Here is a detailed tutorial on how to install and run a full Windows XP on a USB disk:
Installation of Windows XP on USB Disk
Prerequisites
- A Windows XP installation disc or ISO image
- A USB flash drive with at least 4GB of storage
- A computer with a USB port and Windows XP already installed (this computer will be referred to as the "source" computer)
Steps
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Format the USB flash drive as NTFS:
- Plug the USB flash drive into the source computer
- Open My Computer or Windows Explorer and right-click on the USB drive
- Select Format...
- Set the File system to NTFS and click on Start
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Create a bootable USB drive:
- Download and install the Windows XP USB/DVD Download Tool (http://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?id=6812)
- Run the tool and follow the on-screen instructions to create a bootable USB drive using the Windows XP installation disc or ISO image
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Copy the Windows XP installation files to the USB drive:
- Copy the entire contents of the Windows XP installation disc or ISO image to the root directory of the USB drive
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Install Windows XP on the USB drive:
- Restart the source computer and boot from the USB drive (you may need to change the boot order in the BIOS settings)
- During the installation process, select the custom (advanced) installation option
- When prompted to select the drive where Windows will be installed, select the USB drive
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation
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Install the necessary drivers and software:
- After the installation is complete, you may need to install additional drivers and software for the USB drive to function properly on other computers
Running Windows XP on USB Disk
- Plug the USB drive into the target computer
- Restart the target computer and boot from the USB drive (you may need to change the boot order in the BIOS settings)
- Windows XP will now boot from the USB drive, and you can use it as if it were installed on the target computer
References
- Book: "Windows XP Inside Out" by David A. Karp, et al.
- Article: "How to Install Windows XP on a USB Drive" by Ed Bott (http://www.pcworld.com/article/118142/how_to_install_windows_xp_on_a_usb_drive.html)
- Online Resource: "How to Install Windows XP on a USB Flash Drive" (https://web.archive.org/web/20150215061258/http://www.tipstuff.org/2012/08/How-to-install-and-run-a-full-winxp-on-usb-disk.html)