xp install

Is it possible to install xp on an external hdd and boot computer from it via usb connection

 

No, as far as I'm aware, it's not possible to boot XP from an external drive.

 

Yes. The process is more-or-less the same as installing XP to a USB flash/thumb drive. However, it depends on whether or not your motherboard supports booting from USB. Most mobos built in the past 3 years or so do support booting from USB devices. Check your system BIOS and manual. Here's some links about installing/running XP to/from a USB storage device:
http://www.ngine.de/article/id/8
http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=177102101&pgno=1
http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm
If you carefully and slowly read through all this info, then kind of 'combine' it as needed, you should be able to accomplish exactly what you're trying to do. I 'built' a bootable USB flash drive with the UBCD4Win on it a couple years ago (I can't remember the exact steps, I think they're listed somewhere at the UBCD4Win web site) and from what I remember, it wasn't that hard after carefully reading all the info out there and being slow and methodical in the build.... Good luck!! Let us know how it goes, and if you like, post what you did so that others can use the info in the future.

:-D :major

 

Hmm, some research does indeed come up with claims of XP being booted from USB/eSATA drives; seems you can 'clone' an internal XP system drive then place it into an external enclosure with a good chance (with USB, maybe 100% with eSATA) of it booting.