Windows 10: Build USB Stick with Custom Windows 10

Hey,

can anybody help me? I would create a USB Stick (bootable) with a Customized Windows 10 Image. The customized windows 10 image is running in Virtual Box and i search a solution to capture this windows 10 image.

I have tried the solution from kari (Windows 10 Image - Customize in Audit Mode with Sysprep - Windows 10 Forums) . The first video and step was easy. But the second step "Capture and Deploy Image" are to difficult for me.

:)

 

Windows 10 USB Installation Price

Hi guys,

I'm building my custom PC and am planning to get it up and running before the Anniversary Update. I'm installing Windows off of a Installation Media USB Stick that I created using my laptop. Do I need to pay for the copy of Windows that I install using
the USB stick?

Thanks,

 

Windows 10 retail USB installation stick

Is there a way to obtain a new firmware image tool for the Windows 10 retail USB installation stick to update it to build 14393? This USB stick is firmware locked in read-only mode and contains the original build 10240.

 

If your intention is to use the USB stick to deploy your captured Windows 10 image to another machine, simply boot your VirtualBox vm with Macrium Rescue ISO and create a system image storing it to your USB stick.

To deploy it, boot any real physical or virtual machine with Macrium Rescue boot disk or ISO and restore the image. The second video in tutorial you mentioned shows exactly what to do, step by step, from capturing the image to deploying it.

If your intention is to create WindowsToGo USB, a bootable Windows USB stick, please read this Microsoft TechNet article: Windows To Go: Feature Overview

 

Thanks for your answer. The first video was easy. The second one i dont know why i need a new virtual disk and i dont know what macrium does. So today i will try it again. I give you feedback *Smile

 

Hi there
@Kari

note that article refers to making Windows to Go for Windows 8.1. I think unless you have Enterprise and a "Certified" device it seems all but impossible to create Windows to Go for W10 --I've googled around all all the articles usually say --work for W8.1 and SHOULD work for W10 -- but nobody has tried it yet it seems and made it work.

Even people like AOMEI partition manager which has a "built in Windows to go creator" fails on W10. You can mount a virtual VHD - but that's not the same as a genuine Windows to Go which should boot even if there is NO HDD in the computer. The VHD method needs an OS to load the VHD of course - even if it's only a boot manager. In theory a skeletal Linux system (easily bootable from a USB stick) should be able to run a command to attach a VHD and boot but I haven't tried that yet.

The object of the exercise is to get Windows 10 to boot from say an external USB HDD even if there's no HDD in the computer. It's easy enough to boot a complete Linux OS, run vmware / vbox on it and start the Windows VM - but the idea of using a direct VHD is to cut the overhead of another OS on the external device -- a small boot manager is OK though to load the VHD. In the ideal case Windows to go for W10 should work like it does for W8.1 even on "Non certified" devices.

Cheers
jimbo

 

The tutorial and videos in it are made using Hyper-V virtualization. Although Hyper-V in my personal opinion is the best virtualization platform available for free in Windows, there's one thing it can't do what VirtualBox and VMware can: Booting to WinPE environment like the Macrium Rescue, it is impossible to get a Hyper-V vm to find and use any USB device connected to host.

Therefore in the tutorial and videos I use an additional virtual hard disk to store the Macrium image. If you are doing this on a VirtualBox vm you don't need that, you can instead capture (save) the image directly to any external USB drive or network location available.

Yes, I posted that article on purpose because it is for Windows 8.1. It really is difficult to find reliable information about Windows 10 To Go by Microsoft. There are a lot of articles from third parties, though, like this one: 4 Tools To Create Windows To Go USB Of Windows 10.

 

@Kari

Hi there

Thanks for that info

I already tried Rufus and AOMEI - both FAIL. I'd assume the others will too.

For some reason Win 10 has something either in the boot manager or in the WIM imaging process that refuses to allow you to make a Windows to Go unless it detects a "Certified" device with W10 Enterprise. The Imaging process can create a WINPE type of system but that's not what I'm looking for.

I'm giving up on this now until I find someone who can make it work --I've a perfectly OK Windows to Go (8.1) which I'll use for the forseeable future --it's a VL version (Enterprise) and I have (legal) copies of Ms Office on it in Eng, Nl, Is, De and Fr which I use when travelling around. That's my main use for Windows to Go --plus I can run SKY GO on it --SKY GO won't run on a VM. !!!! I can also use different Interface languages on it too --quite helpful also when you can't change or install stuff on work / corporate / locked down environments.

Edit :

Downloaded the latest version of WINTOUSB (Free one) - created the system on a VM but using the proper ISO I installed a REAL system on.
This machine though doesn't have UEFI.

Took it over to a laptop and tried Boot -- note this laptop does have UEFI but the HDD Windows to go (non UEFI) booted up OK.

Looks like latest version of WINTOUSB works.

I'll try UEFI mode next time as from a VM I can set UEFI in the Virtual BIOS on the VM even if the actual hardware I'm creating the windows to go doesn't have UEFI.

Success. !!

Cheers
jimbo

 

@Kari

ok im done with the second video. My problem is the backup from Macrium is a .mrimg file. I want a .iso or a .wim file were i can create a .iso to boot from usb-stick and install the customize windows on different systems. I dont wanna use the macrium rescue cd. Did you have a solution for that?

 

The tutorial in question is made for private users with only a few computers to deploy the image to and is on purpose made as easy as possible, using easy to use Macrium Reflect Free. For more "IT Pro" approach in capturing and deploying Windows 10, you need to use professional tools.

This Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) reference article, although written to Windows 8 explains one approach: Deploy a Custom Image

Here's an MS TechNet article about a bit more modern approach: Deploy a Windows 10 image using MDT 2013 Update 2 (Windows 10)

Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer is also a good alternative, latest in deployment: Build and deploy an image for Windows 10 Desktop - Windows 10 hardware dev

 

How To Capture a Custom Windows 7 System Image Using Sysprep, Windows-PE and ImageX Tools - YouTube

this is what i need and im searching but for windows 10. *Smile

 

ImageX is deprecated, will no longer work with Windows 8 or later. My previous post has links to alternatives for Windows 10.

Goodbye imageX, hello DISM for Windows 8 Imaging and Deployment

 

Try this > WinNTSetup v3.8.9 / 3.9 Beta 2

 

Hi there

I must admit to getting a bit confused by the thread now.

Does the OP want a sort of "SYSPREPPED" image for deploying to another machine / several machines, a "Toolkit" type recovery OS or a portable Windows system.

If he just wants a portable Windows system then refer my post of Windows to Go W10 - all versions in this Forum -- this actually works now and being a full windows installation should run any windows applications you want to install on it.

Solved Windows to go - Windows 10 (any version) now working !! - Windows 10 Forums

If you want a Windows PE type HDD then you can do that as well.

I think we need to know exactly what the OP wants here and what the required functionality is required to be.

Cheers
jimbo