Boot From USB External CD Drive

[bcarter182]

I recently lost the CD drive on my laptop (running Windows XP Home) Replacing the drive is not an option at the moment due to cost. I have connected an internal drive to a USB external drive box. The drive works fine but is there a way to configure it, or windows to boot from this drive? I have disabled the original drive. The drive letter of the new external USB drive is now the same as the old internal drive was. Looking in the Bios, the original CD drive model number is stated, but not the new drive. I need to boot from this drive to a system recovery to factory settings as windows has some corrupt files. Loading the original XP disc won't work as I am told that the exiting OS is newer than that on the CD :sad:
Hope someone can help please
Regards
Brian

[jewboy]

I recently lost the CD drive on my laptop (running Windows XP Home) Replacing the drive is not an option at the moment due to cost. I have connected an internal drive to a USB external drive box. The drive works fine but is there a way to configure it, or windows to boot from this drive? I have disabled the original drive. The drive letter of the new external USB drive is now the same as the old internal drive was. Looking in the Bios, the original CD drive model number is stated, but not the new drive. I need to boot from this drive to a system recovery to factory settings as windows has some corrupt files. Loading the original XP disc won't work as I am told that the exiting OS is newer than that on the CD :sad: Hope someone can help please Regards Brian

I would first check to see if the manufacturer of your BIOS has an update and flash your bios. You may then be able to boot via the USB drive. Otherwise, try a newer version of Windows XP.

-AW

[bcarter182]

I would first check to see if the manufacturer of your BIOS has an update and flash your bios. You may then be able to boot via the USB drive. Otherwise, try a newer version of Windows XP.

-AW

Thanks AW.
I will search for a Bios update.
Regards
Brian

[jewboy]

Hope that helped. If not, I can give you the email or # of someone that is an expert in external storage. Just PM me if you are still have trouble.

-AW

Thanks AW. I will search for a Bios update. Regards Brian

[psychoe]

Hi I have one of these expansive MINI laptops and the cd rom for them are very hard to get however what my laptop does have is 2 USB2 ports on it, I was thinking of getting a external cd drive from ebay and then booting my windows xp cd from the external hardrive then I will be able to install my WINDOWS XP cd on to the hardrive, so I just wanted to know is it possible to boot from a external cd drive.

Thank YOu

[bcarter182]

The external CD drive would not boot from usb. Trying to install from the XP disc was not possible because the XP on the laptop had been upgraded to sp2 whereas the cd was earlier. If you copy the XP cd to your hard drive it will be the same as trying to install from the external drive and will detect possibly that the XP cd is earlier than the installed operating system. I subsequently found a supplier for the internal drive for my laptop. As I had already purchased an external CD writer I only had fitted (I could have done it myself, its a doddle) an ordinary cd drive @ £41.00 fitted. I was told by the shop I purchased it from that most laptop drives are the same and it's just the face plate that differs. I purchased mine from H F Systems in West Bromwich. They have a web site. Their No. is 0121 556 5821.
I have just recived a new laptop from my employer, that does boot from the usb. If yours is a late model it may also. The way to check is boot up with a memory stick in the usb port. Hope this helps. You can email me on [email][e-mail][/email] if you need any more info. Good luck

[ekstee]

what is the conversion of pound to dollar? 41pounds is how much?

we have the same problem. I was able to boot from it the first time but now, it won't. actually, it still does. i was even able to use the fdisk of win98 but if I try to let it run (not go to the DOS directly), it says that the drive A is not yet ready? how was it possible?

if i was able to use some of the executables, then why not the setup?

[zorteks]

I have a similar problem.

I have a Toshiba Satellite laptop and i need to re-format my windows XP with my recovery cd. but my DVD drive isn't working anymore so i decided to hook my external DVD-Driver to my pc. When the laptop is on, the cd is well recognized from that source. But my problem now is that i can't find a way to boot the cd from the external cd drive. How do i do it? Or does anyone have a better solution for me to format my laptop given that the internal cd drive isn't working?

PS: I have already installed the latest BIOS Update from Toshiba site but there is nothing new in BOOT devices menu; harddisk, cdrom, removable devices... I thought that removable devices be the right one to boot from usb-driver, but it didnt work :-(

[crashbeans]

I have a similar problem.

I have a Toshiba Satellite laptop and i need to re-format my windows XP with my recovery cd. but my DVD drive isn't working anymore so i decided to hook my external DVD-Driver to my pc. When the laptop is on, the cd is well recognized from that source. But my problem now is that i can't find a way to boot the cd from the external cd drive. How do i do it? Or does anyone have a better solution for me to format my laptop given that the internal cd drive isn't working?

PS: I have already installed the latest BIOS Update from Toshiba site but there is nothing new in BOOT devices menu; harddisk, cdrom, removable devices... I thought that removable devices be the right one to boot from usb-driver, but it didnt work :-(

OMG , HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, I EVEN PURCHASED A CD ROM ON EBAY, AND THAT DOESN'T WORK EITHER, HAVE YOU HAD ANY REPLIES FROM OTHER FORUMS OR GOTTEN A SOLUTION? I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT FOR 3 YEARS, AND I GOTTA USE THIS TOSHIBA FOR WORK, PLEASE REPLY IF YOU HAVE AN ANSWER,OR EMAIL AT [email][e-mail][/email]
THANK YOU SO MUCH

[zorteks]

Unfortunately, I didnt get any usable advices from any forums. But i found in the Toshiba Website a driver update exactly for reading problems by my dvd-rom. After i installed it, my dvd-driver has worked!! I formatted my computer but now it doesnt work again:(

[crashbeans]

thank you so much, i will try that too,,, guess we bought the wrong computer, eh?!?!