installing Windows Server 2003 on Windows XP--believe it or not

[childofthe1980s]

Hello:

I posted a similar question, last night. But, when I went back here to see
if I got any answers, my question was gone! I hope that this posting stays.

It's a long story. But, here it goes.

I do not want to use the Microsoft Virtual PC images on my laptop in order
to utilize Windows Server 2003. But, at the same time, I want to be able to
"use" Windows Server 2003 in order to test software for my business. I don't
have a separate machine, so I have to use my XP laptop.

Short of swapping out my XP hard drive for a Windows Server 2003 hard drive,
I do not know how to get Windows Server 2003 on my machine.

Is it possible to install Windows Server 2003 on an external hard drive and
boot to that operating system on that drive? Or, if not, is there another
way for me to get 2003?

Thanks!

childofthe1980s

 

[AJR]

I, at one time, had a dual boot setup with XP and Server 2003 - worked
fine - evidently you did not
consider "routine" dual boot setup.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Your thread is titled "in lieu of swapping out hard drives" below (1/28/08
8:31 pm (my time is MST)). If you can't see it, the essence is that it is
not possible with USB drives (which we pretty much all knew) but may be
possible using an ExpressCard eSATA port card (if your laptop has an
ExpressCard slot) and a SATA hard drive enclosure and drive.
C.Joseph.S.Drayton shared some interesting thoughts and if he sees this post
perhaps he can copy and paste his comments here.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

On a single drive laptop?

I, at one time, had a dual boot setup with XP and Server 2003 - worked
fine - evidently you did not
consider "routine" dual boot setup.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Hello:

I posted a similar question, last night. But, when I went back here to
see
if I got any answers, my question was gone! I hope that this posting
stays.

It's a long story. But, here it goes.

I do not want to use the Microsoft Virtual PC images on my laptop in order
to utilize Windows Server 2003. But, at the same time, I want to be able
to
"use" Windows Server 2003 in order to test software for my business. I
don't
have a separate machine, so I have to use my XP laptop.

Short of swapping out my XP hard drive for a Windows Server 2003 hard
drive,
I do not know how to get Windows Server 2003 on my machine.

Is it possible to install Windows Server 2003 on an external hard drive
and
boot to that operating system on that drive?

Does your laptop's BIOS support booting from an external drive?

Or, if not, is there another
way for me to get 2003?

I have run Windows Server 2003 for test purposes on a used, $200 P4 system
(an HP 530), and it did very well, though of course there is no real load.
With a server OS, you often don't even need a monitor after it's set up; you
put it on your local network and use a remote console. And, that is
probably a more realistic way of interacting with the server. Very, very
few people are going to be sitting at its keyboard.

Without the real load testing, though, you can't really tell what happens to
the software you're looking at.

HTH
-pk

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

The question is about dual booting on a laptop using an external drive.
Please read the post and the thread I referenced in my first reply.

 

[C.Joseph S. Drayton]

On a single drive laptop?

Just so that you know, your original article is still alive. the
Message-ID is; <[email protected]>

As to your new question about multiple OSes on a single hard disk, I
have Windows2000pe, WindowsXPpe and Ubuntu Linux all installed on a
single 120GB hard disk.

You do realize that you can create distinct partitions on a hard disk
and that each partition is recognized as a separate logical hard disk?

--

C.Joseph Drayton, Ph.D. AS&T

CSD Computer Services
Web site: http://csdcs.tlerma.com/
E-mail: (e-mail address removed)

 

[Patrick Keenan]

The question is about dual booting on a laptop using an external drive.

And, it asks for other options. An inexpensive separate system is often a
viable option.

Please read the post and the thread I referenced in my first reply.

I did read the post, and that's why I asked if the system supports booting
from an external drive.

I'll have to restart to check, but I believe that the laptop I'm writing
this on does support booting from external USB drives, though the one it has
replaced does not.

.... and having checked, it does support booting from external USB drives.
eSata is not the only option.

Hope this helps.

-pk

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

If you are checking the BIOS to see if usb booting is supported then be
aware that it is supported in most recent mobos but it is not sufficient for
booting Windows from a usb drive. Windows does not support booting from the
usb bus although some other operating systems do. I believe that right now
the BIOS option is there for future developments as far as Windows is
concerned. AFAIK Windows does not currently scan the usb bus for boot
volumes.

Booting Windows from a usb drive may be supported in Windows 7 because the
international standards that MS has been waiting on should be final by then.
The primary interest is in booting from optical drives for diagnostic and
repair purposes. USB is a little slow compared to SATA and SCSI for
external hard drives.

But then if you are presently booting Windows on your computer from a usb
drive then I obviously have it wrong.