Windows 10 Windows To Go USB

By Pootis Spencer
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Pootis Spencer

Posted
Posted

With Windows 8.1 I could use gimagex to transfer the WIM image to a USB and run it. However with Windows 10 I am unable to do this because when I use the command 'bcdboot.exe X:\Windows /s X: /f ALL' to install the boot files it fails with bcryptprimitives.dll error.

Does anyone know how to fix this so I can run Windows 10 from the USB.

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https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1254592-windows-10-windows-to-go-usb/
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Cnónna

Posted
Posted

With Windows 8.1 I could use gimagex to transfer the WIM image to a USB and run it. However with Windows 10 I am unable to do this because when I use the command 'bcdboot.exe X:\Windows /s X: /f ALL' to install the boot files it fails with bcryptprimitives.dll error.

Does anyone know how to fix this so I can run Windows 10 from the USB.

I used the windows 7 usb dvd download tool to install windows 10 onto a usb stick

 

 

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool

  • b10h4z4rd and Osiris
  • Like 2
Grand Master

TPreston

Posted
Posted

:rofl:

 

Ok first constructive input, Are you using the enterprise preview or consumer ? And have you tried creating the boot partition from another build ?

  • T3X4S and Ian W
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limok

Posted
Posted

Are you running an efi booted system or bios. I know that applying the bcdboot to an image from an efi system is problamtic - for me anyway. If you have a system that boots from bios you may have better luck.

Experienced

br0adband

Posted
Posted

In This Thread: people that just don't understand what Windows To Go actually is.

 

What it isn't: a way to install Windows (any version since Windows 7) onto another device aka using a USB stick with Windows installation files on it, booting from it, then installing the OS onto the other device

 

What it is: a way to actually install Windows directly on a USB stick or even a portable hard drive and then run it from there in a "portable" sense, being able to take a full blown Windows 10 (or 7, or 8/8.1) with you just as if it were a Linux LiveUSB stick - it's basically the same thing but it's Windows.

 

Yes it's possible, and yes it's been supported since Windows 7 days (but it requires Enterprise to make it functional). I'm going to assume - and we all know what that means - that Windows 10 will have the same/similar requirement and it won't allow the consumer version (even Professional or whatever they end up calling it) to make the Windows To Go installation; it will more than likely be an Enterprise-only solution because of licensing concerns.

 

OP: as time passes, more info and a more functional Windows 10 To Go installer will appear but again it will most likely require you to be running Windows 10 Enterprise to be able to create it properly.

Collaborator

Authentic X

Posted
Posted

In This Thread: people that just don't understand what Windows To Go actually is.

 

What it isn't: a way to install Windows (any version since Windows 7) onto another device aka using a USB stick with Windows installation files on it, booting from it, then installing the OS onto the other device

 

What it is: a way to actually install Windows directly on a USB stick or even a portable hard drive and then run it from there in a "portable" sense, being able to take a full blown Windows 10 (or 7, or 8/8.1) with you just as if it were a Linux LiveUSB stick - it's basically the same thing but it's Windows.

 

Yes it's possible, and yes it's been supported since Windows 7 days (but it requires Enterprise to make it functional). I'm going to assume - and we all know what that means - that Windows 10 will have the same/similar requirement and it won't allow the consumer version (even Professional or whatever they end up calling it) to make the Windows To Go installation; it will more than likely be an Enterprise-only solution because of licensing concerns.

 

OP: as time passes, more info and a more functional Windows 10 To Go installer will appear but again it will most likely require you to be running Windows 10 Enterprise to be able to create it properly.

I was wondering why it didn't work,that explains it.

Proficient

Pootis Spencer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

There's an option in Rufus to display USB Hard Drives.

 

NnTKhK5.png

 *Bangs head on table*

 

Stupid me for not looking. :laugh:

In This Thread: people that just don't understand what Windows To Go actually is.

 

What it isn't: a way to install Windows (any version since Windows 7) onto another device aka using a USB stick with Windows installation files on it, booting from it, then installing the OS onto the other device

 

What it is: a way to actually install Windows directly on a USB stick or even a portable hard drive and then run it from there in a "portable" sense, being able to take a full blown Windows 10 (or 7, or 8/8.1) with you just as if it were a Linux LiveUSB stick - it's basically the same thing but it's Windows.

 

Yes it's possible, and yes it's been supported since Windows 7 days (but it requires Enterprise to make it functional). I'm going to assume - and we all know what that means - that Windows 10 will have the same/similar requirement and it won't allow the consumer version (even Professional or whatever they end up calling it) to make the Windows To Go installation; it will more than likely be an Enterprise-only solution because of licensing concerns.

 

OP: as time passes, more info and a more functional Windows 10 To Go installer will appear but again it will most likely require you to be running Windows 10 Enterprise to be able to create it properly.

 

You can do it without the enterprise version as I have done it with Windows 8.1 as show in the link I posted above. I'm guessing they need to iron a few bugs out with Windows 10 before it works again.

Proficient

Pootis Spencer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

There's an option in Rufus to display USB Hard Drives.

