Install esata

If there are no other volumes available, windows setup will simply create a new boot loader on the disk you're installing on even if it wouldnt be listed as the first disk. I hope that kind of makes sense. So if I understand you correctly, this configuration with a Windows 7 installation on a eSATA drive now boots just fine? In my case I have a work laptop loaded with Windows Vista Enterprise which I can't use for personal stuff so I took my external USB drive, dissasembled it and replaced the internal drive with it.

I installed Windows 7 on it and everything works just fine. Now I have taken it out of the laptop and retured the original Vista drive. I would now like to use the Windows 7 drive as an external drive to boot Windows 7 when I'm not at work. When connecting the drive using its external USB enclosure the operating system does not want to boot apparently because Microsoft doesn't allow booting from removable drives.

Now my plan is to buy an eSATA enclosure and try booting it that way. From what you say this would succeede in my case since I installed Windows with this external drive placed in the laptop, the boot data got correctly installed to the correct drive and there should be no reason to use EasyBCD.

Is my scenario possible as I've described it? I would like to know before ordering the eSATA enclosure. There's lots of conflicting information on the internet about this topic. Some say booting from eSATA should work the drive does not get recognized as removable - the system does not differentiate it from internal SATA drives while some say that it's the same case as with connecting through USB. You will need to enable AHCI to expose hot plug and other related settings.

If your board does not have a second compatible connector an add-in card eSATA controller can be added. I have not used a software work around and would be hesitant to recommend them as I don't know how to verify the ports being used have hardware to support the function such as pre-charging resistors to passively limit inrush current during drive insertion , and I don't know why if all SATA ports have the needed hardware why the motherboard manufacturers would limit access to the feature.

This topic got me thinking. Mounting them to access the contents or unmounting them are just clicks on the mouse. Storages that are designed to be removed can be unmounted and physically removed without a problem. I suspect that drives that are not designed to be removed could also be unmounted and physically removed but Linux may complain if you read its messages. So I guess what you want to do might also be possible with Windows. If it were me, I would set up an experiment with storages containing data that I would not mind losing if the trial goes wrong and give it a go.

As for the rest, the ability to safely remove during spinning time, no idea, never tested it. Others have answered more on that area. You'll install the card, then drivers. Then you'll attach disks, which Windows Home Server should see without further intervention. You'll add those disks to the storage pool, and the additional space will be available. Friday, November 23, PM. Will WHS ask for drivers, or do I need to go into device manager to manually update the drivers?

Saturday, November 24, AM. Terms of Use. Privacy Statement. All forum topics Previous Topic Next Topic. Replies 6. Hi Heppers, What is the actual error message? Zonetrek, no it can't be that or it wouldn't boot when fitted in the internal laptop drive bay.

As explained constantly swapping drives is not the ideal solution. Press any key to reboot the system. Install EasyBCD to edit the boot loader 2.

Do a reboot You will find a menu now at bootup, where you can let the internal Windows boot up by default, or choose "Windows eSATA" and boot up from Windows on the external drive.