Boot from internal HDD moved into external USB box.Possible?

[krajicek]

Hi,

I'd like to change default drive in T60 for 750GB WD and then to install Debian on it. While going through all the tricks of Debian installation process I'd like to keep existing installation of XP on internal hard drive just move it into external USB enclosure and boot from it.

Is something like that possible?

Tried it but for some reason it does not boot. Tested scenarios:
1) internal HDD put into ICY BOX USB enclosure

2) internal HDD connected via AXAGO USB to SATA/IDE Adapter

In both cases USB drive appears among boot options (F12) but when selected it ends up on black screen with cursor blinking.
Can be predesktop partition causing some problems?

When I put the drive back into laptop it boots just fine.

Thank you in advance for your recommendations

[RealBlackStuff]

The Icy Box should work, that outdated Axago contraption might not.
In either case, the drive in the boot-menu should show up as: USB HDD.
The problem might be the BIOS setting under Config/SATA.
Change that from AHCI to Compatibility or v.v. and see what happens.
I don't know if SATA-setting also apply to the USB port.
If not, try to get the AHCI setting to work under XP, while the HD is in the normal drive bay.
Otherwise look for W7 to install on that HD.

[krajicek]

The Icy Box should work, that outdated Axago contraption might not.
In either case, the drive in the boot-menu should show up as: USB HDD.
The problem might be the BIOS setting under Config/SATA.
Change that from AHCI to Compatibility or v.v. and see what happens.
I don't know if SATA-setting also apply to the USB port.
If not, try to get the AHCI setting to work under XP, while the HD is in the normal drive bay.
Otherwise look for W7 to install on that HD.

Hi, RealBlackStuff, thank you

Tried to boot from drive in Icy Box with both options
AHCI (which was my default)
Compatibility

Behavior remains the same - black screen + cursor in top left corner.

I noted that on boot options screen (F12) is USB HDD listed as:

-USB HDD (note "-" sign)
Not sure if it is important or not. Maybe it is just sign of expanded option - noted in BIOS where it was listed as +USB HDD and when I hit enter it changed to -USB HDD with the drive model listed below

[RealBlackStuff]

On the boot list, there are two parts, up to 8 under Priority.
Set that USB-HDD to priority 1.
Switch the machine off, reboot with the icebox attached, any luck?
If not, switch off, reboot and press F12 immediately, select the #1, any luck now?
Does it work if you remove the Debian-HDD?

[axur-delmeria]

AFAIK Windows XP does not boot from USB HDDs.

[krajicek]

On the boot list, there are two parts, up to 8 under Priority.
Set that USB-HDD to priority 1.
Switch the machine off, reboot with the icebox attached, any luck?
If not, switch off, reboot and press F12 immediately, select the #1, any luck now?
Does it work if you remove the Debian-HDD?

Tried already to set USB HDD as 1st boot device and also to select it manually from F12 boot screen.
Also tried to boot with no HDD in internal slot and also with fresh new (unformatted) drive in internal slot.

All these attempts made no difference, unfortunately.

Seems axur-delmeria is about to be right