How Can Install & Boot Windows 7 or Vista or XP Using your External Drive?

Hi. Windows 7 64-bit says you can't install it to a USB (or firewire) external hard drive. If you need to just test some Windows program and you just have an iMac (only one you can afford) Intel and speed/performance is not really going to be an issue, has anyone tried booting and installing Windows using their USB external drive? Thank you in advance.
Gbu.

Hi,
sadly Microsoft doesn't like Windows to be installed and booted of an external device.
Their descision and Apple follows it.
To install Windows 7 of an external USB-memory Stick, then one with 8GB should suffice.
To install Windows 7 on an USB-Stick then the more space the better.
I am not really into USB-sticks having some lying around but mostly smaller sized ones.
Kingston, Corsair, Transcend seems to be good brands.
Stefan

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http://www.bombich.com/
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Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
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First, you need to do this:
Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
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Clone using Restore Option of Disk Utility
1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.
3. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (journaled, if available) and click on the Erase button. This step can be skipped if the destination has already been freshly erased.
4. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
5. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
6. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
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Source means the internal startup drive.
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How Can Install & Boot Windows 7 or Vista or XP Using your External Drive?

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