Windows To Go allows you to install a full flesh copy of Windows 8 on a USB drive and have a fully Windows workspace wherever you go. This new Microsoft functionality is best suited for people who work from their homes or spend the majority of their time traveling and they need a trusted PC. Just insert the USB drive in a new PC, reboot and you will then be able to access a fresh trusted PC with all the apps and files to save the day.
Previously I showed you how to create a Windows To Go from a Windows 7 PC that was quite a process, but now if you are running Windows 8 Enterprise or the 90-day trial version of the operating system the steps has been reduced and best of all, there aren’t any command lines to type, all is done with a simple graphical UI wizard.
In this article you’ll learn the steps to follow and successfully create a “Windows To Go” USB drive:
Instructions
Before we dive into the process there are a few things you should now: You’ll need a USB drive or external hard drive of at least 32GB or larger. A USB 2.0 will work fine but a 3.0 will work best; you’ll also need a Windows 8 ISO image or the DVD installation media, and keep in mind that all the data on the drive you use will be erased with the process.
1. Have ready the DVD installation media or download the trial version of Windows 8 image ISO.
2. Using a file management software like PeaZip, open the ISO file, navigate into the support folder and extract the install.wim to an empty folder — The .wim file is the Windows image file and contains the OS, apps, and file for a new installation.
3. Go to the Control Panel — You can either move the mouse to the lower-left corner of the screen, right-click and choose the option or do a search in the Start screen.
4. Do a search and click on Windows To Go.
5. The “Create a Windows To Go workspace” window appears. Now connect the USB drive if you didn’t already do so, select it from the device list and click Next.
6. Click the Add search location, browse the folder that contains the install.wim file and then click Next.
7. Choose whether or not you want to use the BitLocker feature to encrypt the drive — for this tutorial just click Skip.
8. Click Create. Do not remove the USB drive during the process.
9. Now the “Create a Windows To Go workspace” wizard will takeover and finish the process.
10. Finally, if everything has been completed successfully, you’ll be given 2 options to test the new USB drive with Windows 8 on it. If you want to finish the process, simply leave the No option and click the Save and close button.
You have now successfully created your own portable version of Windows 8. Make sure that your computer has been configured to boot from the a USB drive. Also the first time you start a PC with Windows To Go drive, it will take a little bit of time, because this is the first time booting from that particular machine and Windows needs to configure all the device drivers and the new environment, but after that it will boot faster; if you are asked to enter the product key, just click Skip.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].