How to install WinXP onto an External HDD

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Evercroft

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Aug 15, 2013
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I recently purchased a new desktop that I want to boot XP onto, the problem is the desktop's BIOS doesn't recognize my thumb drive or disc that have the XP boot installer on them.
So I was wondering if it was possible to connect my HDD to my laptop via eSATA and install XP onto the HDD from my laptop.
My laptop is running XP itself.
Additionally, the XP disc/USB that I have is a barebones boot rather than a system recovery.
I also have a disc for XP with all of the drivers/utilities required for my Desktop.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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So let me see if I got this right:

Remove HDD from desktop
Connect it as an external drive to the laptop
Install XP on this external drive
Put it back in the desktop and have it boot and be the C

This will not work, for a variety of reasons:
1. Windows does NOT like to be installed on an external drive. There are ways around it, but it is NOT easy. Otherwise we all would have been doing that for years
2. Installing on a laptop and then hoping it will boot on a desktop is very iffy. Occasionally it works, but probably not.

Fix the actual problem:
"the problem is the desktop's BIOS doesn't recognize my thumb drive or disc that have the XP boot installer on them."

Doesn't recognize the drive at all? Or just that disk? Try a Linux disk, just to see if it reads OK and the actual disk is not damaged.
 
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Evercroft

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As far as I can tell my system does not have any other BIOS options.
the BIOS does not seem to recognize any Boot discs except a USB with Ubuntu 12.04.2LTS.
XP would be the primary OS.


It does not recognize any Discs, and the only USB that it recognizes is one with Ubuntu on it.



I have 2 legal copies of XP, only one of which has been activated.



 
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Evercroft

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Aug 15, 2013
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As of yet I have not been able to access the BIOS setup of my motherboard.

It is a 760GM-P23.

Both the Sata and Power cables are connected, It recognizes that the drive exists but will not boot from it.

I'm starting to think that I might as well just buy Win7 and install Ubuntu afterwards.

 
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boosted1g

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Jun 12, 2013
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Bios instructions:

Keep pressing delete key after powering on computer until bios screen pops up, go to advanced bios features, go to boot sequence, put your cd drive as number one and hard drive as number two, now hit escape and escape, and then go to save and exit, hit enter to save.
 
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John Doe 4146

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Dec 2, 2014
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How is it illegal? I've got 8.1 on my laptop and 8.1 on my desktop. I've paid for both licences.
 
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Saga Lout

Saga Lout

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Mar 31, 2010
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You're in the clear, John Doe but this very old thread was about someone who wanted to use the same licence on two machines. That's theft of Intellectual Property and that's why we don't support it or advise on how to do it.

It's time to close this old thread now.

 
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