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    An External USB CD drive that can boot?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by mwill, Dec 3, 2010.

  1. mwill

    mwill Notebook Enthusiast

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    Do all external USB cd drives support booting from it? I tried one long time ago and I couldn't get the OS to boot from it. I'm planning to get an Alienware M11x and would need a cheap external USB CD drive to do a fresh install. I wish there was some way around it as I would only need it this one time! Any recommendations?
     
    mwill, Dec 3, 2010
    #1
  2. Blake

    Blake NBR Reviewer NBR Reviewer

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    If I recall correctly, there is an option in the BIOS that allows you to select which device the computer will boot from. It allows you to choose a pecking order for them as well.

    For instance, if you want the USB drive to be the first to boot, then you'd place it in position 1, followed by the hard drive. After getting it formatted and installed, if you have no usb drive connected, it would look for the next thing in the order of the list. This is also a way for you to speed up the booting process, by placing things at the bottom of the list that you won't use.

    Someone more knowledgeable in this area than me can probably clarify that though.
     
    Blake, Dec 3, 2010
    #2
  3. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    Almost any external ODD can boot, mostly dependent on your motherboard. You can change the boot order in BIOS or just use the 1 time boot menu and boot from the external ODD.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Dec 3, 2010
    #3
  4. jakejm79

    jakejm79 Notebook Consultant

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    A 4GB flash drive will allow you to do a clean install too and will probably be faster than a CD/DVD drive.
     
    jakejm79, Dec 3, 2010
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  5. mwill

    mwill Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yea, I was just told that you can boot from an USB drive! I was going to look into this! Why 4GB exactly? Is there any special software that I need to use to prepare this bootable USB drive or can I just copy the OS image in there and try to boot? I apologize if it's a dumb question.
     
    mwill, Dec 3, 2010
    #5
  6. Nick

    Nick Professor Carnista

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    I haven't done it yet, but this looks good: Use a USB Key to Install Windows 7?Even on a Netbook
     
    Nick, Dec 5, 2010
    #6