External disk doesn't boot. Install GRUB on USB key?

Hi all,
I have an external disk with Linux, and Windows on the internal disk
of my laptop. I have GRUB installed on the external disk, so I can
boot either Linux or Windows. This used to work just fine.
Lately I have been having lots of problems in loading GRUB. Most of
the time it doesn't load and the machine just boots Windows from the
internal disk. It seems to be getting worse with time.

When I boot another linux on a different machine, I can read and write
on this external disk, so the disk is not broken. I don't think it's
a problem with the BIOS either (boot order seems fine, plus I tried
with another laptop and got the same problem).

Questions (I've googled around but I still can't figure them out):

1. could it be a software problem with the MBR? If so, how do I fix
it?

2. if it's a hardware problem (heads cannot read the MBR?), is it
possible to install GRUB on a USB key and from the USB key boot
Linux on the external disk and Windows on the internal disk?

3. If the answer to 2. is yes, how do I do it? For example, should I
reformat the USB key?


Thank you.



.

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