Question Laptop USB Remote Boot Drive Option?

[Beam78]

I am interested in learning if I can put a different OS on an external USB hard drive and alternatively boot to that OS by plugging in the drive when I want it.
I understand that the laptop's BIOS needs to be set for boot sequence to try that port before the internal hard drive to get the USB drive in line.
Basically I am looking for a solution to learn about the alternate OS before committing to depending on it as the main OS.
Will doing that cause any issues with the primary OS and functionality when the USB drive is not used?

 

[USAFRet]

I am interested in learning if I can put a different OS on an external USB hard drive and alternatively boot to that OS by plugging in the drive when I want it.
I understand that the laptop's BIOS needs to be set for boot sequence to try that port before the internal hard drive to get the USB drive in line.
Basically I am looking for a solution to learn about the alternate OS before committing to depending on it as the main OS.
Will doing that cause any issues with the primary OS and functionality when the USB drive is not used?

A Linux OS, yes.

A Windows OS...not without a LOT of work behind it.

What OSs are you looking at using/comparing, and what will you use this system for?

 

[Beam78]

A Linux OS, yes.

A Windows OS...not without a LOT of work behind it.

What OSs are you looking at using/comparing, and what will you use this system for?

A windows system.
What extra (LOT) of work?
To clarify, I am talking about two distinct registered operating systems on separate drives.
I currently swapped the two hard drives with different windows OS's in and out of the inner HD slot once and and it worked ok.
So refining the question, can I short cut swapping by having the BIOS boot to the external drive first and ignore the installed inner drive while the external drive is attached (eliminating removing the inner drive for the occasion when working with the new OS)?

 

[USAFRet]

A windows system.
What extra (LOT) of work?
To clarify, I am talking about two distinct registered operating systems on separate drives.
I currently swapped the two hard drives with different windows OS's in and out of the inner HD slot once and and it worked ok.
So refining the question, can I short cut swapping by having the BIOS boot to the external drive first and ignore the installed inner drive while the external drive is attached (eliminating removing the inner drive for the occasion when working with the new OS)?

A Windows install for external use is NOT a trivial thing.
Nor would it be good if you DO get it running.

Again, what Windows OSs, and also, why? There may be other solutions, vs your external drive concept.

 

[Beam78]

A Windows install for external use is NOT a trivial thing.
Nor would it be good if you DO get it running.

Again, what Windows OSs, and also, why? There may be other solutions, vs your external drive concept.

The original post noted "why?"
"Basically I am looking for a solution to learn about the alternate OS before committing to depending on it as the main OS."

I understand you don't approve but that was not the question.
I wrote that I have gotten it to run and it was with little effort in a swap out drive.

 

[USAFRet]

the alternate OS

And the other question was.....Which?

There are potentially multiple ways of installing a temp OS to learn about it.

But if you've gotten it running, go for it.

 

[Beam78]

And the other question was.....Which?

There are potentially multiple ways of installing a temp OS to learn about it.

But if you've gotten it running, go for it.

Questions to avoid direct answers are not helpful.
Thanks for your input I am not going to try to reinvent the wheel to do it another ways than I've presented.

 

[USAFRet]

Questions to avoid direct answers are not helpful.
Thanks for your input I am not going to try to reinvent the wheel to do it another ways than I've presented.

Which OS has a direct bearing on 'how'.

Windows95 would be treated differently than WindowsXP which would be treated differently than a pre-alpha Windows 12.

Good luck.