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Windows To Go: Windows 8 on MacBook Pro

A new feature in Windows 8 Server, due out at the same time as Windows 8 itself, allows you to kick almost any computer into Windows 8 using a USB thumb drive. Dubbed Windows To Go, it is effectively a Windows live CD — though, equally far as we know, yous won't exist downloading a Windows To Get ISO from Microsoft: information technology's an enterprise tool for It administrators. For a hands-on review of Windows To Go, watch the video below — or read on.

Basically, y'all insert a blank USB drive into a Windows 8 Server machine, click "Provision removable drive with Windows To Go" (or similar — the exact process isn't known), and that'due south it. Unlike a alive CD, though, you tin can create a Windows To Go installation with your documents on information technology — then you could, in theory, carry an up-to-date copy of your files and a bootable copy of Windows 8 in your pocket at all times. Unfortunately, for licensing reasons, it's unlikely that Windows To Go will be bachelor for consumer installations of Windows 8 — unless yous purchase a 2d license, possibly — but who knows, it might be a feature of Windows 8 Ultimate.

In practise, Windows To Go really, and rather surprisingly… works. You plug it in, select the USB stick during boot, and about xxx seconds later you are looking at the Windows 8 Start screen. We're told that this really is a full version of Windows 8 — and it certain feels as fast and fluid as the real thing — only the exact feature set is undetermined (you volition probably be able to select/deselect features during deejay creation). We can presume that it should at least support domains, though, which will go far ideal for hot desking or quickly returning a computer to a usable country.

Everyone hither in the ExtremeTech bunker would beloved the power to give our ancestors a USB stick on Windows To Go; just imagine, if they mess the installation up with malware, just burn down them a fresh stick. Documents in Windows 8 are automatically synced to your Windows Live SkyDrive, too… and then it actually would be piece of cake to just nuke everything and start again.

To come across Windows To Go in action, scout our hands-on video beneath.