Booting from USB stick or DVD

jimbo45 said:

Hi there

actually any 32 Bit OS can run as a Virtual OS on a machine - even if not VT enabled -- if VT enabled a 64 bit VM OS can also run on a 32 bit HOST. Note though if running a 64 bit GUEST on a 32 BIT HOST max RAM that can be allocated for Host + Guest is 4GB regardless of how much physical RAM is installed on the machine.

Running VM's on older hardware will of course present a challenge if the hardware isn't up to the job - but then so was running some base native apps like VISTA. Lack of RAM and really poor I/O (HDD's even today can be terrible performers) usually were more of a hindrance than actual CPU power. I doubt you'd want to run say a Windows 2012 server VM on a 1GB old Netbook for example !! even if you could find a way to do it.

As to performance -- I think if you wanted to repair a system performance isn't the first objective when trying just to fix a machine so it will boot.

If a machine is broken the first thing is to get it to BOOT --the VM can fix your machine (in nearly all cases ) so it will boot. Then you can install all the other stuff you need including new drivers which you can use the VM or external Linux system to download for you if the "Broken machine" doesn't have Internet access at that point..

Meanwhile the VM option - or even a Linux base system can help you browse the internet and look for solutions while the other PC is inoperative.

The VM idea could be regarded as a "Sledgehammer" to crack a nut with - but it's nice having 7 or 8 different Language versions for Windows and even more languages for Office --- If you work in as many different countries and locations as I do then it's a perfect solution. (I have office 2016 --VL version so no re-activation required when booted up on to a different machine).

There's no way I would be allowed to boot an "Unofficial" Windows to go from any sensible corporate network - especially if you are working as an external consultant.

All these solutions just give people the option of more choices - and actually the overhead of running a VM from an OS booted from a USB 3 device is pretty minimal compared with a HOST OS running from a typical spinner !!!!!

Like most of these things there's no "One size fits all" --that's what's great about these Forums - there's loads of ideas around people can read up about --some better than others of course but a great place as an "Ideas Factory".

BTW the wintousb nethod fails on the latest CU update (1703) with the extra updates applied -- I haven't tried creating a new ISO --I'll have a go with that later.

Note also the wintogousb while a good get around is an unofficial non Ms supported system so if you use it there's no guarantee it will keep working -- especially with the whole slew of fixes / updates and releases Ms has in the pipeline.

Creating a WINPE environment seems probably the most stable way of getting a decent bootable external Windows system - but that's for recovery --it wouldn't be any good for running applications like say OFFICE.

Cheers
jimbo

I have a wintousb install of 1703 on a flash drive with all the updates installed - works fine.

Obviously winpe can only run truly portable apps.

I doubt wintousb will ever stop getting supported in near future. It now can create uefi installs on a standard removeable flash drive which annoyingly the official Windows To Go will not do despite it now being possible as you can read multiple partitions on drives without the "fixed drive" bit enabled.

I do not see that you would be allowed to run linux drives with windows in a vm any more than windows on a usb on a corporate network. Most big companies i deal with lock down usb drives so you cannot boot from them - many will not even let you read from them.

You are comparing oranges and apples when you say running vm from usb3 would be faster than running a host from a slow spinner. Running a host OS from usb3 will be faster than running a vm from usb3, and running vm from a slow spinner will be slower than running host from a slow spinner.

However, you are totally correct about different ideas. But I still subscribe to the KISS principle where possible.

Windows to go creator has been suggested. Sounds like what you were asking for.


It also is possible to create an install.wim of your current installation ( with all your programs and files ) and apply that to another drive. Probably be able to apply that to usb, you would need to fix the drive letter after applying the image.

Have you tried applying a macrium image to usb? Aomei can do it, I expect macrium can.

jimbo45 said:

Hi there

Agree with the KISS principle wherever possible.

Fortunately at a lot of my gigs I don't have trouble with a Linux VM.

Every workplace has different protocols -- and it's probably a HIDEOUS nightmare for admins if the "Bring your own Device (BYOD) " model is implemented everywhere --

What does work though in a load of places is that on your own laptop you can usually connect to a Wireless or even a LAN network that isn't connected to say a production system but has more access than standard "Guest" or "Visitor" network. Saves the company from having to supply laptops to external consultants and being an external network any problems aren't the fault of the company -- as it's always Use at Own Risk as it's provided for convenience just like customers going to an Internet Cafe.

Corporate Networks with access to Production systems (or even a decent QA Pre Prod for final testing one) are usually for very good reasons locked down of course.

Cheers
jimbo

I prefer BYOB to BYOD ;-).