Install OS into external hard drive to use in PC

[Joe_176]

So for me its time for a new HD and have my old one as a back up. I'm wondering if it is possible to install windows7 into my new HD as an external hard drive then take the old HD out and put the New one in with the OS already installed on it?

Is the even possible? if it is, will it cause problems even if it is going into the same PC that the OS was installed from?

 

[RealBeast]

You cannot install Windows 7 to an external drive.

You can sometimes move a Windows 7 boot drive from one computer to another as long as they are fairly similar. I recently took the OS drive from a P8P67 ASUS board and installed it in an ASUS Z170-A with no issues, but don't expect it to work between different brands and be prepared to do a clean installation.

 

[Joe_176]

You cannot install Windows 7 to an external drive.

You can sometimes move a Windows 7 boot drive from one computer to another as long as they are fairly similar. I recently took the OS drive from a P8P67 ASUS board and installed it in an ASUS Z170-A with no issues, but don't expect it to work between different brands and be prepared to do a clean installation.

Bummer, looks like I got to do it the old fashioned way and do the boot from disk. Thanks, It was worth a shot though.