support for Windows XP on Flash drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Can we install Windows XP on Flash Drive, if yes than does Microsoft support
it.
One of my customer wants to install Windows XP on a Flash drive. I searched
on the Microsoft Website but didn't find the answer. i would appreciate if
someone can help me out.
 
Windows XP can only be installed on a conventional internal
hard drive. Flash drives are for file backups and storage only.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

Enjoy all the benefits of genuine Microsoft software:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/default.mspx

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

:

| Can we install Windows XP on Flash Drive, if yes than does Microsoft support
| it.
| One of my customer wants to install Windows XP on a Flash drive. I searched
| on the Microsoft Website but didn't find the answer. i would appreciate if
| someone can help me out.
| --
| Amit Dbhal
| MCP
 
No, Microsoft does *NOT* support it.

[[Current versions of Windows should not be installed to USB hard disk
drives because Windows does not support USB hard disk drives as the primary
boot device.]]

[[Windows as it exists today is currently not optimized to run as an
installed operating system from USB attached mass-storage or CD. ]]

[[Hard disk drives shouldn't report themselves as removable media drives
because Windows will not put a page file on a removable media device. ]]
from...
Recommendations for Booting Windows from USB Storage Devices
Updated: August 23, 2004
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/usb-boot.mspx

However, this is claimed to work.
http://www.ngine.de/index.jsp?pageid=4176

This is supposed to work also.
Windows In Your Pocket | Tom's Hardware
http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/09/09/windows_in_your_pocket

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Amit said:
Can we install Windows XP on Flash Drive, if yes than does Microsoft
support it.
One of my customer wants to install Windows XP on a Flash drive. I
searched on the Microsoft Website but didn't find the answer. i would
appreciate if someone can help me out.
Click to expand...

If you mean an IDE flash drive (like
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=382427&source=froogle)
then I think you can. Embedded XP certainly can, and would actually be a
better choice however.

If you mean a USB flash drive, then I concur with my fellow MVPs.

--
--
Rob Moir, Microsoft MVP for Security
Blog Site - http://www.robertmoir.com
Virtual PC 2004 FAQ -
http://www.robertmoir.co.uk/win/VirtualPC2004FAQ.html
I'm always surprised at "professionals" who STILL have to be asked:
"Have you checked (event viewer / syslog)".
 
Have a look at the Tom's Hardware article.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Back
Top