Run Windows 10 on USB

[someone2639]

I want to run Windows 10 on a USB drive for later use (already have it on VM.) is there an option to install it on a USB drive in setup? Ask if you need more information.

 

[Lorenzo Farinelli]

There was an option, in Windows 8.1 Enterprise, called Windows to Go that let you create a bootable usb that runs Windows 8.1.
Anyway, to use this function, you need a certified Microsoft USB or an hard disk with 64+ GB of storage.

 

[someone2639]

Where do I get a certified USB?

Edit: I found one. Does w10 enterprise support Windows to go?

 

[Lorenzo Farinelli]

Now W10 Enterprise doesn't exist, it's still a technical preview.
Maybe with the final release you can do that.
You can try making a Windows to Go usb and then update it to w10.

 

[someone2639]

Now W10 Enterprise doesn't exist, it's still a technical preview.
Maybe with the final release you can do that.
You can try making a Windows to Go usb and then update it to w10.

Darn, don't have 8 enterprise. Does Windows 7 have an option? What about Windows automated installation kit?

 

[Lorenzo Farinelli]

There is a program called WintoUsb that creates a bootable w8.1 USB without needing Windows enterprise. You can use it from every windows operating system. You will also need the ISO of W8.1

 

[DavidinCT]

If you have a good and fast USB 3.0 drive like I do. Just do VMware player. I built a Windows 7 (to see how well it ran, 15gb) machine with VMware player, Dropped it on my PNY Turbo USB 3.0 128gb flash drive. I am able to run it fine off the USB drive and it's fairly quick unless I am doing some really heavy drive or CPU apps...

When I go to a new computer, all I do is install VMware player (2 second install), and load up my VM...

With installing directly to a USB drive (and there is a bunch of sites that show how to put 7/8 on a usb drive), you need to deal with drivers for each different PC, so when you change computers and boot off that USB drive, you might have to reboot 2-3 times before it's ready for use. Other times, different hardware, different drivers could end up with a awesome blue-screen of death.

I tried to get a fully running WIndows 7 and 8 off a USB drive, it was more of a headache to use than anything else, it was fine if you only used 1 computer and only used that computer but, once you change (desktop to office computer for example), 1/2 the time it would end up on a blue screen when booting.

If your looking for ease of use, VMware player is the best bet, I even keep the installer on the USB drive so it's a quick install to be up and running... If your looking to run on like a office computer as well as home, you don't need to reboot to load your OS, just pop open a window and go..

Not exactly sure how MS does "Windows to Go" but, would love to see how it performs in using different computers....

Note to get worthy performance from loading off a USB drive, USB 3.0 should be mandatory here, 2.0 performance is sluggish to say the least.

 

[someone2639]

What about an external hard drive?

 

[DavidinCT]

What about an external hard drive?

As you asked the original question, riddle me this....

What is your end goal here ? Are you just going to use it for to run one computer, or are you looking for a portable OS to take with you ?

External HD drive, or USB drive, they will be treated the same way on a PC.

If your looking for portable, the best way would be like I said above with a VM on a USB 3.0 drive, as running the OS off the USB drive (booting the computer with the USB drive and OS installed on it) is very problematic at best.

If you want to try it, you should be able to use any of the 3rd party methods to run Windows 8 off USB drive, they should still work with Windows 10 (as I understand it, the sub system under Windows 10 is the same as 8/8.1).

Listen to my warning, I have tried to get Windows 7 and 8 running off USB (bootable USB drive that loads the OS), it's fine if your only using one computer but, after you start going to other computers, expect crashes and blue-screens. Not fun to troubleshoot...

When it comes down it windows is based on drivers, you need drivers for the hard drive, chipset, video card, and all other hardware, when you change hardware(take the drive in put in a different machine, drivers need to be installed, if it's funky hardware (not standard chipsets or video cards), it will give you a nightmare.

