Windows To Go is new feature included in Windows 8 by Microsoft and it allows you to install Windows 8 on your USB flash drive or USB external hard drive and then you can run Windows 8 from that Windows To Go USB on any Windows 7 capable PC without affecting its current OS installation.
In this post I will guide on how to create and use Windows 8 To Go USB. Before we start the guide, we need following things:
1) 16GB or above USB device. (USB 3.0 device recommended)
2) Windows 8 ISO Image
3) Windows 7 or Windows 8 Installed PC
Once you have all the requirement, you are ready to create Windows 8 to go USB.
How to Create and Use Windows 8 To Go USB
1) First of all download The Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) to get Imagex.exe.2) Launch command prompt as administrator.
3) Type diskpart followed by enter.
4) Type select disk n (where n is your USB drive number shown on screen after typing previous command)
5) Type clean to format USB.
6) Type create partition primary and hit enter.
7) Type format fs=ntfs quick and hit enter.
8) Type active and hit enter.
9) Close diskpart by typing exit followed by enter.
10) Mount the Windows 8 ISO you have downloaded using Power ISO or any other alternative you use.
11) Go to \sources\ and copy install.wim and paste it in directory where imagex.exe is. Imagex.exe can be found in \Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86 or \Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\amd64.
12) Type the following commands in CMD
imagex.exe /apply install.win 1 n:\ (where n USB drive letter, replace it with yours)
13) Now type the command below to apply the boot record to your USB drive:
bcdboot.exe n:\windows /s n: f/ ALL (where n USB drive letter, replace it with yours)
That’s it. You Windows 8 To Go USB is now ready and you can now boot Windows 8 using this Windows 8 To Go USB on any PC that is Windows 7 compatible.
