need to boot from ext. hdd

[soalvajavab1]

As a safegurad since my notebook hard disk is make some big clicking
nosie, I want to have my external hard drive becomes bootable so just
in case I can not boot my computer from regular C: drive I can press F8
or something like that then choose to boot from G: drive ( my external
HDD ) and can see my stuff in c: d: g: ... Is this possible? Let me
know..I have stuff in my external HDD so preferly I do not want to
format it.

 

[Manny Borges]

Generally speaking, you can't do this. It would help if youcould tell us
what kind of laptop, what kind of external drive.

My personal reccomendation without knowing any in depth hardware info would
be to back upthe system to the external drive (or image it) replace the bad
drive and then restore onto a the new functional drive.

--
Manny Borges
MCSE NT4-2003 (+ Security)
MCT, Certified Cheese Master

The pen is mightier than the sword, and considerably easier to write with.
-- Marty Feldman

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

As a safegurad since my notebook hard disk is make some big clicking
nosie, I want to have my external hard drive becomes bootable so just
in case I can not boot my computer from regular C: drive I can press F8
or something like that then choose to boot from G: drive ( my external
HDD ) and can see my stuff in c: d: g: ... Is this possible? Let me
know..I have stuff in my external HDD so preferly I do not want to
format it.

The simplest way would be to install your laptop's disk in a 2.5"
USB case (they cost less than $20.00), then connect it to a desktop
PC and copy the whole lot to your spare disk.

Note that you must back up your important files to an independent
medium once every week. It's usually too late when the clicking
noises start . . .

 

[Guest]

(From [Tsuniper-X])
Althought i haven't tried, this is the theory that should be true.
USB 1.1 is like way-too-ago stuff. USB 2.0 came out lately.
Because USB 1.1 is so slow, USB 2.0 is recommended.
As i said, USB 2.0 is a late one. You would need to buy a new computer
that supports USB 2.0 boot up. For me, my computer DOES have an option
for boot up with USB 2.0 devices, but i have never tried because i don't have
the official XP CD to install OS to my PEHD.(Personal External Hard Drive)

1. Plug off the INTERNAL hard drive.
2. Plug in the USB 2.0 supporting EHD.
3. Turn on the computer and insert XP CD.
4. Install XP.

Now, this is just a theory. i can never guarantee it would happen 100%
correctly.
This is what bugs me.

*State of EHD, whether it needs to install the specific driver.
-If EHD is an install-free plug-and-play device, like your keyboard and
mouse, it should give no problem.

*Partition
-i had never seen any person with their main drive letter other than C:\ to
boot
up. EVERYBODY has C:\ as an essential partition. This means the XP CD MIGHT
be default-set-up to install only to C:\ partition. That is, you would need
to format
and give the C:\ partition to your EHD. HOW CAN THIS POSSIBLE???

 

[soalvajavab1]

My notebook is IBM Thinkpad T20 a bit old, probably does not support
USB 2.0 external. Again guys, the problem is my main hard drive start
clicking and few times it did not boot..so I am thinking somehow I can
boot from a DVD, External Hard Disk, CD etc. if it dows not boot? Can I
have a bootable CD?

Another solution maybe is if Ghost Software copy EVERYTHING, I mean win
registery, windows software , my whole corrupted HDD to my external
drive and then I buy a new Thinkpad Hard Drive and put them back? IS
that possible, although I try not spend money to buy another HDD now
because this notebook is old. My prefrence is the first solution

PLease advice guys..Regards

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

See below.

My notebook is IBM Thinkpad T20 a bit old, probably does not support
USB 2.0 external.

This is irrelevant. You connect the USB case to another PC, not
to your laptop.

Again guys, the problem is my main hard drive start
clicking and few times it did not boot..so I am thinking somehow I can
boot from a DVD, External Hard Disk, CD etc. if it dows not boot? Can I
have a bootable CD?

If you have about three hours to spare, a CD burner and a WinXP
Professional CD (but no licence number) then you can burn yourself
a bootable Bart PE CD (www.bootdisk.com). The question is - what
would you gain with it?

Another solution maybe is if Ghost Software copy EVERYTHING, I mean win
registery, windows software , my whole corrupted HDD to my external
drive and then I buy a new Thinkpad Hard Drive and put them back? IS
that possible, although I try not spend money to buy another HDD now
because this notebook is old. My prefrence is the first solution

This is exactly what I suggested in my first reply.