Create a Full Install USB of Windows 10?

[yancek]

Yes, I want to run Windows completely from USB.

Windows is designed by microsoft not to install to a USB and the windows installer will give you an error message if you try and inform you that it will not proceed. An OEM license for windows is tied specifically to the hardware. I'd suggest reading some of the links posted regarding windows to go before trying it. Getting a working windows on a USB is not going to be a simple task as microsoft has done whatever it could to prevent this for obvious reasons.

[chrischang2021]

CelticWarrior and C.S.Cameron thanks your corrected . I can't remember what kind of version I tried and run it by USB . I just did for funny and feasible . Because it can't as faster as HD or inside store. 😂

[C.S.Cameron]

Windows is designed by microsoft not to install to a USB and the windows installer will give you an error message if you try and inform you that it will not proceed. An OEM license for windows is tied specifically to the hardware. I'd suggest reading some of the links posted regarding windows to go before trying it. Getting a working windows on a USB is not going to be a simple task as microsoft has done whatever it could to prevent this for obvious reasons.

yancek:

Your information is obsolete.

See:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...to-go-overview

I know for a fact that it works.

[C.S.Cameron]

@C.S.Cameron

Yes, I want to run Windows completely from USB.

I didn't know about "Windows To Go" existence, I still don't know what it is exactly.

Upon quick search on Google I read it only supports Windows versions 8.1, 8.1 Enterprise, 10 Education and 10 Enterprise.

I have an OEM license of Windows 10 Pro with this computer, so I don't think it will work?

Also I've found an article that says this procedure only works with "Windows To Go Certified USB stick". True? (https://www.onmsft.com/how-to/create...ing-windows-10)

My main goal is to run Windows 10 Pro off of USB for testing purposes (avoid having to format Windows because of viruses and reduce wear-level on my primary M.2. SSD), meaning I'd also want to install some games on it eventually, if possible. Can Windows 10 Enterprise install games too? I hope it's not very different from Windows 10 Pro which I am more familiar with. I don't expect Windows To Go to have excellent performance, just be able to install applications and see if they are working or not - if it is virus or not.

I have installed WTG half a dozen times to prove to myself that it works.
I used Windows 10 1909 ISO that I downloaded from the Microsoft site.
I installed it using Rufus with Enterprise version selected. (The computer has Windows 10 Pro registered).
First install was to a Kingston USB3 flash drive. It booted, but was too slow to be useful.
Next it was installed to a Lexar S25 64GB USB 3.0, (All plastic). The install worked well and it was quite usable. I managed to install and run Autocad.
Eventually I tried changing the wallpaper and I got a notice that I would need to register the OS to do so, but it continued to run with a permanent notice in the lower right corner of the screen.
I made an image file, (.img), of the drive using Gnome-Disks and have flashed the image to multiple disks as proof of concept. It seems to boot on anything USB3, even in USB2 ports, but speed is a factor on some devices.
I do not have a spare external SSD or HDD with me to try it on. Flashing it overwrites everything on the drive.
If the OS will run Autocad, it should run games. You will likely not notice a difference between Pro and Enterprise.
As I mentioned before I was able to dual boot the drive after installing Ubuntu on it. WTG needs to be installed before Ubuntu.
If you give it a try, please let us know how it works for you.

Microsoft says that WTG was removed from the May 2020 release of Windows 10, but it is hard to trust Microsoft.

