Windows 10: Create Free Windows to Go system on ext USB/SSD disks (UEFI system)

Hi folks

Don't pay any money for software to create Windows systems that run entirely from bootable USB external devices.

I'm talking here also of a Normal Windows running system (like a live Linux distro) that reboots and runs completely from the external device even if all internal devices are hosed up -- quite different from an "installation drive" or a VIBOOT system.

Note thanks to @NavyLCDR who suggested the method. It's easy enough as always when you know how but the commands can be a bit off putting when you first try them.

Pre-reqs - -- preferably an SSD connected to a USB 3/3.1/USBC connector via SATA->USB adapter. USB2 works but with USB3 and above and a decent SSD type device the performance will be almost as good as Native (and certainly better if the internal OS is running on a "spinner" type HDD).

You will also need a Windows install ISO - get either from UUPDUMP or MCT tool and of course a running version of Windows.

Unlike Wintousb etc this method doesn't nag to "keep USB plugged in" --it doesn't even know that it's running on a USB device and windows can be updated to newer versions without any problem -- I find using this much better than continually updating a Windows "internal" drive. Having say some spare USB's over you can make several Windows versions to play and test with.

One restriction - this method gives you a "Clean install" - there might be a method to create a wim image of current system but that's beyond my skill set yet - maybe someone can add it to this thread. Note - simply restoring a macrium image from your current system to this type of system won't work (or I can't make it work).

so assuming you have the Windows iso and a spare ssd external USB drive

target Windows partition -> drive W
target EFI partition -> drive S
Source windows iso image drive Q

i've put quotes around the dism commands to stop "smiley's" being generated in the command lines.

1) create EFI partition

in administrator mode : -- diskpart,list disk select disk nn clean convert gpt, create partition efi size 250
format fs=fat32
assign letter=S

2) create Windows target partition -- still in diskpart create partition primary, format fs=ntfs quick
assign letter=W, exit

3) mount the windows iso -- simply click on the iso with file explorer -- will mount - here I assume it's Q

4) you might have more than one windows image on the iso - especially if you created the iso from UUPDUMP so you need to display what windows versions are on the iso image :

"dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:Q:\sources\install.wim"
in my case it shows that windows for workstations has index 2 so that's the version I'll use on WTG drive

5) use dism to get the image on to the target drive

"dism /Apply-Image /ImageFile:Q:\sources\install.wim /Index:2 /ApplyDir:W:"

On a decent SSD could take around 10 mins for this step

5) now create the boot entry on the target drive in the UEFI :

W:\Windows\System32\bcdboot W:\Windows /f UEFI /s S:

note - you must run this command using the program from the image copied to the target Windows drive--not your running Windows system or the mounted iso.

Now all done -- simply re-boot your external Windows to Go drive - install and update at will.

Have fun

thanks again @NavyLCDR and if anybody knows how to modify this to use the running OS so it's more of an update than clean install please post.

Cheers
jimbo

:)

 

Transfer System disk image to SSD


Here's my suggestion: Connect the SSD to the PC.

1. Download: Macrium Reflect Free and install then run.
   IMPORTANT: click on the 1st icon on the top left to create a Macrium Rescue disk (using USB or DVD)
2. Open Disk Management and make sure the SSD is disk 1.
   From Admin Command, type:
   diskpart
   select disk 1
   clean
   exit
   exit
3. From Macrium, The disk with Windows currently running will have the partitions as shown in your screen shot above. Click on Clone this disk...
   A Windows popup, click on select a disk to clone to...
   Click on the SSD
4. Select the 100MB "System Reserved", drag and drop to the destination (SSD)
5. Select the 60GB "C Drive", drag and drop to the destination(SSD) next to the System Reserved
6. Click Next->Finish
7. Once done, shutdown, disconnect the HD and connect the SSD Only
8. Boot up with the Macrium Rescue disk created in step 1.
9. Once booted, click on "Fix Windows boot problems" and follow the instruction to complete.
10. Remove the Rescue disk and reboot.

 

Install Windows 10 using UEFI bootable USB thumb drive

You need to go into you system bios and select allow uefi usb drive. Then add the UEFI usb drive to the boot menu

better way to partition aand create an bootable usb.

For the UEFI system, we can use these steps to create the bootable USB:

1.Locate a 4GB or larger USB flash drive

2.Open Diskpart and run the following command cmd admin type diskpart

• Type DiskPart in the command prompt.
• Type "List Disk” (make note of the disk number of the target USB drive).
• Type "Select Disk X”, where X is the target USB drive noted in step 4.
• Type "Clean”.
• Type "Create Partition Primary”.
• Type "format FS=fat32 quick”.
• Type "Active”.
• Type "Assign".
• Type "Exit".

Copy your ISO files to the drive and reboot

never use UEFI it better to repartition and remove UEFI go with legacy bois

 

Unable to use System restore from a windows 10 image on Windows 7 with error: "windows cannot find a system image-the usb drive is not visible"

Hi Otley,

Thanks for replying to us with the status of your issue.

As you mentioned, when you connect the USB flash drive in to the system then the System image backup is not present. It might occur if the System image files is not created properly or may be it got corrupted.

As an initial steps I suggest you to check for the memory space in the USB flash driver.

If the Memory is occupied in the USB flash drive the I suggest you to try running check disk on USB flash drive and check if it helps.

Follow the below steps to perform Check Disk.

• 
  Press Windows + X on your keyboard.
  
• 
  Select Command Prompt (Admin).
  
• 
  Type the below commands.
  
  Chkdsk [drive letter]: /f /r
  

Reply to us with the status of your issue, we will be happy to assist you.