Start Win 8 on external disk

Arny006

Active Member
Dear All,

Situation:
- A55VD with preinstalled Win8 on 750 GB HDD, OS-partition shrink to 150 GB, Data-partition expanded to 600GB, booted several time + updates etc.
- HDD replaced with SSD 128GB and installed Kubuntu 13.04 in UEFI-mode
on SSD
- disabled 30_OS-prober
- inserted Win8-boot-entry in 40_custom
SSD is sda with Linux, HDD is sdb with Win8 connected to Notebook through SATA3-USB3-adaptor
  1. Win8-entry works,
  2. Win8-logo appear,
  3. points-circle rotate,
  4. "Win8 must be repaired" message appear shortly,
  5. restart
  6. repeat procedure from beginning

How to convince Win8 to boot?
 
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I don't think you can boot any version of Windows from an external HDD. It's been designed by MS not to be portable for licencing reasons.
There was a pirate version of XP once which had been heavily (and illegally) hacked till it did boot from USB, but this site neither condones nor aids in any activity designed to contravene the MS EULA.
Your best bet, and legal too, is just to simply swap drives when you want to change OS.
 
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Thanks Ex_Brit,

That's it and I'm so far. The OS is already installed, OS-partition shrunk to 120 GB, key activated, OS updated and additional application are installed.
The only thing is that most advice/thread don't tell of "regedit"-modifications telling Win8 start in USB-mode/togo-mode/portable-mode.

"Just" need reliable advices on how to convince Win8 to start in "togo"-mode!
 
That I do not know, although one of the others here might. You could always ask on the thread in that second link above.
 
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