Can I install xp to an ext hdd, from a 7 comp, then boot it to my laptop with a broken internal

[wrcdustin]

The jist is I need to install XP onto an external hdd, then boot to it on my laptop. So, ive tried to look this up everywhere but im confused on how to do it, or if its possible. The story and reasoning behind the request is this, I bought a new laptop with 8 but a day after I bought it, the internal drive messed up. I dont have a recovery disk, and the only os cd I have is an XP disk, which it wont load to. So I thought, hey why dont I use my friends comp (running on 7) to install xp onto an external I have, then boot to my external on my laptop and from there reformat the internal hdd. is that possible and how would I do it??

 

[sentrycube]

Sorry, but it just wont work... at least well.
Two problems I see trying to do this.

1. The difference in files, new drivers.
2. When XP boots, all USB devices are temporarily disabled and turned off. When you try to load XP from the Ext. HDD Windows will lose access to the drive it's installed on and crash.

I just don't see it as a long term solution.
There are probably ways around it, but I would just get the Internal HDD replaced.

I'll look around for fixes, and let you know if I find something.

 

[Cobalt006]

Most laptops do not come with recovery disk. Most have a recovery partition. Did the hard drive quit working ? Or are you saying windows it self crashed. Either way if this laptop is new. You should still be under warranty.

 

[wrcdustin]

Im not sure if just the hdd quit working, or just windows crashed. but since my post ive used another comp to reformat the internal, then tried to boot to xp, it didnt bring up the os disk, then I tried to boot to a linux cd and completely take windows out of the equation and it doesnt even bring up the linux os screen... and the weird thing is, the manufacturer logo comes up, then it says attempting automatic repairs, then diagnosing, then repairing, then it brings up a screen that says unable to repair (obviously) but it gives me options to try and restore, or recover, etc, but all windows options... why would they even be there if I reformated the drive?

And btw, the story with what happened in the first place is that I started getting a win32 error message, so I tried to use one of the reset/restore to original options, it got like half way through then shut down, and wouldnt get past the attempting repair and failed repair page that I mentioned. so then I popped an xp cd in thinking id reform to that, then I took the hdd drive out, reformatted it, popped it into the laptop again, and tried both the xp and linux cds and it still just comes up with the attempting repair/failed to repair screens

 

[Cobalt006]

When you reformat this hard drive. Did you wipe the whole drive? It could be win xp cd , did not wipe the drive like you thought. Beings the compters os is win 7.

 

[wrcdustin]

Well when I reformatted, using a comp with 7 I right clicked the drive in my comp, then clicked reformat to ntfs. And idt it would be just the xp cd, cus I tried a Linux cd too and it won't boot that either

Is doing the reformat that way not a full wipe?

 

[Cobalt006]

Sounds like it might not have formatted. But as far as you cd not booting. Did you set the cd rom to be the first boot in the bios.

 

[captaincranky]

T....[ ]..... I bought a new laptop with 8 but a day after I bought it, the internal drive messed up.

If it's not stolen, take it back.

 

[mike1959]

Hi, If the laptop is so new and has failed, you would be entitled to your money back.
You could accept a replacement machine if that's your choice.
You could install XP, that's if you have an activation key that is unused, as it won't activate if it has been used on another pc in the past. Also you might run into a few driver problems.
You need to find out if the hard drive has failed or it's a software problem.