Run XP from USB hard drive?

Question

My internal hard drive is probably on its last legs and sometimes won't load XP. What would trying to run an op system from a USB 2 hard drive be like? I just want access the primary drive for a while without risking a complete failure. Or could it work longer term?

Regarding the drive, the trouble occurs during cold mornings (grinding spinning noise, and sometimes stops loading). So whats happening is that the higher temp expands the case and allows it to run freely?

Answer 1

First the hard drive -

Open the case and check that the plugs going into the back of the hard drive are securely in place.(make sure the computer is switched off).

If you have a an XP CD,boot to that and run 'Chkdsk' from the Recovery Console.

If you cannot do that,remove the hard drive from your computer and attach it another computer via USB (or internally) and run Chkdsk from the other computer.

Copy off any important files (mp3s,email,videos) that you want to keep.

Chkdsk can also be run from within your own XP system (assuming you get it to start first)



As for running XP from a USB hard drive - that is possible,but not too relevant to your situation at the moment.Concentrate on the above instructions.



How to boot from a CD - http://pcsupport.about.com/od/tipstricks/ht/bootcddvd.htm



How to use the Recovery Console - http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ss/rconsole.htm



How to run Chkdsk - http://vlaurie.com/computers2/Articles/chkdsk.htm



Gadget for running hard drive via USB (other brands are available) -



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-2-0-SATA-IDE-3-5-2-5-Hard-Drive-Adapter-Cable-/300518206623?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f847ec9f

Answer 2

Be sure that your Internal hard-disk is plugged well with the motherboard if it is well then just plug your USB hard drive to USB port give it the 1st priority from the boot configuration from the bios. Load the XP files from CD if not installed in the PC then you can easily run the XP from your hard drive.

Answer 3

hi mate

you can run windows xp from a usb drive however you need to ensure your usb ports support "usbv2.0" or better.... using the legacy v1.0 will make running xp from usb allmost impossible... due to the slow transfer speeds (12mbps )

however the faster usbv2.0 speeds (480mbps) are far more suitable for running windows xp from a usb disk... and to do this follow the instructions on this excellent guide ( http://www.techrepublic.com/article/solutionbase-boot-windows-xp-from-a-usb-flash-drive/5928902 )

it may look technical however trust me its not that difficult.... i managed to create windows xp on a memory stick in around 20 minutes however thats only because i had never done it before.....

in regards to your drive grinding can occur in many hard drives... its just the read arm moving over the platter.... and spinning is heard on alot of hard drives... again this is the platter spinning and can sometimes occur when the platter is warped... however this shouldnt affect performance#

that said if it begins to click then this is a bad sign.... this normally means your drive is about to fail or will fail within the next few hours......

if its tempertures that are affecting the drive then you could consider a "hard drive fan " ( http://www.quietpc.com/gb-en-gbp/products/harddrivesolutions/zm-2hc2 ) ... these can help extend the life of your hard drive(s)

that said hard drive prices have plummeted in price... you can buy a 500gb sata drive for around £29 online ( http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Hard+Drives/SATA+(Serial+ATA)/500GB+to+1TB/500GB+Seagate+Barracuda+ST3500418AS+3.5%22+SATA+II+Hard+Drive+-+3yr+Warranty+?productId=36047 )

i hope this has helped,any problems let me know

good luck mate !

Answer 4

You can run XP on a USB, it's just that it won't run as fast as before since it'll be plugged in to a USB port and you can run it as long as you want.

Answer 5

como estoy apasionada del mundo de los ordenadores me gusta hacer mi propia configuración de ordenador, como todos las otras componentes los he comprado de sitios web y han sido excelentes, el hard disk también lo compre aquí, el hard disk es exactamente como esperaba, muy buena compra.