[ZeroShade]

I have just gotten an external harddrive that holds 1TB. I want to use it as my main hard disk for everything... however I'm a little stuck on installing my programs on it. A lot of the programs depend on windows registry and system. Therefore, I must install windows itself on the disk. Is this possible by changing the main drive in BIOS to the external hard drive and then putting a installing windows? Also... I"m getting the upgrade of vista for my notebook so if its possible to put a bootlegged version of windows 98 on the external harddrive and then do an upgrade on the harddrive as well instead of buying the full version of vista for the harddrive as well as the upgrade for my notebook? What can I do to use the external harddrive as my main drive?

[office politics]

depends on your hardware. newer mobos allow booting to an external drive. i've never done this myself, so i really dont know how you would get windows installed on your external hd. maybe after you boot to the windows cd/dvd, press a key to load 3rd party drivers for hardrives (i think f6 for xp, before the drivers start to load but after the asr prompt)

I really dont see a problem installing programs on another drive. Your post seems to imply that this would cause problems. Just set the location to the other drive when installing the app.

[ZeroShade]

K... that gives me the info i need! Thanks!

[EricB]

don't waste that drive on windows. use it for storage