install debian jessie onto USB drive from DVD.

[jlsbzyhstw]

Hi,

I want to install debian jessie onto USB drive, just like install debian OS onto an internal hard drive, from DVD.
The internal hard drive is not connected during installation. I expect the USB drive is bootable, like an OS-installed internal hard drive.

But it is failed to boot from USB drive. The response message is: Hard-disk drive failure, strike the F1 key to continue, ...

The system I used is dell desktop inspiron 3847 (EFI). Do I use a wrong means to make a bootable USB drive?
Who can tell me the reason? thanks,

[dotlj]

But it is failed to boot from USB drive. The response message is: Hard-disk drive failure, strike the F1 key to continue, ...

This means there is a problem with the hard disk. Check the BIOS settings, see what disks are detected. You might be able to use a live distro or rescue disk to check the SMART status of the current disk. A new disk can cost say $50 up, depending on size and warranty.
man smartctl is your friend. If you don't have it, apt-get install smartmontools will give it too you. You may need to check the disk on another computer.
In BIOS check to see if the USB disk is also detected or not, you may need to enable it before the system can boot from it.

[Riberto]

It sounds to me like your computer is looking for the removed hard drive, at boot time, thus you get the hard drive error message???
Make sure you go into the bios at start up , usually by hitting the F1 or the F11 key at start-up. (I am NOT familiar with Dell machines)
Tell it you want it to boot from the usb first then the hard drive.
(mine is set-up to try booting from the USB, followed by the optical drive and finally the hard drive.)
Pop in the install disk and choose the USB drive to install.

I have done this with SEVERAL USB drives (Including USB3's) and have a handful of fully working installs.

Youtube has a bunch of videos of people doing this, check them out!