I am trying to boot from a disk to format and install Windows Vista to an external hardrive. The computer I am using supports it. I have done all I could to try to get it too boot, but all it does is load my internal hard drive. I have set my boot order to primary to my cd/dvd drive, my secondary to my external hard drive, and my 3rd to my internal hard drive. I have the installation files on all 3 devices. For some reason, it will not read any device except my internal hard drive.
How-To Geek Forums / Windows Vista
Booting from disk error.
(21 posts)
What computer is this? What external drive?
There are some conflicting info on booting from an external drive, This one tells you how to do it, yet this one is confusing and it sort of waffles, and yet this one basically says no?
It would appear that the basic problem is getting an MBR on the external drive?
Irv
I am using an HP Pavillion dv650 (not sure about the 650 part). The external hard drive is a Westgate 1TB. I also tried duplicating the setup file and editing the autorun.exe file to attempt to run both setup files. Don't forget that neither the external drive or cd/dvd drive is being read.
Download this. It's always handy to have around. If you have torrent download capabilities, it can be downloaded and burned in 15 minutes or so (depending on your connection). Otherwise it will take maybe a couple of hours,
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download
Bit Torrent option on the right.
After some work, I seem to have goten my external hardrive to read, but with a disk read error. It at least picks it up now, lol. I tried without the external hard drive and with just the disk, and still no luck, so I presume there is more than what I am bargaining for here.
Ok, I have figured it out, and to finish solving it, I have to do one of two things. One is a fault in the cd/dvd drive. I can either buy a new one, or hope that unmounting, removing device installation, and all that good stuff can repair it. The second step, make a boot type disk instead of a move and write operation. I bet I'd rather go with step 2 first, lol.
OK. I can offer you a solution to your problem...
Boot to windows, put in your disc to install vista...
Plug in HDD after you logged on to windows and put in the disc...
instead of upgrade choose custom(after you click install)...
choose the HDD...
Install.
Your CD/DVD drive has no problem, its the disc. It most likely does not have a boot sector.
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