Computer Hope

Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: suomyona on September 24, 2016, 09:19:30 PM

Title: Can you run laptops OS using an EXTERNAL hard drive as "replacement"
Post by: suomyona on September 24, 2016, 09:19:30 PM: I was curious if say you want to replace laptops hard drive, is it possible to do this with an external hard drive like a goflex 1tb external? or is that only for cloning/backup

Windows 10 OS
dell inspiron 7737
Title: Re: Can you run laptops OS using an EXTERNAL hard drive as "replacement"
Post by: suomyona on September 25, 2016, 12:02:56 AM: BTW: I did order a replacement hard drive. This question is purely out of my curiosity while I wait.
Title: Re: Can you run laptops OS using an EXTERNAL hard drive as "replacement"
Post by: Salmon Trout on September 25, 2016, 12:05:41 AM: Windows is designed to only run on an internal hard drive.
Title: Re: Can you run laptops OS using an EXTERNAL hard drive as "replacement"
Post by: Rustys on September 25, 2016, 01:32:21 AM: Yes and No

Yes you can run Linux from an external HDD it is very slow and really not worth doing.

No for windows like Salmon Trout stated.

Not all external HDD are SATA drives in a cage any more. Even still if they were there is no guarantee that it would even fit properly.
Title: Re: Can you run laptops OS using an EXTERNAL hard drive as "replacement"
Post by: Salmon Trout on September 25, 2016, 01:50:54 AM: Not only is installing Windows on an external hard drive a crazy idea (USB channel is too slow) but also the Microsoft EULA does not allow it.

Quote
Device. In this agreement, “device” means a hardware system (whether physical or virtual) with an internal storage device capable of running the software. A hardware partition or blade is considered to be a device.

It is possible to run "Live CD" versions of Linux and also Windows recovery CD images from a USB drive, but these get around the USB link problem by reading the whole disk image into memory first.
Title: Re: Can you run laptops OS using an EXTERNAL hard drive as "replacement"
Post by: Lorraine walsh on September 30, 2016, 05:08:46 AM: It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. At that point, the right thing to do is to simply replace the internal drive in that laptop.