[Need help] Installing Windows 10 on an External Hard drive in Linux Mint

[Anthon_1]

Hello, fellow community users!

I recently decided that I would wish to install Windows 10 OS on a External Hard Drive, which connects to a computer trough a USB. However, I'm a user of Linux Mint 18.1 and the farthest I could get trying to install the OS on the hard drive was close but not enough. And I wonder if it is even possible to install windows, boot & run the system from just the external hard drive?

I installed the windows 10 .iso file which I used to mount and install to the hard drive with. I tried using the programs: UNetbootin and Furious ISO mount. And I tried formatting the hard drive file system to both: fat32 and ntfs with Gparted. I also created different partitions on the hard drive to try to install the OS from boot, but no luck.
I cannot go any further than booting from the external hard drive, then the windows installation wizard opens up, I continue till it tells me which hard drive I want to install the OS on, and I cannot select the external one. I simply get the error "Setup doesn't support configuration of or installation to disks connected trough a USB or IEEE 1394 port.".

So I ask you, mastermind problem-solvers if there is any possible way to make this happen. If so I would genuinely be so thankful!

Best regards,

Anthon

 

[USAFRet]

Right.
Windows has a real hard time installing to an external drive. LinuxMint has nothing to do with this.
The error message you see is entirely correct.

You might investigate Win2Go.
But this also (apparently) requires one of a few specific USB drives.
http://www.admin-magazine.com/Articles/Putting-Windows-8-on-a-USB-Drive
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831833(v=ws.11).aspx
https://www.howtogeek.com/196817/how-to-create-a-windows-to-go-usb-drive-without-the-enterprise-edition/

And if/when you do get it running, the experience will be less than speedy.

Any particular reason you don't want to install it on an internal drive?

 

[Jwpanz]

Right.
Windows has a real hard time installing to an external drive. LinuxMint has nothing to do with this.
The error message you see is entirely correct.

You might investigate Win2Go.
But this also (apparently) requires one of a few specific USB drives.
http://www.admin-magazine.com/Articles/Putting-Windows-8-on-a-USB-Drive
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831833(v=ws.11).aspx
https://www.howtogeek.com/196817/how-to-create-a-windows-to-go-usb-drive-without-the-enterprise-edition/

And if/when you do get it running, the experience will be less than speedy.

Any particular reason you don't want to install it on an internal drive?

As he mentioned, Win2Go is a Microsoft tool for those that wish to install Windows to an external drive. The catch is that you need to buy the license to use the tool and operating system. I am unsure of the price but I'm sure a few minutes of research should help you find that out.

 

[Anthon_1]

Right.
Windows has a real hard time installing to an external drive. LinuxMint has nothing to do with this.
The error message you see is entirely correct.

You might investigate Win2Go.
But this also (apparently) requires one of a few specific USB drives.
http://www.admin-magazine.com/Articles/Putting-Windows-8-on-a-USB-Drive
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831833(v=ws.11).aspx
https://www.howtogeek.com/196817/how-to-create-a-windows-to-go-usb-drive-without-the-enterprise-edition/

And if/when you do get it running, the experience will be less than speedy.

Any particular reason you don't want to install it on an internal drive?

Thank you for a quick and reasonable answer!

Yeah, since it's not connected with a SATA cable I also figured that the speed would be incredibly decreased.
Regarding why I would like to do this, is basically to be more mobile when it comes to switching OS and managing files. I'm not a fan of dual-booting since I would rather not have to clean the entire disc and loose all files on both OS's if I'd have to wipe.

I guess the only solution is to get an internal drive which I need to install it on!

 

[USAFRet]

Right.
Windows has a real hard time installing to an external drive. LinuxMint has nothing to do with this.
The error message you see is entirely correct.

You might investigate Win2Go.
But this also (apparently) requires one of a few specific USB drives.
http://www.admin-magazine.com/Articles/Putting-Windows-8-on-a-USB-Drive
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831833(v=ws.11).aspx
https://www.howtogeek.com/196817/how-to-create-a-windows-to-go-usb-drive-without-the-enterprise-edition/

And if/when you do get it running, the experience will be less than speedy.

Any particular reason you don't want to install it on an internal drive?

Thank you for a quick and reasonable answer!

Yeah, since it's not connected with a SATA cable I also figured that the speed would be incredibly decreased.
Regarding why I would like to do this, is basically to be more mobile when it comes to switching OS and managing files. I'm not a fan of dual-booting since I would rather not have to clean the entire disc and loose all files on both OS's if I'd have to wipe.

I guess the only solution is to get an internal drive which I need to install it on!

So have Windows on an internal, as it is meant to be and works best, and Linux on the external.
Or, 2 different internal drives. 1 Windows, 1 Linux.