What I like to do is install WinXP Pro on my 2.5” HD. And of course would it be nice if it actually would be bootable. In my searches online I actually found a lot of info on how to achieve this. But unfortunately all of them state that you need to have a computer which can enable boot from USB in the bios.
Of course I could try update my bios and follow one of the howto guides. But I like my USB HD to be somewhat like a Nootbook, any ware I find a computer(with USB2) I hook-up my drive and work on my own windows. Even if that computer (like my’n) does not have bios boot from USB support.

I think I already found the solution(by my self)
1)   First I will prepare a WinXP install CD special with USB mega storage support. Following this guide http://www.ngine.de/index.jsp?pageid=4176
2)   I will install windows on a friends machine who has Boot from USB support.

So than I should be set and It should work on all new computers. But not on my computer. And that’s where you guy’s come in.

In NightOwl’s guide (spread over mummers threats in a couple of topics) he explains how to create a Bootable CD with USB support. And this also automatically starts up Ghost.

I like to create a Bootable CD with USB support that automatically starts up my windows on my USB device. Can any one help me tweak NightOwel’s BootCD to do exactly that??

And I you’re inspired by this to make your on USB HD windows. Let me know if it worked (especially if you achieved it in a different way)

I am by no means an expert but if I read your intentions correctly, you are expecting to take your 2.5"HD to another machine and use it to boot up instead of the installed OS on that machine, correct?
If that is your intention, WinXP is very picky about being run on a machine that is different than the one it was installed on.  If the hardware is not exactly the same as the one you installed from, it will not like it at all.

Thanks for your offer to help. I can use all the help I can get.
Well, I would prefer windows. If its possible I would like to give it a shot. But of course better something than nothing, I still have a copy of Fedora core 5 somewhere. I have no Idea of Ubuntu. I would like your recommendation on what is “better” for me(a native windows user(and I am, not because windows is better but because commercial applications are wider available)). How does it work with drivers? From all my hardware I only have the windows drivers. And if I hook up to a new machine do I have to install de driver manually? Ore will it auto detect the new hardware and chance drivers? And how about all my windows applications? I think I heard of ways to install win applications on a Unix machine, but I’m not sure of how.

Re: "."

http://radified.com/blog/archives/000273.html

OldMan,
I already have a Preinstalled Environments on CD and I’m sure I don’t wane go in the route for my project. But do you think that the boot files of those PE’s could be useful??
The thing is I already fingered out how to install windows on my external HD. And it would be bootable on the newer computers. I’m just trying to find a workaround for the missing “boot from USB- inside bios function” so basically I’m looking for a boot-CD that can install the missing USB support and than boots the primary partition.

Rad,
Thanks for the link. Nice info, but I did not find any suggestion for my missing workaround.

MrMangoo,
After reading Rad’s link and doing some additional research I narrowed my choice down to http://www.kubuntu.org or Fedora, the new Core 6 beta version had a lot of positive reviews. But I’m gone take your word for it and start with the KDE packages of Ubuntu. (read in different recourses that the KDE compared to the gnome packages are much easier for windows users to get started). I also been reading about wine and Crossover Office it seams that most (big) products are able to work, I think I should just see how fare I can come.(But fore instants do you think my favourite IME would work on Ubuntu? Which you normally would install from out the control panel?
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/handson/user/IME_Paper.mspx)
Can any one tell me about there experience with the windows emulator? How is the speed(reaction time) of programs like Photoshop when having to do some big calculations?

I guess I will be able to manage the Ubuntu installation. But all with all I’m still left with my first question. After the install of the OS, how to boot a *OS/the first partition of my HD* from a USB storage device without having “ Boot from USB support” in my bios?

While I do not have an answer to your last question about using PE's boot records for your project, WinXP will not work on different hardware other than a near identical setup to the one from which you installed.  Will the PE's setup will work on most different hardware, if you can't do what you want from inside the environment it creates, then I would say you need to pursue the suggestion from Mr. Magoo.  It sounds like he has a handle on it and just needs to convince you it will do what you intend to do, but in a Linux environment.

I decided to go with the Ubuntu. but before I go and install it on my portable HD I like to be sure every thing is going to work. meaning I like to find a answer to my first question before continuing.

After the install of the OS, how to boot the *OS/the first partition of my HD* from a USB storage device without having “ Boot from USB support” in my bios?