Windows 10: Boot from SD card Reader?

That's actually a great point, and you've actually given me something to think about.

As a photographer not only do I carry my laptop with me, but also an external hard, and a couple of thumb drives. Your scenario just gave me the idea to keep a bootable thumb drive packed with my gear should something happen to the laptop when I'm out and about.

Sometimes you don't think of these things until it's too late.

Peace *Cool

 

Hi there

An even better scenario for you might be to download the ENTERPRISE version of say W10 and create a Windows to Go on an external SSD. Won't take a huge amount of space on the SSD so you could still keep a lot over for your pictures.

You could install say Photoshop on it too -- so if the OS in your laptop became "broken" you could continue working by booting up the Windows to go -- and while working you could run the restore from the Windows to Go SSD. !!

An external SSD running Windows to go works very well indeed (including Photoshop !!).

You don't need a "Certified device to use Windows to go.

Create one manually : (Same instructions whether W8 or W10. W10 is probably the one to use as you can download the ENTERPRISE version free !!.

http://www.admin-magazine.com/Articl...on-a-USB-Drive

Cheers
jimbo

 

That's also a good idea to look into.

Personally though I don't see why you need to go through hoping your card reader with an SD card works when USB thumb drives are so cheap and readily available. I think it's a bit much, but someone wanted to know thus my post.

Why not just create a bootable thumb drive and be done with it. It's certainly cheaper than an SD of CF/card reader combo. And even if your laptop has a built in SD card reader as mine does, a thumb drive is still cheaper and faster.

I get that it's nice to have options and all, but really... ???

My two cents.

 

Hi there

Agreed - but the technical challenge was interesting and storing the image on an internal SD card which I rarely use is a good place to ensure it's never lost !! (especially out in the field).

The Windows to Go idea is another matter - I often work in several different countries so it's nice to have my OWN versions of OFFICE etc. On a lot of company / client's laptops you can't usually install your own software so it's quite handy having an alternative possibility - a lot of shops are quite happy at booting up a Windows to Go system even on their own computers.

For recovery a cheap fast USB3 stick of course is probably the best solution !!!.

Cheers
jimbo

 

There is one way to avoid any activation problems - that is if you install any Windows under VMware Player. If you then move the VMware Player file to e.g. an external SSD, you can run it on any system that has VMware Player installed. I run 8.1 that way. The activation considers VMware Player as the home system. Besides, it also avoids any driver problems.

Here are 2 videos I made runnung Windows 8 fro VMware Player. The first video shows the operational advantages runnung on my Dell XPS 8300. The second video shows the same system running on a more modest Dell Inspiron 530 from USB2.

 

There is one way to avoid any activation problems - that is if you install any Windows under VMware Player. If you then move the VMware Player file to e.g. an external SSD, you can run it on any system that has VMware Player installed. I run 8.1 that way. The activation considers VMware Player as the home system. Besides, it also avoids any driver problems.

Here are 2 videos I made runnung Windows 8 fro VMware Player. The first video shows the operational advantages runnung on my Dell XPS 8300. The second video shows the same system running on a more modest Dell Inspiron 530 from USB2.



Hi there

Generally true but sometimes OFFICE will ask for a re-activation -- Windows itself manages just fine as does my copy of Photoshop CS6 (the last one before the wretched subscription stuff came out).

I've run the same VM image under both Linux and Windows - no problems 99% of the time -- beware though if you update VMware tools THEN "New hardware" might be recognized.

As always with windows activation - there don't seem to be any standard repeatable rules - especially when Virtual Machines are involved.

Cheers
jimbo

 

It ultimately will depend on the BIOS / UEFI firmware of your device. I know on my tablet an SD card is bootable only if it is formatted as GPT with an EFI boot partition. Older BIOSes should be fine of it can boot standard MBR formatted disks.

 

How does someone check in the BIOS if it supports Booting from SD/MicroSD? What do we look for?

 

Should not need to check in the BIOS, you basically hit the key for the quick boot menu and then choose the SD/MicroSD.

 

Great idea, but I guess it has its limitations *Smile