Can a computer boot from a USB flash drive?

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Can a computer boot from a USB flash drive? Somehow I cant see how,
since the flash drives are not visible till Windows loads. Yet,
someone told me they do it.
 
Can a computer boot from a USB flash drive? Somehow I cant see how,
since the flash drives are not visible till Windows loads. Yet,
someone told me they do it.
Click to expand...

It's done all the time. Mostly with Linux, but also with Win98. Maybe
someone also does it with XP, but I've not seen it.

BTW< I've just installed my last copy of Windows. With all the hassle of
registering, and the constant nagging for you to turn on automatic this and
that. The simple "security fixes" numbered 80 and took hours. I'm either
going to learn Linux or throw all my computers in the land fill. No wonder
people hate M$ so much.
 
Can a computer boot from a USB flash drive? Somehow I cant see how,
since the flash drives are not visible till Windows loads. Yet,
someone told me they do it.
Click to expand...
Yes. If the BIOS allows it.
The BIOS `looks` for bootable devices.
 
Yes. If the BIOS allows it.
The BIOS `looks` for bootable devices.
Click to expand...
Ok, so its possible, but here's another question. How do you install to
the USB drive in the first place so that you can ensure that the correct
drive letter etc will be allocated so that when it is used to boot from
it doesn't look elsewhere, other than on the drive, for its files?
 
Peter said:
Ok, so its possible, but here's another question. How do you install to
the USB drive in the first place so that you can ensure that the correct
drive letter etc will be allocated so that when it is used to boot from
it doesn't look elsewhere, other than on the drive, for its files?
Click to expand...
You have to, first, prepare your Thumb\Flash drive to
be a bootable device.
Then you go into the BIOS on re-start, and tell it to boot
from the USB device.
Very much the same as if you had a bootable Floppy
disc, and set your BIOS to boot from the Floppy first.

I use a Transcend 4gig Jetflash flash drive, which came
with software to prepare it as a bootable.
hth.

bw..
 
In said:
Can a computer boot from a USB flash drive? Somehow I cant see how,
since the flash drives are not visible till Windows loads. Yet,
someone told me they do it.
Click to expand...

That depends on your BIOS.
Look under boot-options.
 
Sat, 07 Jul 2007 11:10:26 GMT: written by "Travis McGee"
BTW< I've just installed my last copy of Windows. With all the hassle of
registering, and the constant nagging for you to turn on automatic this and
that. The simple "security fixes" numbered 80 and took hours. I'm either
going to learn Linux or throw all my computers in the land fill. No wonder
people hate M$ so much.
Click to expand...

Give this a shot. I love it.

http://www.vorck.com/2ksp5.html

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