does allow a
boot to be redirected from
a usb device.

the switch can be researched
and found in every winxp
operating system sold.

i have not researched the switch
capabilities in detail since i was
successful with booting winxp via
a flash stick.

but it seems reasonable that if
one can make a slipstream onto
a blank cd, i.e., non microsoft disk,
then this is also applicable to usb
sub systems as well.
--

<)))º>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

..

 

[M.I.5¾]

If I want to boot from USB Stick:

Is this feature dependent from the USB sticks hardware internals or
from the motherboards hardware features or from both ?

Is there a software tool which can show me if all requirements for booting
from USB stick are
given or is this only possible by reading the USB Stick/motherboard
manual(s) ?

ITYWF that it is a feature of the BIOS on the motherboard.

 

[M.I.5¾]

If I want to boot from USB Stick:

Is this feature dependent from the USB sticks hardware internals or
from the motherboards hardware features or from both ?

Is there a software tool which can show me if all requirements for booting
from USB stick are
given or is this only possible by reading the USB Stick/motherboard
manual(s) ?

Joe

It is not a feature based on the USB sticks but mainly the
motherboard. Your motherboard must permit USB device to boot and then
you need software in order to set up the USB stick for booting. HP
provided a special "software" to set up a USB stick to boot as a
floppy. However, you need to know that Microsoft has not permitted XP
(any versions) to boot from any "external" device. Microsoft
considers any USB or Firewire to be "external" devices. However,
there is "reports" of people successfully getting XP to boot off a USB
drive.

---------------

What on earth does it have to do with XP? Booting takes place long before
the operating system loads. In fact the operating system can't load unless
the media it resides on boots first. It is a function of the Motherboard's
BIOS. Nearly every modern motherboard will boot from a USB device (though
not necessarily every USB device - USB floppy disk drives are fairly
universal, other devices less so). The device has to be located in the
correct place in the boot order. On most BIOS setups the USB device only
appears in the boot order setup if it is physically connected at the time.
The BIOS will remember for the next time its connected.