Bootable USB HDD

I recently ordered a ThinkPad T500 and an external HDD for use as extra storage/back up.

When using such a device as back-up, how important is it for that device to be bootable? And what is the easiest way to make it bootable? I have used the search function on the forum and searched google for a decent amount of time and have come up with information that I'm not sure is relevant.

While on the topic of HDD's: What is there to be gained in making a partition on my internal drive for just Windows (obviously with enough breathing room), then a separate partition for everything else?

Thank you very much. I'm not sure if I really got my needs across well enough. Please feel free to ask questions if necessary.

 

What do you mean by boot able.... like able to boot to dos?

 

Probably not much. I know with True Image, which I use, you can make a bootable CD. It boots right to the True Image program where you can do the restore/backup. I'm not as familiar with the others, but would expect they are the same.

The benefit of making two partitions is you can wipe one partition without messing with the other. This is my preferred method. I can keep all my data on one partition, but still re-install the OS without having to touch the data partition.

 

Ah, so what you are saying is that you boot from the CD first, then it runs from the HDD? Hmmm. I'm not particularly good at grasping this concept it seems, lol.

EDIT: I think I get it, after looking at Acronis's site. Basically you don't have to worry about formatting the external drive a certain way or having anything special on it, the software takes care of it all. Seems like a much better use of money than anti-virus pay-to-use software as it does that and allows back-ups. Thank you very much ZaZ.

 

Why not just partition the usb external hdd and just install slimmed down XP with some small modification on a small partition. That way, you can backup using the windows XP and even use it as your primary OS incase your main OS fails.

 

I second this idea.

 

If already have True Image installed there's no need for the CD. You can do it right in Windows as long as the back up is on a different partition than the one being replaced or an external.

 

I assume you can do the same thing with Vista? I have a spare Vista install disk that I could install onto the drive. If not, or it's really not advisable, do you know where I could find a slimmed down version of XP that is not riddled with malware?

 

A slimmed down as in tiny ones which doesn't take a lot of space? A "tiny XP" that is fully working without malware can be found everywhere. Just search google for the phrase in the " " in the previous sentence.

You'll also need to make modification to windows xp in order to be installed on an usb device. You can follow this easy step by step guide here:
http://www.ngine.de/article/id/8

Installing Vista on an usb device isn't very well documented, but it's definetly possible.

Alternatively, if you can get a esata based external hdd, they you won't have to mod the operating system. Just install your OS on to the hdd like usual.