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Thread ID: 115561 2011-01-24 03:26:00 Boot and operate from External USB Drive B.M. (505) Press F1
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1172141 2011-01-24 03:26:00 Ok, the position is that I travel quite a bit overseas, usually staying with family.

Now I take my faithful Laptop and that serves most, say 80% of my needs, like E-Mail Internet etc.

However, the laptop doesn’t have on it anything like the number of Programmes my Desktop has, and Murphy sees to it I always want to use a programme that I don’t have on the Laptop.

To this end I wondered if I could just copy all my Desktop onto an external drive and boot from the external drive if I wished to use a Photo Editing programme or Video Editing programme and the like.

I realise that the Bios on the host computer would have to be set to booting from “Other” first, if that’s possible, and I might run into a few problems with Hardware Drivers but that wouldn’t phase me it could be done.

Anyway, I look forward to any comments on the situation. :thanks
B.M. (505)
1172142 2011-01-24 04:02:00 Simple answer is no, programs are installed, not copied....you could perhaps take a virtual copy around with you and install the hypervisor on the required PC, via the install program on the same PC, however you would have to license the virtual pc SolMiester (139)
1172143 2011-01-24 04:06:00 Its not just the BIOS that would be a problem, its also the different hardware. The laptop, and desktop would have to have the same = basically impossible.

Any reason you cant remote connect to the Desktop - or do you want to have the programs/ Data with you. ?
wainuitech (129)
1172144 2011-01-24 04:12:00 If you still use Windows XP, MojoPac might be worth a look :thumbs: pcuser42 (130)
1172145 2011-01-24 04:38:00 Thanks guys’

Yes one part of me said this can’t be done, but another said “Why Not”? :D

I realise that Programmes have to be installed with all their associated Registry Entry’s, and I realise there would be Hardware Driver problems, but then I thought well I’ve replaced plenty of Motherboards over the years and despite having to deal with Microsoft moaning things had changed and the OS was married to the Motherboard everything else worked fine.

Which leads me to another question. :D

What’s the point of “Cloning” your system backup onto another drive if your replacement Motherboard and or HDD has to be exactly the same? :confused:

I think I’m missing something here. :D
B.M. (505)
1172146 2011-01-24 04:39:00 If you still use Windows XP, MojoPac might be worth a look :thumbs:

Hey thanks for that I'll follow up. :thumbs:

Yep XP SP2.
B.M. (505)
1172147 2011-01-24 04:41:00 Cloning the HDD is only in case of HDD failure, if you did need a new board you may need to reinstall etc.

But, You do not have to have the exact same HDD as a replacement, all HDDs are treated the same in Windows (provided the replacement uses the same interface, SATA, IDE, SCSI, SAS etc)

So as long as you don't change the interface to anything which doesn't already have drivers installed you should be fine.
Agent_24 (57)
1172148 2011-01-24 05:06:00 Just to add a bit more to what Agent posted:

Basically the HDD replacement covers it.

Sometimes you can clone a OS back to different hardware, but Windows throws a real fit, normally resulting in a BSOD. IF you are lucky, and the components are close enough, windows may boot on different hardware, and proceed to install drivers or ask for the new drivers.

Other times IF you do get a BSOD, doing a repair install will allow windows to boot again, its 50/50 as to it working or not. IF it does work, then its almost certain you have to reactivate windows, as the hardware has changed.
wainuitech (129)
1172149 2011-01-24 07:01:00 :eek: Yikes, are you telling me that my Paragon & Macrium Back-ups are a waste of time if my elderly Socket 478 motherboard and ATA HDD fail and need to be replaced with a duel core Motherboard and SATA HDD. :eek:

I’m gutted! :(

Here was me thinking I could restore things with even the icons on my desktop in the right place.

Anyway, has anybody used this MojoPac that pcuser referred to? It looks real interesting but I can’t quite get my head around how it actually works.

Grrrrrrrrr, so much for all my religious back-ups mumble mumble mumble…………..
B.M. (505)
1172150 2011-01-24 07:11:00 Anyway, has anybody used this MojoPac that pcuser referred to? It looks real interesting but I can’t quite get my head around how it actually works.

I used it back in the days of Windows XP in our house :p, and basically it creates a virtual desktop where you can install programs and store documents. It's sort of like a virtual PC combined with PortableApps, if that makes sense. :p
pcuser42 (130)
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