Can a partitioned external HDD be bootable?

kenshi64 · Jan 12, 2014

Windows 8.1 is really getting in my way so a friend offered to lend me his windows 7. But I don't have any media that I can hold the OS on except a 4 gb mp3 player (transcend mp3 330) and a seagate go 320gb.

The HDD has important information and while reading up online I've inferred that if there is a partition then there is no need to completely erase the hard drive. Is this true?
If so any further help on partitioning would rock!

johnnyb105 · Jan 12, 2014

You could partion the drive that's easy but do you have the rights to use the disc because if it was installed in another system it may not install on yours.

kenshi64 · Jan 12, 2014

Well it's not a disc as much as it is an ISO that's being given to me, he downloaded it from the internet and says it'll work fine for me as well. I haven't messes with OSes before so I'm seeking counsel on the process. Will partitioning save my data on the HDD and still make it possible to install the OS from it?

johnnyb105 · Jan 12, 2014

I don't think you can boot from a external now if your bios allows you can boot and install from a thumb drive....

johnnyb105 · Jan 12, 2014

http://arstechnica.com/business/2009/12/the-usb-flash-drive/

check this out...

kenshi64 · Jan 12, 2014

johnnyb105 :

Okay you're probably going to boink me on the head for this but I just showed him what you posted and I was wrong, what he has is a setup file and that too an x86 one, I'm on a 64 bit machine so the install doesn't even initialize it gives a 0x0 error or x0x which ever one is right.

Now I'm going go bang my head on a wall somewhere since all I have in Windows 8 developers preview and I don't want to resort to download those huge pirated ones. Will keep looking around

johnnyb105 · Jan 12, 2014

you can always download win 7 iso on the net but they only last for a short time have you considered Linux? its free

johnnyb105 · Jan 12, 2014

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/where-can-i-download-windows-7-iso-i-have-a/7d964b05-2be9-4800-bc7f-3ca30356fc3d

kenshi64 · Jan 12, 2014

johnnyb105 :

I use a lot of different software and I'm not sure they all boast linux compatibility. Some pirated ones last long seeing as how most computer labs use such software where I'm from :/

johnnyb105 · Jan 12, 2014

Lol I cant help ya on pirated software but there are tons of options out there wish ya luck.

kenshi64 · Jan 12, 2014

johnnyb105 :

To try and stay on the 'good side' I'm looking at downgrading from 8.1 to 7, should I create a new thread for this? The thing is my laptop came with Windows 8 single user preinstalled so in that sense I'm legit. So can I use a key findeer program and download the genuine 64 windows7 and use that key? Or is this right now for Windows 8 pro?

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Can a partitioned external HDD be bootable?

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