Dual boot setup

[yoshi]

OK, about to start a new job and I get a Dell P600 for work. Only problem is, I dont want to do any non-work related stuff of the internal hard drive cause of registry entries and stuff.
So the plan is to get an external hard drive and install windows XP on that and do all my non-work related stuff off that. I am new to windows in terms of using it as my own operating system. I am a mac user. So what I need to know is, if its possible to set up dual boot like this with an option on startup asking which drive to boot from. I only want the option if the external hard drive is plugged in if possible. It would also be nice if when the drive is plugged in after startup, to have the drive load as a normal external drive. Also if I did boot from the external drive, would the internal drive still appear as another drive so I can transfer files between the two drives.
I know this is a long question but being new to windows, I dont really know what I am doing. Dont get the laptop for another week yet but it would be good to have some info before I try anything and screw up the company laptop. I will be allowed to install stuff of my own like games, but they stress to not use MP3's or pirate software, so its really to keep it off the laptop. Also, I should have full admin rights and nothing should be crippled.

Yoshi

[yoshi]

first time i have never had an answer to a post.
anyone know of any web-sites that would help?

yoshi

[PhilEnfield]

Windows as it exists today is currently not optimized to run as an installed operating system from USB attached mass-storage or CD ...... have a read here :

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/usb-boot.mspx

This was dated Aug 2004, but afaik nothing's changed .... unless someone knows different ? ;)

[Zac]

You could ask the admins to partition your drive seeing as they appear to be so agreeable, or do it yourself just ghost the partition to a safe location add in another one and ghost it back to your c: leaving a blank d: then you could install your second OS without any problems.

[yoshi]

thanks for the replies. one question, whats the smallest size partition i could install windows xp onto?

yoshi

[PhilEnfield]

You can fit XP into a partition of 2 or 3 gb, but if you do this, you wont have enough room for defragging, your page/swap file, Temp Files or System Restore files. Also there will be no room for growth/applications.

I would say a minium of a 15gb partition (volume in XP) should work quite well. If you are not pushed for space, t a larger one would be better .... really depends on the size of the HDD.

You could reduce this by making smaller additional partitions for page/swap files and Temp Files ... it really depends on how much time and effort you want to put in.

HTH

[roady]

Another option,is to try a Linux LiveCD and use the usb harddrive as storage for the settings and your downloads.....
Your windows will not be altered,nor is there any repartition required...
The livecd just uses your laptop to boot up,and if you remove the usb hd after you shutdown your Linux,nobody even knows that you've used the company's lappy for personal use..... :D;)


An example...:

http://www.knoppix.org/