Windows-systems today are one of the most common operating systems, despite the bugs that are present in them. At the same time, many users do not pay much attention to the shortcomings and prefer to use these systems as the main ones, installing them on removable media in order to work, so to speak, in a familiar environment when connected to other computers. Next, it will be shown how to install Windows on an external hard drive for a laptop or desktop computer using the simplest options available for both IBM-compatible devices and Mac systems.
Windows installation options on external media
As for the choice of system installation option, there are not so many solutions. Roughly speaking, you can install Windows into an external hard drive in two versions: either it will be a stationary HDD / SSD, which after installing the operating system will be installed on another computer as the main device or a second drive when creating a RAID array, or it will USB drive used as a portable device. The standard process of installing the system in the sense of the actions performed by the Windows installer and the stages of installing the main components is the same for both cases. But the preliminary actions differ quite significantly.
Standard Installation Steps
To begin with, briefly about how to install Windows 10 on an external hard drive, if the device belongs to the class of standard HDD hard drives or more modern solid-state drives SSD. Actually, before starting the installation of the system, assuming that the user is dealing with a new device that has never been connected to a computer, you just need to make its correct connection, initialize it in the operating system already on the main hard drive, create a simple and format the device. Without such preparation, at the stage of selecting a partition for copying system files, the installer will give an error or will not recognize the disk at all.
In a sense, all the actions performed are akin to installing the second OS in a logical partition, the role of which will be performed by the connected device.
However, there are some nuances. The fact is that the main drivers will be installed only for those devices that are present on the computer that is used to install the system. If you connect the hard drive to another computer or when installing it in a laptop, of course, the system will install additional drivers on its own, and if necessary, you will need to get rid of other installed software (if necessary) by deleting the disabled components along with their drivers in the “Dispatcher” devices. "
How to install Windows on an external USB hard drive: preliminary breakdown
Now let's look at a similar situation, but already connected with the installation of Windows on a USB HDD, when connected to it, the operating system available on it can be used when connecting and loading on another computer device.
Initially, we assume that the device has factory initialization, and for convenience we will talk about how to install Windows 10 on an external hard drive, since it is this system that has been given the most preference recently. The first step is to create an installation area, for example, if the disk has a capacity of, say, more than 200 GB. How to install Windows on an external hard drive in the simplest way? Some experts advise a breakdown with the subsequent creation of a system partition via the command line, but it is quite difficult for an ordinary user to perform such operations, so we will perform the initial operations in the AOMEI Partition Assistant program.
In the list, simply select your device, and on the left in the menu we use the section resizing option. In the new window, you just need to move the slider, releasing at least 100 GB for the system (for Windows 7 you can use less - 60 GB). Next, the confirmation buttons are pressed.
Partition actions for installation
Now, speaking about how to install Windows on an external hard drive, it should be noted that it is not yet ready for installation.
The next step will be to call the standard disk management section in a running system, where through PCM on the unallocated area of the external USB HDD you need to choose to create a simple volume, and at one of the final stages agree with formatting in NTFS. Upon completion of the "Wizard" to install the operating system, you can proceed directly.
Creating a bootloader and installing the system in WinNT Setup3
To date, there are a lot of programs for installing systems in this version, but WinNT Setup3 can be called one of the simplest and most understandable for any untrained user. It goes without saying that the installation image of the system is already loaded and saved on the main hard drive of the computer and mounted in a virtual drive (on Windows 10 this is done by the usual double-click on the image file). Now attention!
In the first field, by pressing the select button, we find the sources folder on the virtual disk and specify the install.wim file in it. We leave the second field indicating the disk with the bootloader unchanged (the choice will be required only in the case of partitioning through the command line).
In the third field, indicate the portable device and press the install button.
Installation process
Now, speaking about how to install Windows on an external hard drive, it’s worth saying a few words about further actions, since it’s too early to rejoice.
In the bootloader bootloader selection list, indicate the primary system that is installed on the computer (BIOS or UEFI). And only after confirmation will the installation process start. When a restart request appears, confirm the action and select a new system (for example, the tenth modification of Home Single Language). Then you will follow the instructions and prompts, after which the system will be completely ready for use.
Note: when connecting a removable device to another computer in the primary system, the device with the OS installed on it will need to be specified as the first to start.
How to install Windows on an external hard drive for a macbook: initial steps
With "poppies" is not so simple. If you install the system in the previous way, it will not work. Therefore, a different technique should be used. How to install Windows on an external hard drive for Mac-systems? The most important thing is to download a special image of a 64-bit system, adapted for installation on "apple" devices, from your "poppy" from the official Microsoft website.
For ease of installation, additional applets (BootCamp Assistant and applications for creating Rufus bootable media) will be required.
The simplest installation method for Windows for apple computers and laptops
Now let's dwell on the installation process itself. To complete the installation, you need to take several basic steps:
- on the “Mac” via Boot Camp we load all the necessary drivers and Windows support software (the WindowsSupport folder on the “Desktop” will be created automatically);
- copy the WindowsSupport directory and the downloaded system image from the “poppy” to the USB flash drive (not to an external drive);
- we connect the USB flash drive and external drive to the Windows computer, and in the Rufus program we create a bootable external drive from the USB flash drive, select the image and switch to Windows To Go mode;
- copy the drivers folder (WindowsSupport) to the external HDD;
- connect the disk, mouse and USB-keyboard to the "Mac";
- when rebooting, hold down the Alt key and select an external USB HDD, after which it follows the instructions of the installer (during the installation process, the “poppy” can be rebooted several times, so when restarting you will need to constantly select external media, again, by pressing the Alt key at startup);
- upon completion of the installation and initial setup of Windows, go to the BootCamp folder located in the WindowsSupport directory on the external device, and through the launch of the installer file (Setup), we complete the installation of drivers.
Brief Summary
So we figured out how to install Windows on an external hard drive, having examined several typical situations. As already clear, the process is quite complicated. Therefore, when choosing each action and at any step, be extremely careful (it is especially important not to confuse the connection of the USB flash drive and external drive to different computers and the choice of actions with them). In some cases, it also makes sense to pay attention to connecting a stationary hard drive, which will later be installed on another computer (correct setting of Master / Slave modes). If the connected external hard drive is not detected, initialization in the working system will need to be performed independently, and at the same time, the disk should be formatted in NTFS.