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Differences between Windows To Go and a typical installation of Windows

Windows To Go is no longer being developed. The feature does not support feature updates and therefore does not enable you to stay current. It also requires a specific type of USB that is no longer supported by many OEMs.

Windows To Go is a feature in Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education that enables the creation of a Windows To Go workspace that can be booted from a USB-connected external drive on PCs.

PCs that meet the Windows 7 or later certification requirements can run Windows 10 in a Windows To Go workspace, regardless of the operating system running on the PC. Windows To Go workspaces can use the same image enterprises use for their desktops and laptops and can be managed the same way.

Windows To Go workspace operates just like any other installation of Windows with a few exceptions.


Windows To Go vs.Windows.



Windows To Go is not intended to replace desktops, laptops or supplant other mobility offerings. 



Rather, it provides support for efficient use of resources for alternative workplace scenarios.

These exceptions are:

  • Internal disks are offline. To ensure data isn’t accidentally disclosed, internal hard disks on the host computer are offline by default when booted into a Windows To Go workspace. Similarly if a Windows To Go drive is inserted into a running system, the Windows To Go drive will not be listed in Windows Explorer.
  • Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is not used. When using BitLocker Drive Encryption a pre-operating system boot password will be used for security rather than the TPM since the TPM is tied to a specific computer and Windows To Go drives will move between computers.
  • Hibernate is disabled by default. To ensure that the Windows To Go workspace is able to move between computers easily, hibernation is disabled by default. Hibernation can be re-enabled by using Group Policy settings.
  • Windows Recovery Environment is not available. In the rare case that you need to recover your Windows To Go drive, you should re-image it with a fresh image of Windows.
  • Refreshing or resetting a Windows To Go workspace is not supported. Resetting to the manufacturer’s standard for the computer doesn’t apply when running a Windows To Go workspace, so the feature was disabled.
  • Upgrading a Windows To Go workspace is not supported. Older Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 Windows To Go workspaces cannot be upgraded to Windows 10 workspaces, nor can Windows 10 Windows To Go workspaces be upgraded to future versions of Windows 10. For new versions, the workspace needs to be re-imaged with a fresh image of Windows.

Roaming with Windows To Go.


Windows To Go drives can be booted on multiple computers. When a Windows To Go workspace is first booted on a host computer it will detect all hardware on the computer and install any needed drivers. When the Windows To Go workspace is subsequently booted on that host computer it will be able to identify the host computer and load the correct set of drivers automatically.

The applications that you want to use from the Windows To Go workspace should be tested to make sure they also support roaming. Some applications bind to the computer hardware which will cause difficulties if the workspace is being used with multiple host computers.

Prepare for Windows To Go.


Enterprises install Windows on a large group of computers either by using configuration management software (such as System Center Configuration Manager), or by using standard Windows deployment tools such as DiskPart and the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool.
Read also: Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) Technical Reference for Windows 10.
These same tools can be used to provision Windows To Go drive, just as you would if you were planning for provisioning a new class of mobile PCs. You can use the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit to review deployment tools available.

Important   Make sure you use the versions of the deployment tools provided for the version of Windows you are deploying. There have been many enhancements made to support Windows To Go. Using versions of the deployment tools released for earlier versions of Windows to provision a Windows To Go drive is not supported.

As you decide what to include in your Windows To Go image, be sure to consider the following questions:

Are there any drivers that you need to inject into the image?

How will data be stored and synchronized to appropriate locations from the USB device?

Are there any applications that are incompatible with Windows To Go roaming that should not be included in the image?

What should be the architecture of the image - 32bit/64bit?



What remote connectivity solution should be supported in the image if Windows To Go is used outside the corporate network?
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Comments

  1. Giampaolo Rossi.25 June 2019 at 13:10

    Users of the Windows 10 Home version do not have access to BitLocker, to the remote control utility (if they can remotely access other machines), or to create Windows To Go images. But these limitations are the same as we can find in Windows 8 Home or Windows 7 Home, so in reality there is not much news.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hugo Repetto25 June 2019 at 13:16

      @Fausto Baccino. The Pro version of Windows 10 adds more functionalities for advanced users, but if we want to have absolutely all the business functions we will have to opt for Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education. Interestingly, Microsoft has added all the functions of its operating system to the version for educational environments.

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