Boot from usb hard drive?


  1. tcebob
    Posts : 481
    Windows 10 pro 1903 1862.145
       New #1

    Boot from usb hard drive?


    I have an external hard drive that I use for backups. Is it possible to install Windows to the drive and then use it as an alternative boot drive?
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  3. NavyLCDR
    Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       New #2

    Yes.
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  4. tcebob
    Posts : 481
    Windows 10 pro 1903 1862.145
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Thanks.
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  6. NavyLCDR
    Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       New #4

    Be careful, many of the programs that will do a full windows install for you will erase the entire drive first. On my backup drives I like to just put a bootable WinPE partition on them with only the recovery tools I need rather than a full Windows install.

    You can also create the needed partitions yourself and apply a Windows image to it using DISM and BCDBOOT commands.
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  7. tcebob
    Posts : 481
    Windows 10 pro 1903 1862.145
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    Right. Thanks again, I'll follow your lead.
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