windows 10 Boot Windows 10 without internal storage

[TheodorArC]

Hello.

I am a programmer and a few days ago I got a new laptop from work (which I take home) which puts my own laptop back home to shame (the new laptop is a DELL G5 15 with a 1060 MaxQ inside, while my poor laptop has a 950m). I want to use this new laptop for gaming at home (obviously) but I want to make it so I do not install anything on it, so there is no trace of the not-working-me on it. I've looked into it and the best idea so far is to use an External SSD (via USB 3.1) and somehow install windows on that and make the laptop boot from that instead of its internal storage (which should be easily done in bios). This way I can do whatever I want on that windows (on that SSD of mine) and use the laptop's power without leaving any trace of it to work. Is it possible? I've so far found 1 video of a guy making a bootable SSD (a pretty good video, but from 2017...). Do you guys have any other ideas? I don't want to create a dual boot eather cuz that'd leave a trace (a chunk of the laptop's storage missing). I need some external way of pulling this off cheeky breeky like.

[Levent]

I got windows 10 installed on a USB stick with all of my apps installed, works fine even when there is no hdd/ssd installed.

[FlappyBoobs]

First step is to get permission from someone with the authority to allow you. People get fired for misusing company equipment all the time. 

 

You've been loaned that laptop for work, not personal use. 

 

Once you have permission the its a non issue, as you don't have to hide anything from your office. 

[Electronics Wizardy]

WIndows 2 go is how you make a bootage external windows usb.

[TheodorArC]

7 minutes ago, FlappyBoobs said:

First step is to get permission from someone with the authority to allow you. People get fired for misusing company equipment all the time. 

 

You've been loaned that laptop for work, not personal use. 

 

Once you have permission the its a non issue, as you don't have to hide anything from your office. 

Mr.Nofun over here. It's a small company and everyone is very familiar with eachother, heck, people even play at work. That's really no reason to worry. I just don't wanna mess stuff up on it.

[TheodorArC]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

WIndows 2 go is how you make a bootage external windows usb.

I've heard about it but I don't know how good an Enterprise version of Windows (which windows to go is) is as a daily driver for gaming...

[TheodorArC]

10 minutes ago, Levent said:

I got windows 10 installed on a USB stick with all of my apps installed, works fine even when there is no hdd/ssd installed.

Care to share how you did it? And what version of Windows it is? And how fast it runs?

[Electronics Wizardy]

49 minutes ago, TheodorArC said:

I've heard about it but I don't know how good an Enterprise version of Windows (which windows to go is) is as a daily driver for gaming...

exactly the same as any other windows 10 edition. Pro vs home vs education vs enterprise is just a few extra features, no performance or program changes at all. They just have artificial limits in pro and home to make you pay more for enterprise.

[Levent]

1 hour ago, TheodorArC said:

Care to share how you did it? And what version of Windows it is? And how fast it runs?

Use WinToUSB, it has a very straight forward installer.

[FlappyBoobs]

1 hour ago, TheodorArC said:

Mr.Nofun over here. It's a small company and everyone is very familiar with eachother, heck, people even play at work. That's really no reason to worry. I just don't wanna mess stuff up on it.

It's Dr.Nofun, actually. I didn't spend 4 years at anticlown college to be called Mr. 

[DeaconFrost]

2 hours ago, TheodorArC said:

Mr.Nofun over here. It's a small company and everyone is very familiar with eachother, heck, people even play at work. That's really no reason to worry. I just don't wanna mess stuff up on it.

So then go ask your local IT staff if they mind you putting Steam and some games on the laptop.  Easiest, simple solution.  A software developer should be able to handle that, and disable items from running at start up, without messing anything up.

[TheodorArC]

Update:

I've tested WinToGo (as recommended by @Levent ) on a 16GB USB 2.0 stick I found (32bit windows) and it worked. Well, I didn't land on the desktop, because of the USB 2.0 speeds the thing took 1 hour and 15 min just to get from the first windows loading screen to the first initial settings screen, then after I set those, it went to the "we're getting things ready for you" which took so long that windows literally gave up, rebooted and warned me that my storage is too slow. BUT IT WORKED! So it can be done, I shall now invest in an external USB 3.1 SSD. Thank you all for the replies, I think this is my first proper post here and I've had this account for years...

Update 2.0:

Just remembered Linus had a video doing this exact same thing but with an SD card... I am a disgrace as a fan for not remembering that video...

Edited August 2, 2019 by TheodorArC