microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support

As Stanley said.......no but Imaging Software works extremely well.Seeing as
you aim to purchase a new hd to replace the one slowly breaking down,you
would need to hook the new up as a slave and image/ghost the old to the new
and then hook the new up in place of the old.Newly purchased retail versions
of HD usually come with this software or you can go to the HD manufacturers
website and download acopy.
You could of course use your 500gb drive in the same manner...
peter
"XJHay" wrote in message
news:37795B14-0331-441F-AAD2-2D80362903FB@microsoft.com...
> Hello,
>
> I have a 500 GB internal HD that I want to use to rebuild my system with
> and
> eventually replace an ailing HD before it dies on me.
>
> I have it on a Quick Drive enclosure that connects to my computer through
> a
> USB cable. I am not quite sure if I can do this the way I would like to so
> I
> will pose the question here and see how flies.
>
> Can I install an OS on this drive while it is connected to the Quick Drive
> enclosure for later removal and replace the HD I now boot from. I know I
> can
> install other software to it and use it for storage however, I want to use
> it
> to boot from after seting it up.
>
> I would like to do it that way because the HD I boot from now has been
> showing signs that it may not last much longer.
>
> Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!