Questions for Cruisers Onboard Computers
 

On 2007-10-16 02:05:28 -0400, "Alex"
said:

To my knowledge, a Windows PC won't boot from an external hard drive.
It will boot from an internal CD or DVD, but I don't think it will
recognize a USB or FireWire remote drive.

You've got to be kidding! I've been booting Macs from external drives
from the early SCSI days, easily 15 years. Just hold down the "Option"
key to get all the possible options, including net-boot. I thought
Windoze had mostly caught up on trivial little things like that.

Truth be told, I know I can net-boot my work PC, so expect there's some
arcane set of keystrokes you can press as it flicks through DOS to boot
up on an external drive.

Sounds like Windows users should make a bootable DVD with their
backup/mirror software installed so they can at least reformat and
restore to the internal (new or replacement). AGAIN, test periodically
to ensure it works.

I believe a Mac will boot from an external drive, further proof that
Macs are for wimps and people who want to get work done, while Windows
machines are for us macho geeks who enjoy pointless, frustrating
challenges. (g)

Hey, them'd be fighting words except it's the exact truth. If my
workplace were on Macs, I probably would no longer have a job. Windows
should keep me busy until I decide to retire, because just about every
time we get an OS upgrade, I get a flurry of things to do. If the
switch to XP is any indication, the switch to Vista should keep me
well-paid for 2-3 years. ;-)

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Questions for Cruisers Onboard Computers
 

In rec.boats.cruising Jere Lull wrote:
:On 2007-10-16 02:05:28 -0400, "Alex"
said:

: To my knowledge, a Windows PC won't boot from an external hard drive.
: It will boot from an internal CD or DVD, but I don't think it will
: recognize a USB or FireWire remote drive.

:You've got to be kidding! I've been booting Macs from external drives
:from the early SCSI days, easily 15 years. Just hold down the "Option"
:key to get all the possible options, including net-boot. I thought
:Windoze had mostly caught up on trivial little things like that.

It's a limitation of the BIOS. If the BIOS properly enumerates USB
disks, windows will boot from them. Many don't, though things have
gotten better. I haven't tried in ages, though.