[ScottMichael]

My laptop computer is having quite a number of problems at the moment - sometimes when I turn the computer on after I've hibernated it, the hibernation data won't load and it will start again from scratch. Sometimes it takes ages for any icons to show in the system tray area of the taskbar when starting up.

I want to reformat the hard drive, but the problem is that my CD drive has some problems, too. When CDs are in there, it keeps reloading them - it will load a CD, then a few minutes later, it will reload it again as though it was just inserted. The CD drive itself keeps popping open randomly. I'm worried that if I try reformatting it with this CD drive, then the computer may end up seriously damaged, and I'd have to take it in and get it repaired.

My question is this: There is an old desktop computer at home with a CD drive. I also have a portable hard drive. I'd like to know if it would be possible to take the hard drive out of the computer, put it in the portable hard drive box, reformat it on the other computer, and install Windows on it. I know that I can format the hard drive on the other computer, but is it possible to install Windows on a portable hard drive in a way that when the hard drive is reinserted into the computer, it will function as if you just bought the computer? Or does this have to be done on the computer itself?

[mdelaney911]

older computers dont support usb booting so you wouldnt be able to install windows inon it that way but you can plug the hdd into the old computer or plug the other cd drive into ythe computer your tryin to install on.

[Hughv]

Complete make and model of the laptop?

[ScottMichael]

The computer is an IBM ThinkPad T30. I bought it second hand, so I'm not sure how old it is, but I'd say 4-5 years old.

I checked the boot devices list, and "Removable Devices" is on there along with hard drive and CD-ROM drive, so booting from a USB drive may work. Can you explain to me how to do it? How do I put the image of Windows onto the USB drive?

Or another idea is to put the files on my portable hard drive onto the old computer, format the portable hard drive from there, and then switch the hard drives in the laptop. That way, it will ask me to install Windows when I turn the computer on, and if there are any problems, I can simply put the old hard drive, complete with Windows, back in the computer.

[Hughv]

There's no reason not to try booting from t he CD and formatting that way.
If it fails, you just go to plan B.
Windows must be installed on the computer it's going to be used on , for the hardware set up to be correct.