 

NnTKhK5.png

 Ok I have a quick question about this. I have two partitions on the USB hard drive. I need to keep the 2nd partition and use the first as Windows. In Rufus it shows multiple partitions G: H: (2TB) at the top. How do I select which one it installs too? I don't want to lose any data on the second partition.

Mentor

limok

Posted
Posted

Ok I have a quick question about this. I have two partitions on the USB hard drive. I need to keep the 2nd partition and use the first as Windows. In Rufus it shows multiple partitions G: H: (2TB) at the top. How do I select which one it installs too? I don't want to lose any data on the second partition.

I've just got this working by not using rufus - it errored out with the bcdcrypt error. This is because efi boots off a fat32 partition and not ntfs.

To get round this create system partitions as per Microsoft articles (can't link as on phone but Google for disk part efi partitions) and then use image to write the imagex to your ntfs partition.

Once done use bcdboot setting source windows directory as your ntfs partition and destination as your fat32 partition.

If you need more descriptive assistance then let me know.

Proficient

Pootis Spencer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I've just got this working by not using rufus - it errored out with the bcdcrypt error. This is because efi boots off a fat32 partition and not ntfs.

To get round this create system partitions as per Microsoft articles (can't link as on phone but Google for disk part efi partitions) and then use image to write the imagex to your ntfs partition.

Once done use bcdboot setting source windows directory as your ntfs partition and destination as your fat32 partition.

If you need more descriptive assistance then let me know.

Could you possible explain further for me please on how to correctly partition my 40GB partition? Thanks

Mentor

limok

Posted
Posted

In terms of partitioning your drive with keeping your data I've not tested so I can't guarantee it's going to work. The below code is from the TechNet website and shows you how to partition a new disk with the default efi partitions. if your existing disk is a gpt disk then you can probably skip the second and third line in the code, otherwise I recommend you use a blank usb disk for windows to go - at least for testing.

 

Important - Just know that using the clean command will wipe out all partitions and data!

 

Run command prompt in admin mode and type diskapart. type list disk to find your disk number and substitute "select disk 0" with your disk number.

select disk 0
clean
convert gpt
create partition primary size=300
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows RE tools"
assign letter="T"
create partition efi size=100
rem == Note: for Advanced Format Generation One drives, change to size=260.

format quick fs=fat32 label="System"
assign letter="S"
create partition msr size=128
create partition primary
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"
assign letter="W"
  • 3 weeks later...
Neowinian

edwu624

Posted
Posted

Just wondering, wouldn't it be faster and easier to just select the Fat32 partition in Rufus before creating the Windows to Go Windows 10 installation?  I'm a newbie at this, and I encountered the same error message as the first poster in Rufus as well.  Would the USB flash drive not be recognized if partitioned as Fat32, or will there be errors running Windows 10 on the fat 32 partitioned WTG flash drive?  Please advise.

 

Thanks,

 

edwu624

Grand Master

TPreston

Posted
Posted

There is so much bad info guides out there about windows to go, Make sure you have the right hardware first.

 

  1. You cant install any post vista windows on a fat32 partition
  2. UEFI computers need to boot from a fat32 partition
  3. Therefore you cant have windows to go (that can boot from both uefi and bios pcs) on a regular USB drive

 

Don't use Rufus it was never designed for this, youll either need an external hdd to install windows to go on or a special usb key that shows up as a fixed disk (most don't).

  • Draggendrop
  • Like 1
Proficient

SionicIon

Posted
Posted

In This Thread: people that just don't understand what Windows To Go actually is.

What it isn't: a way to install Windows (any version since Windows 7) onto another device aka using a USB stick with Windows installation files on it, booting from it, then installing the OS onto the other device

What it is: a way to actually install Windows directly on a USB stick or even a portable hard drive and then run it from there in a "portable" sense, being able to take a full blown Windows 10 (or 7, or 8/8.1) with you just as if it were a Linux LiveUSB stick - it's basically the same thing but it's Windows.

Yes it's possible, and yes it's been supported since Windows 7 days (but it requires Enterprise to make it functional). I'm going to assume - and we all know what that means - that Windows 10 will have the same/similar requirement and it won't allow the consumer version (even Professional or whatever they end up calling it) to make the Windows To Go installation; it will more than likely be an Enterprise-only solution because of licensing concerns.

OP: as time passes, more info and a more functional Windows 10 To Go installer will appear but again it will most likely require you to be running Windows 10 Enterprise to be able to create it properly.

Windows 7 has no support for booting from USB devices. It was possible using third party tools such as PWBoot. Windows Embedded Standard 7 had supported this scenario though.

Windows 8 introduced Windows To Go in the enterprise SKU. But probably doesn't work with Windows 10 because of so many changes and will only be fully supported once RTMed.

Grand Master

goretsky Supervisor

Posted
  • Supervisor
Posted

Hello,

 

IronKey was selling 32GB USB 3.0 drives with Windows 10 To Go pre-installed at the Microsoft Ignite conference.  You might want to check and see if they are available via company's web site (assuming it wasn't a show-specific product).

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

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