How to Boot Windows 7 from External Hard Drive Successfully?
Scenario
You're trying to format your Windows 7 system drive (C:) and the "Format Partition" option is grayed out. This is because Windows won't let you format the system drive from within Windows. You'll need to format it from outside of Windows, likely using a Windows installation media (e.g. a USB drive with Windows setup on it) or a third-party tool like a bootable CD/DVD or a Linux live USB.
To create a bootable external hard drive with Windows 7, you'll need to create a Windows PE bootable media, then use a tool like Rufus or a similar software to create a bootable external hard drive with Windows 7. This process involves downloading the Windows 7 ISO, creating a bootable USB drive, and then using that USB drive to create the bootable external hard drive. You can also use a tool like WinToUSB to create a bootable external hard drive with Windows 7. Please note that this process may require some technical expertise and may not be suitable for all users. If you're not comfortable with the process, you may want to consider seeking assistance from a professional.
Create bootable Windows 7 external hard drive
To format your C drive, it's a good idea to create bootable media first. You can use third-party software like Qiling Disk Master Professional, which allows you to create bootable media with ease and offers various functions for disk and partition management. This software can also help you extend or shrink your C drive without losing any data, making it a useful tool for managing your disk space.
Something that you should know before the operation:
▪ It is possible to create bootable media using Qiling Disk Master, regardless of whether your device is a CD/DVD or a USB drive.
▪ When running Windows XP as your operating system, you can use Windows AIK to configure and deploy the OS to new hardware.
▪ To avoid data loss, it's recommended to back up any important files on the external hard drive before formatting it.
Detailed steps to create bootable external hard drive
To create a bootable USB for Windows 7, download the demo version and follow these steps:
Step 1. Connect the USB drive to your computer and ensure it can be detected. Install and run Qiling Disk Master, then navigate to "Tools" in the top toolbar and select "Make Bootable Media". Click "Next" to proceed.
Step 2. In the pop-up window, select one way to create bootable media, such as choosing a USB device, and then click "Proceed".
Step 3. All data on the USB drive will be erased and reformatted, so click "Yes" to confirm and wait for the process to complete.
- ★Tips:
- If you don't have an external hard drive, you can create a bootable ISO file using Qiling Disk Master. However, to proceed, you'll need to use third-party burning software to burn the ISO file onto a CD, DVD, or USB drive.
- If you want to apply the same Windows when you're in different places or keep home and work use separately when using the same PC, you can use Qiling Disk Master to create a Windows To Go USB drive.
How to boot Windows 7 from external hard drive?
1. Connect the external hard drive (or USB drive) to your computer.
Step 1. To access the BIOS, reboot the computer and press a specific key (usually F2 or Delete, but check your PC's manual or website if unsure) as soon as it starts booting up, and it will take you to the BIOS settings.
Step 2. To boot from a USB flash drive, select the USB Device option and press Enter.
To enter the WinPE environment, you'll be able to run Qiling Disk Master to format the C drive or perform other disk operations.
What if the external hard drive won't boot?
If you're unable to boot Windows 7 from an external hard drive, such as a USB drive, you can try troubleshooting the issue. This may involve creating bootable media and adjusting the boot order, but if that doesn't work, you can try other solutions to resolve the problem.
To resolve the issue of an external hard drive not booting, start by checking the BIOS settings to ensure the boot order is correct. If the BIOS is configured properly, try removing other USB devices and attempt to boot from the external hard drive again. If it still won't boot, consider the possibility of a file system issue with the external hard drive.
To successfully boot Windows from a USB drive in UEFI mode, it's essential to ensure the file system of the bootable USB drive is FAT32. If your USB drive has an NTFS file system, you can easily convert it to FAT32 using Qiling Disk Master without losing any data, allowing you to boot Windows from the USB drive without any issues.
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