[pj1115]

Hey

I've been trying to install Windows onto my external hard disk and it hasn't been working. I've tried with Windows XP pro, Server 2003, 98SE, and even Linux Ubuntu 6.06LTS. All failed.
With Windows, it boots okay for a little while and during the loading screen with the OS logo I get a blue screen saying that there's a problem and Windows doesn't want to boot.

Now, I booted into my working installation on my internal disk and went into the system boot configuration area of 'My Computer'. I unchecked the box that said to display the OS chooser, and forgot to switch the working installation as the default.

I restarted the PC, and guess what? It wanted to boot from my external disk, with the broken installation. Now, I can't get into any Windows OS to switch the default OS back to the working installation.

I expect the only option would to be to get Windows working on my external disk. But I can't get it to work.

What can I do?

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goto BIOS and set the internal hard drive as the prefered bootable device, once on desktop u can always chk the box back.

[achilles becqx]

goto BIOS and set the internal hard drive as the prefered bootable device, once on desktop u can always chk the box back.

[pj1115]

That hard disk is already priority.

I think it's Windows itself that has decided to boot from there.
Could it be to do with the MBR?

[wannabe1]

Hi pj1115...

Boot to the XP installation cd and boot to Recovery Console. Choose your working installation to repair (even if it doesn't need it) and continue on to the command prompt. At the prompt, type fixmbr and press "Enter". When that completes (very quick), type exit to close Recovery Console.

Once it boots back to Windows, go back and change the setting in system properties.

wannabe1