is it possible to start win10 from USB (without installing o.s.)?


  1. Posts : 18
    Windows 10
       #1

    is it possible to start win10 from USB (without installing o.s.)?


    I created a bootable usb key with windows10 following this procedure.

    How to create a Windows 10 USB bootable media with UEFI support | Windows Central

    but when i turn on the pc, it lets me choose between installing win10 with or without keeping my files..

    I thought it was possible simply to start operating system directly from USB...

    someone can clarify me that?

    thanks!.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,442
    Windows 11 Home
       #2
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  3. Posts : 18
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    great suggestion TairikuOkami thank you!

    I talk about win10pro

    using that tool, i will be able to launch from usb the operating system? i will have also access to the hard disk to take and save my old fles?

    the pc i need to access does not start anymore for some reason...
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 31,470
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #4

    mfran2002 said:
    using that tool, i will be able to launch from usb the operating system? i will have also access to the hard disk to take and save my old fles?

    the pc i need to access does not start anymore for some reason...
    The Windows to Go feature requires a USB specifically designed to support it. These are difficult to find (and expensive) most USBs aren't suitable.

    If you need a bootable Windows on a USB to rescue data, then Kyhi's rescue disk works on any USB. You could also try a Linux Live USB.

    Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk
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  5. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #5

    From post #3 it sounds like what you really want is Kyhi's Recovery Tools referenced above.
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  6. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #6

    Hi there

    if you need a 100% full blown Windows system from a bootable USB device then you'll need Windows to GO but only available for Enterprise / corporate versions.

    You could try booting windows from a VHD file on a USB stick --this has the disadvantage though that the internal C drive must at least start the boot process.

    Another option but you will need a decent SSD and preferably a USB3==>SATA connection (although it works reasonably well with a USB2-->SATA connection) is to use a Linux OS on the USB - those boot easily enough and then with either Virtual Box or Vmware player / workstation bring up a Windows Virtual machine.

    You'll need to have SAMBA installed on the linux OS and Ntfs-3g (to read / write NTFS Windows files).

    It's a good learning curve to have a go with this.

    To get at the Windows HDD's from your Windows Virtual machine you can either share them via SAMBA in which case you'll have to mount them on the Linux OS first or probably easier for beginners is in the VM is to attach the Windows HDD's as physical drives directly in the VM config.

    The resulting Windows VM will be as near to a physical Windows machine as it's possible to get - although wouldn't be of too much use for serious game playing or other things that make real calls to the actual usually specialized hardware - but for typical tasks no probs whatsoever.

    I always keep one of these around as I like to have Office 2016 in several languages - useful when you work on some clients sites in different countries.

    On a decent laptop the response time on the windows VM is actually quite good !!!!

    -- now if someone could get an instance of Virtual Box running on an android tablet so one could load up a Windows VM I'd be very interested !!!!!l

    Cheers
    jimbo
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  7. Posts : 19,516
    W11+W11 Developer Insider + Linux
       #7

    mfran2002 said:
    I created a bootable usb key with windows10 following this procedure.

    How to create a Windows 10 USB bootable media with UEFI support | Windows Central

    There's actually


    but when i turn on the pc, it lets me choose between installing win10 with or without keeping my files..

    I thought it was possible simply to start operating system directly from USB...

    someone can clarify me that?

    thanks!.
    There's actually no Live version of full windows, the one you are describing is for installation only.
      My Computers


 

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