External Hd main one??

[bikejumpr2020]

I have an internal hd from one of my desktop computers and on ebay i saw this case tht u can put them in to make them external hard drives. well i was wondering if its possible if i copied my laptop hard drive to tht one can i make it the main one, meanin boot up from it and pretty much replacing my laptops internal hd??

[Tempestv]

it all depends on the laptop bios. I think so, as it appers as a harddrive, and it it is possable on some systems at least to boot off of a usb flash drive, so I would expect that a usb harddrive could also work.

[bikejumpr2020]

Its a Sony Vaio PCG-GRX550 if u kno anything about it

[Tempestv]

all I can say is to get the encloser, install the drive, plug it in and try to install windows. the new drive will appear as drive D, if you want, delete the D partion and partion it different, then install. when it is done, it should ask which opperating system you want to boot up in, choose the one on the external and it will boot up. when the drive is unplugged, it should still run on the install on the laptop drive, although it still may ask you which installation to boot up with. you might play around in the bios, there may be a way to set the boot order so that it boots from external drives first and only reverts to the harddrive if the external drive is unplugged. you might also have to look though the bios to find something to make the windows install recignize your external drive if it doesn't recignize it right off. if the whole thing doesn't work, at least you have the external harddrive, which can be very usefull.

[clocker]

I'm not sure if this will work or not (it's a Sony, after all...) but to give yourself the best shot, pull the internal HDD out altogether.
Force Windows to install to the external drive, otherwise it will almost certainly tell you it has to write files to the C: drive even if you're trying to install to D:.
Doing this will make your external HDD the default C: drive which makes life much easier.

[Tempestv]

I'm not sure if this will work or not (it's a Sony, after all...) but to give yourself the best shot, pull the internal HDD out altogether.
Force Windows to install to the external drive, otherwise it will almost certainly tell you it has to write files to the C: drive even if you're trying to install to D:.
Doing this will make your external HDD the default C: drive which makes life much easier.
I had a laptop with two harddrives, the one in the c spot was acting up, and so I installed to the d drive, and had no problems, so I don't think it would make much difference, although that was a clevo, so maybe sony would be different- it wouldn't suprise me if their bios makes things more difficult.

[clocker]

I was basing this on my experience with RAID arrays.
Even with a healthy bootable array, Windows will try and write installation files to any other drive it detects.
Unplug the other drives and the OS will load normally.

Like I said...not sure whether XP can boot to a USB device or not- unplugging any other options seems like the best chance.

[kazaa2002]

it all depends on the laptop bios. I think so, as it appers as a harddrive, and it it is possable on some systems at least to boot off of a usb flash drive, so I would expect that a usb harddrive could also work.

hi bikejumpr2020,

tempestv is right on the mark....if your bios allows it.
here is latest development...it is somewhat involved but it is possible.
InformationWeek | USB Drives | Langa Letter: XP On Your Thumb Drive | January 23, 2006 (http://www.informationweek.com/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=177102101)

[bikejumpr2020]

I looked under my bios settings and under boot up it had....
Hard drive
Cd drive
Optical devices
Network boot
So does this help you guys any better??

[Tempestv]

hi bikejumpr2020,

tempestv is right on the mark....if your bios allows it.
here is latest development...it is somewhat involved but it is possible.
InformationWeek | USB Drives | Langa Letter: XP On Your Thumb Drive | January 23, 2006 (http://www.informationweek.com/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=177102101)
Hey thanks for that link- I had read about that a while ago, and was thinking about doing that real soon, so you saved me from having to look for that artical.

[Tempestv]

@bikejumpr-
are there any things in the regular bios that say something to the tune of "allow booting from usb"?

[bikejumpr2020]

No, there isnt but i was looking at that link that guy posted and i went to my motherboard manufacturer and i am waiting for them to get back to me with the update. so hopefullly it will work..