If you really want to "try it" search Google/Bing about running Windows 8 off a USB drive, follow the directions but, when it asks for the ISO, give it the Windows 10 ISO instead of Windows 8....

Post back on how you did, I am wondering how well Windows 10 works on a USB drive, I don't expect it to be any better than 7 or 8 tho...

 

[someone2639]

As you asked the original question, riddle me this....

What is your end goal here ? Are you just going to use it for to run one computer, or are you looking for a portable OS to take with you ?

External HD drive, or USB drive, they will be treated the same way on a PC.

If your looking for portable, the best way would be like I said above with a VM on a USB 3.0 drive, as running the OS off the USB drive (booting the computer with the USB drive and OS installed on it) is very problematic at best.

If you want to try it, you should be able to use any of the 3rd party methods to run Windows 8 off USB drive, they should still work with Windows 10 (as I understand it, the sub system under Windows 10 is the same as 8/8.1).

Listen to my warning, I have tried to get Windows 7 and 8 running off USB (bootable USB drive that loads the OS), it's fine if your only using one computer but, after you start going to other computers, expect crashes and blue-screens. Not fun to troubleshoot...

When it comes down it windows is based on drivers, you need drivers for the hard drive, chipset, video card, and all other hardware, when you change hardware(take the drive in put in a different machine, drivers need to be installed, if it's funky hardware (not standard chipsets or video cards), it will give you a nightmare.

If you really want to "try it" search Google/Bing about running Windows 8 off a USB drive, follow the directions but, when it asks for the ISO, give it the Windows 10 ISO instead of Windows 8....

Post back on how you did, I am wondering how well Windows 10 works on a USB drive, I don't expect it to be any better than 7 or 8 tho...

Unfortunately, I'm so technologically behind that I don't have a USB larger than 8 GB. However, I have some in use hdds that are off limits.

 

[Ryan ODonnell]

I did a post on the forums here, go via my profile and you'll find something similar to How to make a WTG USB with 8GB USB

Edit - here is the forum link - http://forums.windowscentral.com/windows-8/318264-how-make-wtg-drive-8gb-usb.html

 

[someone2639]

I did a post on the forums here, go via my profile and you'll find something similar to How to make a WTG USB with 8GB USB

Edit - here is the forum link - http://forums.windowscentral.com/windows-8/318264-how-make-wtg-drive-8gb-usb.html

Great tutorial! Just need to find the USB...

 

[DavidinCT]

Great tutorial! Just need to find the USB... ��

Yea, think of at least a 16gb but, would bet 32gb would give plenty of space. USB 3.0 if your buying a new one..

Also for people looking for Windows 10 with "Windows to GO" .....the built in version...I downloaded the X86 (not sure if this makes any difference, just did it as x64 needs more space and resources) Window Technical Preview for Enterprise and it has "Windows to Go" in the control panel...

 

[Richie Thorne]

Fantastic, I just took a usb 3.0 drive of 32 gig (i'm sorry but my 64 gig's are going to linux) & installed a running version of Win 10 Pro. I just used WintoUSB & didn't make any partitions on it . (just one active partition for boot, swap, system & data).

The installation was faster as the installation with a DVD on the hard drive, although the booting proces is taking more time as via the hard drive. (sata iii) .

I am now evaluating the comfortable speed of the OS , trying the new browser Edge & all the new apps. I just met Cortana, & all the new features of win 10. It's realy fast ! I tried it out on 5 pc's, .....no issues !!!! (problems with network & a little bit hardware could not be mastered, but no blue screens, no compatibility issues, everything just works fine).

I've got some specified windows config. settings & files back that i didn't see in months Strange that every info has been kept. The one thing I'd like on a new system is the new environment, here it looks like my pc from a year ago. But the os & the speed are just fantastic. Doubts are rising to make this os my default one instead of the Ubuntu 15.04.

 

[hero-jason]

Lorenzo Farinelli, Thank you for your recommendation, WinToUSB works very well for me.