[username2758]

I have installed WTG half a dozen times to prove to myself that it works.
I used Windows 10 1909 ISO that I downloaded from the Microsoft site.
I installed it using Rufus with Enterprise version selected. (The computer has Windows 10 Pro registered).
First install was to a Kingston USB3 flash drive. It booted, but was too slow to be useful.
Next it was installed to a Lexar S25 64GB USB 3.0, (All plastic). The install worked well and it was quite usable. I managed to install and run Autocad.
Eventually I tried changing the wallpaper and I got a notice that I would need to register the OS to do so, but it continued to run with a permanent notice in the lower right corner of the screen.
I made an image file, (.img), of the drive using Gnome-Disks and have flashed the image to multiple disks as proof of concept. It seems to boot on anything USB3, even in USB2 ports, but speed is a factor on some devices.
I do not have a spare external SSD or HDD with me to try it on. Flashing it overwrites everything on the drive.
If the OS will run Autocad, it should run games. You will likely not notice a difference between Pro and Enterprise.
As I mentioned before I was able to dual boot the drive after installing Ubuntu on it. WTG needs to be installed before Ubuntu.
If you give it a try, please let us know how it works for you.

Microsoft says that WTG was removed from the May 2020 release of Windows 10, but it is hard to trust Microsoft.

Thanks again!

I have finally found an available link for download of Windows 10 1909.iso because the official Microsoft website will force me to download the latest iteration no matter what. (https://www.itechtics.com/windows-10-1909/)

So far so good!

I will give it a try later on today and give feedback!

(If it works with version 1909, then I will have a try again with an updated version of Windows afterwards too).

[yancek]

Your information is obsolete.

No, it isn't. My post stated spedifically that "the windows installer will give you an error message if you try and inform you that it will not proceed". You go on to talk about windows to go which is secondary software and NOT related to the windows installer. We're comparing apples and oranges here. Also, installing and using multiple versions of windows would violate the licensing agreement users agree to when they install and use windows so you would need multiple licenses to have windows on multiple drives.

[C.S.Cameron]

No, it isn't. My post stated spedifically that "the windows installer will give you an error message if you try and inform you that it will not proceed". You go on to talk about windows to go which is secondary software and NOT related to the windows installer. We're comparing apples and oranges here. Also, installing and using multiple versions of windows would violate the licensing agreement users agree to when they install and use windows so you would need multiple licenses to have windows on multiple drives.

As far as I can see Windows-to-Go is Windows and it works on USB and it is authorized by Microsoft.

[username2758]

Hey guys!

So I am trying it out at this very moment, and I have got some questions!

Rufus is currently flashing the "Win10_1909_English_x64.iso" image at this moment as we speak, but it did not give me the option to select Windows 10 Enterprise version. After clicking "Start" in Rufus, a list of Windows versions was shown to me, including Windows 10 Pro which is the one I am trying out right now since I have a license for. Do you think it will work? I made sure to select "Windows To Go" in Rufus, and it still gave me the option to flash the Windows 10 Pro version.

Also, just out of curiosity, the first time I opened Rufus it did not list my 120GB USB SSD drive. After fiddling a little bit, I checked the box that says "List USB Hard Drives" and my 120GB SSD finally showed up. But the description of such options says "USE AT YOUR OWN RISK". Why would that be? Is this procedure risky by any means? If so, then why?

[username2758]

Heeey, it works! I can't believe it! (:

I was just finishing up the installation process, which went very quickly by the way!

So I managed to install Windows 10 Pro on a USB 120GB SSD (SATA-3) that's more than 5 years old attached to a simple Orico docking station, and on USB3.0 the performance is pretty decent, at least much better than a 1TB 2.5" 7200RPM HDD (see attachment). All AMD drivers for this mini-pc are working fine, and the best part is it recognized the OEM license automatically too! Windows is activated!

Now this is going to be my primary testing device, I kind of missed Windows. I sure am going to format this one like hell lol!

I wonder if USB3.0 pendrives will have decent performance running Windows 10 Pro too? I mean if it can generate almost the same read and write speeds as a conventional 3.5" 7200RPM HDD, I will start buying those! But is it likely though? Do USB3.0 pendrives also have cache? I'm thinking about buying high-speed pendrives for Ubuntu as well!

[kurt18947]

There are some pretty fast USB flash drives out, Sandisk Extreme is one I remember though that's been several years ago. they won't be the cheapest things going though.