Boot XP From External (USB) Hard Drive?

[BLUE SKY THINKER]

Scenario:
New laptop (supporting USB boot in BIOS) running Vista.
Would like to boot XP from perfectly serviceable HD from old (otherwise U/S) laptop, via USB connected HD enclosure.

Seems simple, but for a whole variety of (Google) reasons I gather may be a "no no". Certainly the case on initial try, but I can appreciate all sorts of reasons possibly why (boot files, etc).

Can anyone enlighten me as to whether this is a quick 'goer', or not?

Thanks, as always.

[Parapunter]

Could you not simply direct the bios to boot from the external drive? Much like when you first build a blank machine, you tell it to boot from the cd??

[green granite]

I think you may well have a problem with the old install not being able to boot on the new m/c because of hardware incompatibilities.

[BLUE SKY THINKER]

Yep (Parapunter); tried that (first BIOS boot via USB).

Some sort of (presumably error) message comes and goes in a nanosecond (impossible to read). XP splash screen comes and goes in half a second; then an invite to start in 'normal', 'safe' mode - and all the rest - all of which just start the cycle off again back to square one.

Lots of chat on the web (true, or not) about XP boot not being supported from USB (?) plus a whole variety of other negatives (??).

[Parapunter]

Never tried it old chap, so probably not the best correspondent

Maybe fire it over to a new partition & go dual boot on the new machine. Vista does at least make partitioning a drive easy peasy.

[Shunter]

It can be done. It is however rather a time-consuming job.

Ngine.de - How to install and run a FULL Windows XP from a USB drive

[cdtaylor_nats]

Informative info on what you need below

Langa Letter: XP On Your Thumb Drive -- USB Drives -- InformationWeek