can an external drive be used for a new build

[Moeybay]

can an external drive be used when building a PC instead of an internal one

[The Wise Monkey]

No, I don't think you can because it would be too easy just to take Windows everywhere you go, which is less than ideal for Microsoft.

Then again, there is something called TinyXP which has been hacked about so much that it can run from a USB thumb drive, so it might be possible.

My advice would always be to have an internal drive as they are so cheap nowadays.

[Barrister73]

I don't know enough about how thing work to give an answer, so I will concede that Wise Monkey is probably correct. But, here's what I came up with;

1) Run sata cables out the back of a computer and connect it to an internal drive that's not inside the computer

2) Do that same thing with a Sata card. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816132009

3) Set up an external USB drive to be read as if it were internal.
I found a way to do this so that Media Center would be able to play DVD folders from my USB drive as if it were an internal drive (only way it would play via USB). I have forgotten how I did that and am having trouble finding it online. Maybe someone here can explain. It basically sets up the USB drive as a subfolder for your internal drive. This would still require you to have an internal drive, though. Probably not the solution you want.

[The Wise Monkey]

I think that it depends what connection it uses - if it is eSATA, then it might work, but USB might not.