Boot from external USB2 drive?

[Terrun]

What do I need to do in order to make the external usb2 drive bootable?
The system is a Dell gx1 (year 1999)running on windows 98se.The
external drive is a 40 gig Samsung sv4002h.
Would Bootmagic do me any good?
I am a novice; am depending on your expert advice.
Thank you,
Terrun

 

[Mercutio]

My expert advice is that it more than likely isn't possible. Under some circumstances, booting off USB is possible, but you need support at the BIOS and device level. I've seen boot support on keychain drives but not on any USB(2) hard disks.

Sorry.

 

[Terrun]

Mercutio,
If I get a mobo with a bios that enables a external usb boot, would that solve it? When you say "support at the device level" what devices are
you refering to?
Thanks,
terrun

 

[Howell]

He means that the BIOS must support it and the device (thumb-drive, HD carrier, CDROM) must support it. In this context, a device is something that plugs into the Universal Serial Bus.