Windows To Go is a feature in Windows 8.1 Enterprise, Windows 8 Enterprise, Windows 10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Educational that allows them to boot and run from certain USB mass storage devices such as USB flash drives and external hard disk driveswhich have been certified by Microsoft as compatible. It is a fully manageable corporate Windows environment and includes an user’s OS, application, settings and files.
It is intended to allow enterprise administrators to provide users with an imaged version of Windows that reflects the corporate desktop, as an ideal and easy solution to support BYOD policies for both employees as well as for Contractors and Teleworkers.
Drive removal detection:
As a safety measure designed to prevent data loss, Windows pauses the entire system if the USB drive is removed, and resumes operation immediately when the drive is inserted within 60 seconds of removal. If the drive is not inserted in that time-frame, the computer shuts down after those 60 seconds to prevent possible confidential or sensitive information being displayed on the screen or stored in RAM. It is also possible to encrypt a Windows To Go drive using BitLocker or to use hardware encrypted devices.
Driver configuration:
The first time Windows To Go boots on a particular computer, it installs the drivers for that particular hardware and multiple reboots may be required. Subsequent booting operations go straight into Windows 8.
Windows Store:
For Windows 8.1, the Windows Store is enabled and working by default in Windows To Go. In Windows 8 the Windows Store cannot be accessed on a Windows To Go installation: those attempting to visit the Store will receive an error message. A Group Policy Object exists to manage this. Using Group Policy, Windows Store can be enabled for a Windows To Go workspace (limited to one PC) and Store apps can be used on that workspace.
Local hardware inaccessible:
In default configurations, Windows To Go installations do not see the local hard disk drive or solid-state drive present in a host computer. This can be changed by policy.
SPYRUS Windows To Go live drives turn personal computers, including many Macs (service provided by SPYRUS), into compliant enterprise Windows desktops-with or without connectivity. SPYRUS Windows To Go drives boot the OS and completely bypass the host computer’s hard drive. There is no impact on the host computer and no footprint left behind when the drive is shut down.
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