Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (
More info?)
"RLMuller" <NoOne@Nowhere.net> wrote in message
news:45qdnYCry_R5WmffRVn-vw@adelphia.com...
> Thanks for the additional info, Pavel.
>
> Based on various comments, I checked to see whether any on my BIOSs would
> let me specify booting from a USB port. None would. So even though I
> bought the 160GB external drive, I've abandoned that idea. (I'll use it
> for off-site backup of key data and software.)
>
> I just ordered a 200GB Maxtor that has both ATA and EIDE interfaces. I've
> got a card that matches it for both interfaces and the 133mbps transfer
> rate. The only wrinke is the card doesn't support the full 120GB, but I
> can switch it to another another drive and use the motherboard for the
> 200gb
> connection (maybe with a bios upgrade).
>
> Anyway, I can get that disk set up with an OS using my Win2000Pro
> computer,
> which thankfully I haven't screwed up. Then I can transfer the disk and
> card to each dead computer successively and get them running again without
> any loss of data.
>
> I see just one problem: If I install Win2kPro or WinXP-Pro on the Maxtor,
> it will include the HAL appropriate to my Win2KPro machine. Will that
> disk
> work correctly on my dead WinXP-Pro and Win2kAS machines.
>
> If not, then I'll install Linux on the Maxtor and create some NT
> partitions, copy data from one of the dead machines onto it and then
> install the appropriate Windows setup disk on the machine to reinstall
> Windows on that machine.
>
> How's that sound?
>
> I hope this diatribe wasn't too long winded for you.
>
> Regards,
> Richard
>
> My co
>
If you only want to copy some files why not just boot from a CD with the
Ultimate Boot CD, BartPe, Knoppix etc. Any of these could be used to copy
files to a USB drive. This will be much easier than your proposed solution.
Your way unless the motherboards are very similar you will probably have to
do a repair install with each system just to get it to boot.
Kerry
>
>
> "Pavel A." <pavel_a@NOwritemeNO.com> wrote in message
> news:e7SEnugnFHA.3448@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>> Richard,
>>
>> WinXP can not run off USB drive. Never, ever
>> A setup of WinXP or recovery console can run from a CD,
>> so you can use it to repair the installed system.
>>
>> External SATA disk in a box, connected to internal controller,
>> is actually an internal disk, like SCSI, so it will work.
>>
>> Good luck,
>> --PA
>>
>>
>> "Richard Lionheart" <NoOne@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:EfSdnQwFNuW-rWXfRVn-sQ@adelphia.com...
>> > Hi Pavel,
>> >
>> > Thanks for the response. I've got a 160GB USB-interfaced drive with
>> > its
> own
>> > power adapter.
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> > Richard
>> >
>> > "Pavel A." <pavel_a@NOwritemeNO.com> wrote in message
>> > news:%2364kAHInFHA.1968@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>> >> What external drive: SATA? Firewire?
>> >>
>> >> --PA
>> >>
>> >> "Richard Lionheart" <NoOne@nowhere.com> wrote in message
>> > news:_f2dnXOwJZZsaGrfRVn-rg@adelphia.com...
>> >> > Hi,
>> >> >
>> >> > I was running a three-computer workgroup: Win2kPro, Win2kAS and
>> > WinXP-Pro.
>> >> > I stupidly hosed the latter two machines. I wrecked the XP machine
> by
>> >> > making a mistake when trying to use Partition Magic to expanded XP
>> >> > partition. The AS machine somehow lost NTLDR. All machines have
>> > multiple
>> >> > NT partitions.
>> >> >
>> >> > I bought an external hard drive with goal of installing an OS on
>> >> > that
>> > drive
>> >> > using my still-working machine, then moving it successively to each
> of
>> > dead
>> >> > machines in order to recover important data from their hard drives
>> > before
>> >> > trying to reinstall OSs on them.
>> >> >
>> >> > If that seems workable, I assume I should install Linux on the
> external
>> >> > drive because it could read NT partitions. Id rather put XP on the
>> > external
>> >> > drive when attached to my 2K machine, but fear that HAL from the 2K
>> > machine
>> >> > qould be inappropriate when installing the external drive and
>> >> > booting
>> > from
>> >> > it on the other machines.
>> >> >
>> >> > Does any of this make any sense?
>> >> >
>> >> > Thanks in advance,
>> >> > Richard
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>
.
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