possible? install gentoo on an external hd or similar?

[güüügééé]

Hey folks!

We'll get Notebooks in school next time, of course with Winblows preconfigurated
I don't want to do anything on the internal harddisk, because I don't want any problems with mbr, or a broken windows...

Anyway, I want to install a Linux System, just to show, there's something else than windows, and of course, I want to backup my data from Linux because I don't trust windows and I want to use the Notebook at home without thinking all the time windows won't start next time when I surf

Now several possibilities (don't know if the would work):
1) I bought an Ipod, is this possible to create 3 partitions on the ipod to install gentoo and then boot from a floppy disk into the ipod. It will use usb 2.0, at least is this fast enough to load linux?
2) I've got some smart media cards. Is it possible to boot them from the Bios? And to install a real small Gentoo, (2x 64mb).
3) Buy an external harddisk and install linux completely on it, can bios boot from an external harddisk? Performance Issues?

The notebooks are Intel Centrino Dorath or Doran or something like this..

Or is there another possibility?

greetz güüügééé

[sobers_2002]

if u want to install on external hdd..........simply connect it.........boot with the live cd...........and follow the original steps for that hdd..........simple