XP Won't Install to External hard drive

[DavidF]

Hi,
I'm trying to make an external hard drive connected to a
Thinkpad T30 bootable. The IBM start-up screen allows for
selecting a non-C: drive device when booting. XP Pro
seems to start installing OK, and I select "specify a
drive to install to" and XP even sees the external hard
drive as an optional install location, but then I get an
error message that XP can't install there. Is this a
driver issue related to the external drive? Why would XP
see the drive and then not see it? Any ideas for how to
get this to work would be very much appreciated. (??Copy
the i386 folder to the drive and launch it from there?
What other files does the intsall process need?) Thanks!!!

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Windows XP can only be installed on an internal drive.
External drives are designed for backups and file storage.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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


| Hi,
| I'm trying to make an external hard drive connected to a
| Thinkpad T30 bootable. The IBM start-up screen allows for
| selecting a non-C: drive device when booting. XP Pro
| seems to start installing OK, and I select "specify a
| drive to install to" and XP even sees the external hard
| drive as an optional install location, but then I get an
| error message that XP can't install there. Is this a
| driver issue related to the external drive? Why would XP
| see the drive and then not see it? Any ideas for how to
| get this to work would be very much appreciated. (??Copy
| the i386 folder to the drive and launch it from there?
| What other files does the intsall process need?) Thanks!!!

 

[buddy]

I believe that option can't not be done ... You can't
install any windows on a external hard drive ....
Microsoft copy rights ... ( licensing ) If you could you
would be able to use windows on any computer ... Nice try
but microsoft said no way dude... You can't do that with
anything with copy rights

 

[Guest]

Yeah, I understand the copyright issues, but that's why I went and bouth a second full-version copy of XP ($$$$). My question back to Carey would be; If the Thinkpad allows other devices to be the boot device (such as a CD or my external USB drive), then how does XP know or why does it care that XP resides on an external drive? Does it have something to do with the external drive being designated E: or F:, and XP needs to be on a drive labeled "C:"? I don't get why this is an issue. Could you please explain?