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Can I boot Windows 8 from a USB Flash Drive or do I need to dual boot?

post #1 of 2
3/17/13 at 7:47pm
Thread Starter 
I own an Acer laptop that is runing Windows 7.  I love Windows 7 and finally made the move from Windows XP but I really like Windows 8.  Yet I'm nowhere near ready to make it my only OS.  I know one possible option is a dual boot system.  If I need to go that route I may be posting again in the future to find out how I can make a dual boot Windows 7/Windows 8 system.  Yet I like trying different OS's and already have two USB sticks that are ChromeOS and Ubuntu Linux. I purchase 4GB flash drives and buy the fast drives.  
The question is is it possible to install and then boot from a Windows 8 USB Flash Drive?  If so, how would I go about doing this?  Also, what is the minimum size USB Flash Drive that could be used?  I want at least some room to work with and install apps but it won't be my primary OS.  If it's not possible to do this how would I go about making a dual boot system?  Already I have a 500GB HD with Windows 7 installed but I believe I'd have to repartition and hope to avoid having to reinstall Windows 7 since I have so many installed apps.
Thanks for help with the above.
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post #2 of 2
3/17/13 at 10:45pm
You can resize your hdd quite simply upto 50% using windows disk manager then install windows 8 to unallocated space.
How did you make the switch from xp to 7 was it a new install or upgrade?
If new install then you most likely you don't have 4 primary partitions meaning that you would be able to install wins8 on the existing disk.
I myself believe that wins 8 will take quite a bit more space than ubuntu or chrome also wins needs almost 20% more space on the disk just for defragmenting.
You could possibly try on usb hdd, but I haven't tried it. Also MBR will be rewritten & you will have to keep the usb drive connected at all times.
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