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Windows 8 Enterprise?

Afy

Member
Anyone using it?
Specifically is it worth the Windows to Go feature set? And how well does that work?
 

Russ

Active Member
Afy --

Answers are: "Yes," and two repetitions of "I don't know yet."

I downloaded the 90-day trial of Enterprise specifically to play with the Windows to Go feature. I installed it on a spare drive, so it won't bother my usual stuff. I want to put Windows to Go on a USB drive, but quickly learned that I don't have a "Windows to Go qualified drive." A trip to Amazon this morning solved that, so by Friday I will be ready to check it out.

I really don't think I can justify buying Enterprise, especially since I really don't need it. I will probably just let the trial period expire, but the unanswered question at this point is: Will my Windows to Go USB drive expire at the same time? Guess I won't know that for about another 87 days.

I will be playing with it this weekend, so will post more then.

Take care,
Russ
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
I use it on all of my Business Class Machines, Windows to Go is a nice feature if you want to transport your Work Machine via a USB disk. Keep in mind you will need to purchase USB 3.0 Drives certified for Windows to Go.
 

Russ

Active Member
Will try it out I guess.

Afy --

My tryout took a couple more days, as I waited for delivery of the "Windows To Go Certified USB drive." I got it today, so postponed my dinner so I could play with it on my shop computer. I had previously downloaded an evaluation copy of Windows 8 Enterprise Edition, and installed it on a separate drive. Microsoft has made it really easy by including a "Windows To Go Wizard" in the Enterprise Edition. You can find it with a Search from the "Modern UI."

It is incredibly simple: Plug in your certified USB (or other media of choice), start the Wizard, and go amuse yourself with something else to do -- unless you just really like to watch progress bars.

When it was done, I used the F8 boot menu to boot to the USB, and, lo and behold, it booted to an abbreviated Win8 Modern UI, complete with the settings from my Microsoft account, including my dog on the desktop. Access to the Store is disabled by default, but that can be remedied by a Group Policy setting. I didn't try this, as I was beginning to get giddy from hunger, but an online MS page explains how it can be done.

Before coming in to fix dinner, I did take the time to laugh at myself, as I remembered something my Father said many years ago, back on the farm. We sold milk, and everyday the dogs would chase the milk truck when it left. One day my Dad mused, "What do they think they're gonna do with it if they catch it?"

Well, that's me. I really didn't need it, but, at least, have established that it works as advertised. Now, I just wonder if my Windows To Go USB will perish in 82 days when my Enterprise Evaluation copy expires. My guess is that it probably will, but, by then, I will have had time to further amuse myself playing with it.

Take care,
Russ
 
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