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    Using esata external HDD as a primary HDD

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by fourof4, Feb 5, 2008.

  1. fourof4

    fourof4 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I'm planning to get an esata expresscard and

    external HDD which composed of 2 3.5" HDD in array.

    I did some research on this and I found that booting from expresscard

    totally depends on the bios setting.

    I have dell inspiron e1705.. unfortunately I think mine dosent support

    booting from expresscard.. :(

    Im just curious about has anyone installed windows on external HDD..

    if this is possible, think there would be a lot of boost up in performance.

    Please post any experience ;)
     
    fourof4, Feb 5, 2008
    #1
  2. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

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    err, i once tried to install Windows XP straight from the cd onto a 8GB USB key. Got blue screened on Windows XP logo at bootup and then I wasn't bothered to go any further..
     
    namaiki, Feb 5, 2008
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  3. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    If BIOS does not support it, not going to happen.
     
    Greg, Feb 5, 2008
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  4. RogueMonk

    RogueMonk Notebook Deity

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    It is all BIOS dependent. If the bios supports it, it will work.

    My first flirting with vista was done booting off eSATA on my W7J. It worked very well.
     
    RogueMonk, Feb 5, 2008
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  5. shinji257

    shinji257 Notebook Deity

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    That error is due to a limitation in Windows XP and not a failure on what you did. With some elbow grease it is possible. There is a trick to it and it involves something getting changed in windows. Search google for how to do it...

    P.S. - The error was probably along the lines of 0x7B -- Inaccessable Boot Device.
     
    shinji257, Feb 7, 2008
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  6. shinji257

    shinji257 Notebook Deity

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    It may be possible. The E1705 supports booting from the internal SATA drive and from USB from my own testing. I had done successful boot tests with Ubuntu, Windows XP, and with a slightly modified version of Mac OS X. The current expresscard implementation is really USB 2.0 with a different adapter interface so I don't see why it wouldn't work. I may be getting an expresscard to eSata adapter so I can check it out then.
     
    shinji257, Feb 7, 2008
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  7. fourof4

    fourof4 Notebook Enthusiast

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    hmm... I did some more research...

    according to dell community forum, booting from expresscard is impossible.

    So I thought of other possibilities and I eneded up considering getting rid of

    my internal sata hdd and connect 3.5" hdd directly to internal sata port with some extension cables.

    I hav no clue if it will work or not but since the interface of both 2.5 and 3.5

    are the same, think it's worth trying :)
     
    fourof4, Feb 7, 2008
    #7