SOLVED Windows to Go

[Regedit32]

Hi Folks,

Out of curiosity I spent an hour or so preparing and creating a Windows to Go install of Windows 10 Home edition, November 2019 update, on a spare USB 2.0 drive.

I was thinking about posting an Article on how to do this, and the pitfalls etcetera, but after trialling it I have to say I'm not overly impressed with it at all.

Granted, one cannot expect much using a thumb drive and 2.0 one at that - but I am wondering, has anyone else created and used Windows to Go and been happy with it?

I imagine if you had a decent external USB hard drive it would run a lot better, but has anyone done this and said to themselves Yes this is awesome!

Look forward to some comments, and let me know if you want an Article on the Forum on how to do this in the first place - if you do not know how to do it.


Regards,

Regedit32

 

[Ian]

Funnily enough, I was thinking about this feature a few days back - as I often use Linux boot CDs, but sometimes I'd like a proper Windows environment to work in. I've not tried this feature for a while now.

Was it the speed of the operating system from the USB 2.0 drive that was the main problem? I guess a high-performance USB 3.1 thumb drive would make a significant difference in responsiveness and an m.2. drive in a USB enclosure would be lightning fast .

I think an article on this would be really interesting, especially if there are pitfalls and performance issues.

 

[clifford_cooley]

I'd be interested in reading your thought along the way.

 

[davehc]

IMHO. I would say, with quite light and small laptops, and, even more so, Tablets, it is so easy to take, maybe not Windows, but a comprehensive computer system around with you , with ease, that the idea is possibly superfluous?

 

[Regedit32]

Was it the speed of the operating system from the USB 2.0 drive that was the main problem? I guess a high-performance USB 3.1 thumb drive would make a significant difference in responsiveness and an m.2. drive in a USB enclosure would be lightning fast .

I think an article on this would be really interesting, especially if there are pitfalls and performance issues.

Yes primarily the speed was an issue. I noticed though it also seemed unable to sort out basic drivers for Display.

Typing was sluggish, and on your first bootup, you need to activate Windows, even if you choose to use your Microsoft account to sign-in with. It also through the same error message Trouble has been talking about lately.

To set it all up is easy as, but if you want to use it, then usb 3.0 and probably something better than a thumb drive too, although I've not tested it using a 3.0 usb thumb drive yet.

You also have to go through the standard Hello - welcome, and settings procedure as if you installed Windows 10 on a pc, not that that is too arduous, just a tad boring lol

Cortana pops up and talks you through all this - which was weird, although you do get the option to mute her if you wish lol

I'm a tad busy this week, but maybe over the weekend I can draft up a Article and post it soon after.

 

[Regedit32]

I'd be interested in reading your thought along the way.

I'll see what I can do over the coming weekend, and draft up an article and thoughts.

Need to test a few other things first.

 

[Regedit32]

IMHO. I would say, with quite light and small laptops, and, even more so, Tablets, it is so easy to take, maybe not Windows, but a comprehensive computer system around with you , with ease, that the idea is possibly superfluous?

I tend to concur with your thought here. However, as you need to use a Microsoft account, or create one, to use this, the one advantage would be you can literally work on any computer you can access, and operate in the Windows environment you've set up, with the bonus you can save any program data or downloaded files, directly to One Drive, for easy access, when you return home.

Thus this might save your bacon, say you laptop died, or ran out of juice at the wrong time.

You can also choose the build you'd like to work with - it does not have to be the latest one, or if you wanted to say use Professional edition rather than Home, you can do that too, if you're willing to pay a small fee to license it.

I have not tried yet, but at one time you could - after filling out an online form on Microsoft's server - use a Evaluation version of Enterprise, which I think you may be able to continue using forever, so long as its not for commercial use. I'd need to verify that - my memory is not quite as sharp as it once was lol

 

[davehc]

I guess it depends on how , or more, how often, you intend to use it. I am not, by any means, a pro ot help person, but I am in frequent attendance as permanent help, for several friends and also family.
Our easiest solution, which, of course, neeðed there permission, was to install team viewer on all of the computers. A great deal can then be done without leaving home. Naturally, should it be required to take my laptop along on a visit, my charger goes with me.
However, I can certainly, see a bit of cool fun in using Windows to go!

 

[Regedit32]

Our easiest solution, which, of course, neeðed there permission, was to install team viewer on all of the computers

Have you tried using the Remote Desktop Connection in the Windows Accessories folder?

 

[davehc]

I hav'nt. So far teamviewer works 100% for my needs. But, always curious, I'll give it a whirl-

 

[davehc]

wiNot too good - for me, anyway?
It needs the original Windows password for computers I wish to access, ad far as I can see. Team viewer setsup individual paaswrds , only for the operator, but, of course, with the cooperation of each user. I guess I am a little paranoid with chucking those
Windows passwords around

 

[Regedit32]

wiNot too good - for me, anyway?
It needs the original Windows password for computers I wish to access, ad far as I can see. Team viewer setsup individual paaswrds , only for the operator, but, of course, with the cooperation of each user. I guess I am a little paranoid with chucking those
Windows passwords around

Fair enough. I must admit, I would not share my Windows password around either.

I agree, the effiectively, random password, you can generate using your third party option, is much more secure ultimately.

