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Install Windows XP on an external hard drive

quentin2121 Posted messages 9063 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   Ambassadeur -  
quentin2121 Posted messages 9063 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   -
Hello,
I would like to install Windows XP on an external hard drive, using the Win XP Home SP1 CD that I have! The problem is finding the right tool to create a bootable USB drive; I have tried with Unetbootin, Rufus, and others, but it doesn’t work! Thanks to anyone who can advise me.

3 answers

  2.
    *BoB* Posted messages 25 Status Member 6
     
    Hi,
    You can use wintoflash to create a Windows XP installation USB. The software is very easy to use, and you just need to boot from your USB stick and select the hard drive of your choice during the installation.
    Bob
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    1. quentin2121 Posted messages 9063 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   1 312
       
      I will try WintoFlash for free, I hope that after booting from the USB key, I will have the option to choose the hard drive for the installation, because my fear is that it will install it on my current disk and wipe everything else...
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    2. quentin2121 Posted messages 9063 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   1 312
       
      I didn't succeed with Wintoflash, paid version, free version, it's a bit complicated!
      I made my bootable USB key with WinSetupFromUSB, but during the installation, I got a blue screen; your system has a problem, error: And then I had GRUB missing, so failure, I think there are incompatibilities between Windows 7 and WinXP, in the BIOS or elsewhere...
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    3. Redbart Posted messages 20952 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   3 380
       
      Note: Grub is the Unix bootloader!

      Did you intend to do multiboot?
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    4. Casoli
       
      Hello,

      I don't quite understand your request. Do you want an XP that is "installed" on an external HD and that is capable of booting? Are you sure your BIOS accepts it, and that the motherboard is compatible?

      Or do you want to create an installation HD? Why not a USB key, then?

      And finally, what's the point? If it's to run one or two programs from the 20th century, you might as well virtualize your XP with VirtualBox or VMware.
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    5. quentin2121 Posted messages 9063 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   1 312 > Casoli
       
      Hello!

      I'm okay with the system side of the 20th century, especially with Win XP SP1... lol
      I just wanted to see it running again, because I successfully booted from an external hard drive for Ubuntu, via a USB stick for the installation! So the BIOS accepts it!
      I used VirtualBox, had to enter an activation key, etc... and upon starting XP I need to register it again, call a number, etc... LOL
      Anyway, it's slow for sure, I'm not sure if my connection comes from my actual computer, because Internet Explorer only opens a homepage, MSN Explorer, and refuses to go to download.com so I can download Firefox, Avira free, etc...
      If I plug in a USB stick on the computer, it doesn't show up in the virtual machine's My Computer, so not great...
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  3. lativ Posted messages 148 Status Member 4
     
    I would like to install XP on an external hard drive simply because the internal hard drive is giving me errors and crashes. I don't need internet access. The reason I want to reinstall XP instead of W7, 8, or 10 is simply to be able to control my old peripherals for which there are no W7, 8, or 10 drivers available.
    For now, my machine is still running with its internal hard drive but without any security. I would like to be able to remove it and use XP on a brand new drive (I have one, but it's an external USB drive).
    My machine doesn't have SATA ports, only IDE. If necessary, could I use a SATA hard drive with an IDE-SATA interface, which exists and is inexpensive?

    Thank you for any response.
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    1. quentin2121 Posted messages 9063 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   1 312
       
      Hello,
      Yes, you can install XP on your external hard drive with an external IDE enclosure, you can find that on rue du commerce. Also, if you have the XP setup CD, it will be easier to install the latter, after that you will need to boot from the external hard drive to start! You could also clone your internal hard drive and restore it on the external one, then replace the old one with it. There you go, have a good day.
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