Windows To Go feature

Windows Enterprise has a unique feature called Windows To Go, with which IT professionals can provide users with a fully working version of Windows running on a USB external device. Windows To Go drives can use the same image that enterprises use for their desktops and laptops, and they can be managed like any other normal PC.

Here are the minimum requirements for implementation:

• One computer running Windows 10 Enterprise
• The install.wim or a captured image from the Windows Enterprise media itself
• A USB drive that is Windows To Go certified

For the manual installation, first insert your certified USB device. Next, right-click Start, select Control Panel, and then click Windows To Go (or simply run pwcreator.exe).

The setup will first ask for the location of the WIM file: if you’re unsure of this, simply use the install.wim from the Enterprise media. Then, you can optionally provide a BitLocker password. Continue by clicking Create, in a few more minutes, your USB drive should be ready to go.

Finally, click No when you see the question “Do you want to automatically boot your PC from a Windows To Go workspace?”

After you have a Windows To Go device with Windows 10, you can also use it to test hardware compatibility for any device that is a candidate to migrate to Windows 10. Although this is not the quickest method, it is definitively the cleanest and the most reliable. All you need to do is configure the computer to start from USB and check whether Windows To Go works correctly and what drivers are missing or require attention. Windows To Go will not touch your hard drive, because by default internal drives are offline; thus, you can enjoy the Windows 10 experience with a minimum of effort.

To learn more about how to implement Windows To Go with Configuration Manager, go to https://technet.microsoft.com/library/jj651035.aspx

If you are running Configuration Manager 2012 SP1, ensure that you have at least the Cumulative Update 2 installed (https://support.microsoft.com/sv-se/kb/3100144), because it fixes an issue by which Administrators cannot select a Windows 10–based image by using the Windows To Go Creator Wizard.


Source: Deploying Windows 10 Press Book