• ×
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
  • ×
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
Guidelines
Are you having HotKey issues? Click here for tips and tricks.
Locked

‎04-16-2017 09:03 AM

HP Recommended
Product: Hp ProDesk 400 G3 SFF
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

Ok, another question. I'm buying an external hard drive. The external hard drive will have Windows 10 Pro installed on it and some programs I use. I don't want to transfer files or anything else. I want to switch from the internal hard drive to the external hard drive and use that or vice versa. How do you do that? 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

‎04-16-2017 07:40 PM - edited ‎04-16-2017 07:43 PM

HP Recommended

@rwalton31,

While @JamesPetty did explain the BIOS style of selection, you could use a dual boot style.

Both styles require you to re-boot, but the dual boot utilizes a "Boot Manager".

 

Do you mind some curiousity??  What OS on the main drive?  You did list WIN 10 originally.

This system is feedback driven thru Solution and Kudo flags. It's the only means of knowing if you have been served. Please click Accept as Solution, if your problem is solved. To say THANK YOU, press the "thumbs up symbol" to render a KUDO. You can render both Solution and KUDO..

HP Envy 8 5010 Tablet
(2) HP DV7t i7 3160QM 2.3Ghz 8GB
Printer -- HP OfficeJet Pro 8620 Legal
Custom Asus Z97D, I7-4790k, 16GB RAM, WIN10 Pro 64bit, ZOTAC GTX1080 AMP Extreme 3 fan 8GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Asus PB287 4k monitor, Rosewill Blackhawk case and 750W OCZ PSU.

View solution in original post

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
4 REPLIES 4

‎04-16-2017 04:12 PM

HP Recommended
If I'm reading right you wish to have a second installation of Windows on an external HDD and use 1 or the other?! If that's the case then use the BIOS to change the boot sequence, either the external HDD or the Internal HDD.
Was this reply helpful? Yes No

‎04-16-2017 07:25 PM

HP Recommended

I was really hoping it was something simple, so i have to shut the computer off,change the boot order then restart. And I have to do that everytime i want to change to the external hardrive or vice versa? Or just change the boot order,either way theres a restart involved. Its an external hard drive using a usb hookup, was hoping a simple right click on the hard drive I wanted to use would work.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No

‎04-16-2017 07:40 PM - edited ‎04-16-2017 07:43 PM

HP Recommended

@rwalton31,

While @JamesPetty did explain the BIOS style of selection, you could use a dual boot style.

Both styles require you to re-boot, but the dual boot utilizes a "Boot Manager".

 

Do you mind some curiousity??  What OS on the main drive?  You did list WIN 10 originally.

This system is feedback driven thru Solution and Kudo flags. It's the only means of knowing if you have been served. Please click Accept as Solution, if your problem is solved. To say THANK YOU, press the "thumbs up symbol" to render a KUDO. You can render both Solution and KUDO..

HP Envy 8 5010 Tablet
(2) HP DV7t i7 3160QM 2.3Ghz 8GB
Printer -- HP OfficeJet Pro 8620 Legal
Custom Asus Z97D, I7-4790k, 16GB RAM, WIN10 Pro 64bit, ZOTAC GTX1080 AMP Extreme 3 fan 8GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Asus PB287 4k monitor, Rosewill Blackhawk case and 750W OCZ PSU.
Was this reply helpful? Yes No

‎04-17-2017 06:11 AM

HP Recommended

Thank you for your help. Both hard drives are identical Windows 10 Pro 64 bit operating systems. I upgraded to a SSD from a HDD and i was told a clean install of Windows 10 was the best thing to do so I just installed the new hard drive and booted from the recovery media USB that I created when I got this desktop about 9 months ago. My problem is there are 2 programs that I paid for, Corel WinDvd Pro 12 and DvdneXtcopy that I use frequently on the old drive that I can't figure out how to migrate the programs to the new hard drive and they work. I would have to go over almost a year of bank statements to find out when I purchased them for proof of purchase. Thats why I wanted to make the HDD an external back up connected to my system so I could use both hard drives when i needed either one. What does this Boot Manager entail and do you only have to set it up once and reboot, or is it reboot everytime I want to switch?

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Warning
Be alert for scammers posting fake support phone numbers and/or email addresses on the community.
If you think you have received a fake HP Support message, please report it to us by clicking on "Flag Post".
† The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of HP. By using this site, you accept the Terms of Use and Rules of Participation.
Didn't find what you were looking for? Ask the community
† The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of HP. By using this site, you accept the <a href="https://www8.hp.com/us/en/terms-of-use.html" class="udrlinesmall">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="/t5/custom/page/page-id/hp.rulespage" class="udrlinesmall"> Rules of Participation</a>.