 

[ClippyBeer]

I tried Windows-to-go a few years back with Windows 7 and XP. The problem is Windows was never made to be portable and will always require all sorts of drivers if you attempt to run it on system other than the one it was installed on. This is why portable Windows environments (BartPE et al) use only the most basic generic drivers for display and storage. Performance is always horrendous because the generic drivers have no hardware acceleration.

In the event my laptop dies or ran out of juice at the wrong time as you mentioned my only other option would be to use another computer.

Like you I was disappointed with the results of Windows-to-go.

 

[T_J]

NOT Windows; but my experiences with Full Install of OS on USB flash drives. Feb 2019, I followed detailed instructions on ubuntuhandbook dot org for Full Install of Ubuntu on a USB flash drive. [NOT Ubuntu Live]

First attempt – Full Install of Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS on an 8GB USB 2.0 flash drive; lacked storage space for continuing software updates.

Second attempt - Full Install of Ubuntu 18.04.1 on 64GB SanDisk Cruzer Ultra Flair USB 3.0 150MB/s flash drive ($14.95 eB*y). My 64GB flash drive worked great for a while using either USB 2 or 3 ports; but eventually Ubuntu froze up, had to force PC shutdown. Ubuntu would not restart with flash drive. Could not un-mount/delete or wipe partitions on flash drive (used Gparted & AOMEI Partition Assistant), so could not re-install Ubuntu. I have no idea if a second Ubuntu 18.04.1 64GB SanDisk Cruzer Ultra Flair USB 3.0 flash drive is still working or not (gave to a Windows 7 person to possibly use after Jan 2020).
I gave up since my Dell desktop currently has Windows 10, 1903. USB OS was waste of time & money.

 

[Regedit32]

Could not un-mount/delete or wipe partitions on flash drive

That is an interesting comment you make re the SanDisk Cruzer. During my experimenting I used a 32 GB one and a third party tool named WinToUSB which like you resulted in effectively a dead pen drive. Fortunately, when I returned to the store I purchased it from, which I had previously stated my intentions for purchasing it, they were more than happy to replace the pendrive under its Warranty, despite me telling them what I'd done, and how, suggesting it might well be my own fault its now dead.

I've never been a fan of third party tools when you [ with a little effort and time ] can use the tools Microsoft provide within your OS to achieve the same goal.

I'll be discussing this in an article I'll be posting sometime this week.

If you google the SanDisk product you'll find a lot of sites where people complain they cannot format their SanDisk at all, and a tonne of suggestions on how to do this by modifying the Registry, amongst other ideas. As you read through you come across heaps of responses from people who have tried the suggestions to no avail. I suspect the people posting how to do this are Influencers and don't have a clue what they are talking about.

The fact is you can easily format a SanDisk pendrive using the tools Microsoft provide. The real issue is not all pendrives are equal. Read/Write speed is what makes a real difference in terms of performance, but given you are attempting to run an OS from the pendrive, then you have to factor in whether its well made - as you can simply kill the pendrive from overuse, which would naturally mean it's be impossible to re-use for anything else.

Enough said for now, I need to get all this down more clearly in the Article I'm working on.

Suffice to say there are pros and cons for even considering using Windows to Go.

 

[Regedit32]

I tried Windows-to-go a few years back with Windows 7 and XP.

I don't recall Windows XP being officially supported for a Windows to Go image, but perhaps it was and I've just forgotten.

Windows 7 was not too bad, but ultimately the performance of any Windows to Go workspace boils down to the type of drive you have the image on, and the USB hubs you are connecting to. Read/Write speed makes a heck of a difference when its on a dated USB 2.0 device and connected to a USB 2.0 port. USB 3.0 / 3.1 is way better, but not perfect.

Microsoft, for now anyway, appear to have given up on the portable workspace; probably because so many people have either rejected the concept, or following alternate means to achieve the same thing, without the need to own an Enterprise edition of Windows 10.

I'll be posting an article on all this during the week and those interested can give it a go, while others can ignore it altogether lol.

I'm old school so I'll be showing how to do all this without using third party tools first, then later will show how to do it using a third party tool. I prefer the old school methods personally.

It'll be too much for this article, but I'm already working on a follow up article no how to create a Windows to Go workspace without the bloatware [ i.e. remove all the apps you don't want, and remove either Internet Explorer, or Edge or both etcetera ], but I need to continue experimenting in this space, given how intertwined Edge is with the OS.

 

[Regedit32]

Just a quick update.

I've drafted my article on creating a Windows to Go USB drive.

I'll add final comments to the article later today, i.e. the pros and cons etcetera, then publish it so the Forum can view it.

 

[Regedit32]

Update:

Article is now ready. I've moved it from Drafts to the Windows 10 Article section:

How to Create a Windows to Go USB Pendrive without using Enterprise

Creating your own Windows to Go Workspace on a USB pendrive means you can go roaming wherever you like, with the comfort of knowing if you have access to a PC that meets at a minimum the Windows 7 certification requirements, and whose BIOS allows...

www.windows10forums.com

For those interested, enjoy the read.

 

[Regedit32]

Final update:

A technical glitch prevented me or anyone else replying in the Discussion tab.

Ian has kindly resolved that - so for anyone who had wanted to comment on this Article, you can now do so.