Hardware

Ask something
Question Locked

Booting eSATA

0 helpful
3 replies

by dan__wallace

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

Hello.

I'm trying to have my motherboard (ASUS a8n32 sli deluxe) recognize
my esata drive as a bootable drive.

My goal is to install Vista on this external esata drive and boot it
instead of my internal XP drive on occasion.

The problem I am having is that my motherboard doesn't seem to
recognize it as a bootable drive. When I boot to my Vista install disk
and then try to install on the eSATA the drive does not show up in the
selection list.

Do I need to install some drivers to have my eSATA external to be
recognized pre- OS?

3 replies

by Former member

Then get a good software program that will do a clone of the internal drive. When done go into your bios and select the drive in question to be at the top of the list, so that you will be able to boot from it.
Hope this works for you.

Please post back if you have anymore problems or questions.

by thechas

First, you may need to press F6 while booting up from the Vista DVD and load drivers for the SATA drive.

Second, and perhaps more important, is how is this external drive connected to the system?

Are you using a SATA controller card?
A USB drive enclosure?
A cable connected to a SATA channel on the mainboard?

You may have to enter BIOS setup and add the specific device connection to the boot order menu.

However, in the case of an external drive, the boot selection may be disabled when you disconnect the drive. Thus, you may need to enter BIOS setup in order to select the external drive every time you connect it.

Chas

This discussion is closed to new replies.