Install windows "from" external optical drive...is it possible?

[rsf]

Hello

I wanto to make a clean windows instalation on a pc with no internal drives
(only HD)
There are no drives because I got the idea that I could use a external usb
optical drive to install the windows.
(this is all about I need the drive for because this pc belongs to a small
render farm and is just used for it's processing power)
The problem is that althought the bios seams to support booting from usb
device (or same kind of booting) I can't manage to make it work.

My motherboard is an Asus A8N_VM CSM but I called them and they said that
this MB has no support to boot from a usb "optical" drive. Also called Bios
manufactures (AMI) and they also said it couldn't be done (althought I
didn't understand half he said...english is not my native language

I know these MB have some kind of "boot from usb" capabilities because I
already used my usb pen (with some dos from windows) to boot from in order
to use a RAM scan software.
Well...I'm undering if there is any other way (besides installing an
internal cd drive in all nodes) I can install windows.
I'm searching about SATA or IDE exterior connections but didn't found any
external SATA drive.

Can someone give me some help?!

Thanks.

 

[Jerry]

Windows will not install on an external drive. You're wasting time to try to
do so.

 

[rsf]

Thanks Jerry but....I'm not trying to install "to" but "from"
Nevertheless I'm trying a different path now since "disk cloning" seams
perfect for my situation.
I already posted about this to so...if you could help with it would be
great.
Thanks