Does External USB SONY DVD writer act as boot device

[arulprakash]

I have a External USB SONY DVD writer DRU 820A.
I am running windows xp professional SP2 as OS , and no CD-ROM[failed to operate], so far i am using this USB sony DVD writer for all purposes.
Now i had some virus problem in my OS, so i have to backup into DVDs, then i have decided to format the C drive to freshly install my OS again
Does my USB sony dvd writer DRU 820A act as boot device like CD-ROM to install my OS, because i had no other option how to install my OS again.
I had intel D865GBF motherboard, 512 RAM,

Please tell me whether this external USB Sony DVD writer act as boot device to install OS, if it is how to set it as boot device.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

You will have to go into the BIOS and make sure the DVD Drive is set first on the Boot Menu.

[patio]

And you will need to check your motherboard manual to see if it supports booting to a USB device...some do not depending on the age of the board.

New internal burners are pretty cheap these days...you may have to splurge.

[arulprakash]

yeah, i can see my external DVD drive connected through USB in BIOS setup ,
so i can install OS CD.
thanking you for ur replies, just i had some precaution before i do it myself whether this will work or not, if something happens wrong in OS,
that's why i am asking like you experts about this.

Thank u once again and also in future

[patio]

Just because the BIOS recognises the external does not mean you can boot to it...consult your MBoard manual.