2 internal HDD, 1int 1 ext. 2 OS XP VISTA on a laptop?

[bi66al]

Hello,
I have a good laptop HDD with XP installed. MY internal HDD has Vista as OS. Can I buy an external case with usb and run 2 systems, only booting one at a time to my Acer Aspire. In other words my Acer is running Vista Home Prem. on a SATA drive now. Can I add an IDE drive with an external adapter box, and USB connection running XP? I think the USB connection would transmitt as fast as laptop, am I correct? I realize if the acer laptop recognizes the drive, I can only run one OS, there by one hard drive. I have the extra hard drive, so it is cheaper than by a new larger one.

 

[MrBig55]

You can't install Windows on an USB HDD, the only exception being Windows 7 as you can download a tool that will install it on a USB drive.

I tried installing XP, Vista and 7 unmodded and it just don't wanna recognize the USB HDD. You will need to mod these CDs for it to work. You have to know that you cannot mod a Windows XP SP3 CD for it to install on a USB HDD.

But you can always install any version of Linux on an USB HDD since darkages. Looks like Microsoft may be sucking balls. ^^

 

[bi66al]

You can't install Windows on an USB HDD, the only exception being Windows 7 as you can download a tool that will install it on a USB drive.

I tried installing XP, Vista and 7 unmodded and it just don't wanna recognize the USB HDD. You will need to mod these CDs for it to work. You have to know that you cannot mod a Windows XP SP3 CD for it to install on a USB HDD.

But you can always install any version of Linux on an USB HDD since darkages. Looks like Microsoft may be sucking balls. ^^

Thanks for replying. Let me add some info on the additional HDD . The drive came from another laptop. The OS XP SP2 is installed as that what was with the computer when it was purchased. I had read some article saying that an USD HDD OS could be run externally thru the USB. Prossibly they were talking about Linux and I assumed it was Microsoft.

 

[colossians]

Win XP can be installed on external USB HDD. I used the method in http://ngine.de/article/id/8/ but I think the link is dead now since it was like 3 years ago. A senior member vkay was the person helping us neubs to through.

Since then I have been operating a second WinXP OS without a hitch. Found a new related link here http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/136401-how-to-install-windows-7-on-external-usb-hard-disk/ but haven't gone through to find out if it works but there's a youtube link to http://www.rmprepusb.tk/ that seems to say it can work.


I am getting a new laptop so will be looking to install Win7 on external USB HDD sometime later. I have been happily using 2 OS on same laptop, one from int HDD and the other ext HDD when I need to. No problem at all.