Questions:Conflicting Info On External OS's

Is it necessary to install an OS on an external drive that is only used for file storage and access?

Does it need to be formatted to the same system as other drives that would access it?

Also, I have read that an external drive cannot boot via USB. Is this true?

If I do need to install an OS to use it as a backup, will it be a problem to put Vista 64 on it when the main internal drive has W7? I've read that file transfer will work, but programs won't.

Finally, I understand that I can format via USB, but OS installation will require direct connection to the mobo(or at least be easier). Is this true?

Thank you for your help.

 

I'd like to amend my first question:

Can I simply format the drive and forgo the OS installation?

 

yes,yes,yes

 

1. format and use however you want. External drives and internal partitions do not need any OS unless you want to boot from them.
2. For the most usage (windows, all versions, linux, and OSX) FAT32 is the format. If all your computers are XP and newer then a better fit is NTFS because the FAT32 has a size limitation on file size. No file larger than 4GB can be movied, copied etc.
3. Booting from USB has nothing to do with the external drive itself. It has everything to do with the BIOS of the computer that the USB is connected to. If the BIOS allows, then a computer can boot from an external drive, provided it has a bootable operating system on it.
4. You do not need an OS to use any external drive to put backups on. Just know that the external is not bootable so you would need some way of getting the back upped files onto the computer that the files were originally on.
5.

I'm not clear on what you are trying to format so I can not give you an answer.
If you want to format a computer's internal hard drive, you do not need anything connected by USB to do it.

 

Ah, I'm working with a laptop that's already formatted and has an OS installed. I also have an external drive intended for file backup, which I believe came formatted. If not, I understand it to be a simple operation with disk manager. I was mostly wondering if storing and accessing files on it via USB required that the external have an OS, which you seem to have answered perfectly.

Thanx!!!:wave

 

I overlooked the quote and question on #5:

I meant trying to install the OS(I confuse formatting w/OS install) on the external via USB, as opposed to connecting it directly to the mobo for the installation, to make it quicker. I'm guessing it wouldn't make a big difference. I apologize, but this is all to help someone else with even less understanding than myself. All the questions and wondering, along with the pressure of their need to get it done made me blind to the simplicity of most of it.

Thank you again.

 

Good luck.
All you need to do is fire up the laptop, plug in the external hd via USB. The computer should see it (based on flavor of windows running on the laptop). Then select the files you want to copy as backups and copy over using Windows Explorer or possibly another 3rd party backup program.

 

Suh-weet.