BOOTING windows xp FROM USB PEN drive...!!!

[sunandoghosh]

BOOTING windows xp FROM USB PEN drive...!!!

Hi gurus and dear friends,

I had this question in my mind form last so so many days...

Q1. Can we boot our desktop or laptop computer from USB Pen drive of say 512 MB or 1 GB...?????

Q2. If yes can we use installed programs and applications on hard disk of our desktop or laptop after booting from pen drive...????? Also how do we prepare pen drive so that its bootable...????

Q3. In case of laptop is it possible that through EXTERNAL hard disk (which has SAY windows xp installed meaning thereby that such external hard disk is bootable) connected to laptop via USB port be used to boot laptop instead of laptop's internal hard disk being used for booting...???????

Q4. A computer (be it laptop or desktop) say

a. has two partition C: and D:.
b. Say the OS windows xp is loaded / installed on both partitions.
c. say now that yahoo messenger is installed on c: only...

Now can I access yahoo messenger program if i boot from D:...??????????????

What if C: has data instead of installed yahoo mess prog...IN that case can i access such data on C: if i boot from D:...????????????????????
Please take your time and then reply only if you are sure as I am myself a lot confused about all four questions raised above....so please take your time and then only reply...

I know the above four questions are NOT easy to answer and only a geek would be in the best position to answer this as normal general users like me normally feel lost....

I would really really appreciate a true geek and tech saavy techie to jump in and answer in an understandable simple way to issues raised above...

Thanks as always for your time, patience and effort and its genuinely greatly appreciated...

Warmest regards

sunando

sunandoghosh (at) rediffmail (dot) com

p.s. if anyone would ike to add anything which i might have missed...you are more than welcome....

 

[IBMan]

i know in the partition manager for windows XP it can read USB drives, try it once it can't hurt.

 

[KSoD]

1. If you BIOS says it can boot from a USB device you should be able to boot from it. Only problem is installing it on the USB Stick so that it has all pertinant information. I know they have copies of XP that you can boot and run right from the CD so that might be your option.
2. I would say no. Since everything you install goes into a directory from within windows (Program Files) that cant be moved. If you do choose to install to the Hard disk you stall have information that is kept within the OS itself in the Registry. If you try to install to much and fill the USB Drive you would be outta luck for installing anything else. If you use the XP boot from CD methid i still dont think so since you are just running a shell of the Os and cant make any real changes since it is supposed to run from a CD which you can add information to it. Since the Disc would have to be finalized after burning that is.
3. The answer is that say as the first question. It all depens on wheather the BIOs will allow you to boot from a USB device. If it does than yes you can. If it doesnt then no you can not.
4. No you could not access Yahoo Messanger since the Registry keys to run it are on teh C: windows not the D: Windows. You will get an error message. If you only have Data on one partition and you bott from another (C would be your boot drive and D would be data) yes you can access the data on the drive.

I have 3 partitions on my drive. C is XP, D is Vista, and E is data. I can view the data from either OS and make changes to it from either. I can make changes to my XP if i want from Vista but that might cause a crash or serious error so it is not recommended. Hope that answers your questions somewhat.

 

[TheHeadFL]

You could have each different OS each see its own boot drive as C... no reason why not.

 

[killians45]

Well, it wont be easy if not just using as a normal Dos boot disk. Here is some info that should help you, so I dont have to type it all here is the link:

http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz:graffiti.net/Projects/USB/USBstick.html