Install Windows 11 on external USB drive

Question

Install Windows 11 on external USB drive

Closed this issue 3 months ago · 10 comments

nitschis commented 4 months ago

Currently, Windows 11 can not be installed on an external USB drive. Are there tweaks to remove these restrictions?

I know of a few tools which offer this option to some extent: Windows To Go Creator, Rufus, WinToUSB.

Answer 1 · 2024-08-23T16:59:15.000Z

Use another device to prepare your USB drive, and just use Rufus

Answer 2 · 2024-08-24T03:42:45.000Z

Then the autounattend.xml does not work.

Answer 3 · 2024-08-26T22:29:44.000Z

Did you follow this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDEZDD_gEbo&t=0s

Answer 4 · 2024-09-08T14:03:43.000Z

Are you guys actually reading the report? How does any of this help with installation on an external medium?

Answer 5 · 2024-09-13T09:09:34.000Z

These files are not made for a "Windows to Go" installation, it's intended for a normal Windows installation. Currently there is no plan to support Windows To Go installations either, to be honest, I'm not even sure if you can use answer files on Windows To Go installations.

Answer 6 · 2024-09-13T14:06:18.000Z

Thous, I am asking if it is possible to remove the limitation of not being able to install on an external SSD. I have no interest in "Windows to Go". I just want a static installation on an external drive.

Answer 7 · 2024-09-13T14:59:22.000Z

@nitschis You can use DISM to apply a windows image (or a much easier tool called DISM++) to any disk (external or internal) then copy the answer file you want to use to "Windows/Panther/unattended.xml" (Note that you will need to create that directory, it doesn't exists on a fresh installation)

Answer 8 · 2024-09-14T15:56:59.000Z

Thous, I am asking if it is possible to remove the limitation of not being able to install on an external SSD. I have no interest in "Windows to Go". I just want a static installation on an external drive.

when you install windows on an external drive you call it Windows to Go my dude

Answer 9 · 2024-09-14T19:14:56.000Z

Thous, I am asking if it is possible to remove the limitation of not being able to install on an external SSD. I have no interest in "Windows to Go". I just want a static installation on an external drive.

when you install windows on an external drive you call it Windows to Go my dude

Why even take part in the conversation if you don't understand the premise of the whole topic? No, that's not what you call "Windows to Go".

@OmarKSH Interesting, the file will then be loaded at first boot? I will check it out.

Answer 10 · 2024-09-14T19:49:31.000Z

@nitschis It will be applied during the OOBE phase, you will see a CMD window appearing then disappearing multiple times.