Microsoft is looking to make their OS more portable. With Windows 8, one of the features the Redmond, Washington company is introducing is a bootable OS off USB. True, we’ve seen both Windows and Linux distributions bootable off a flash drive before, but what makes this different is 1) it’s legal and 2) officially supported. This is a smart move to keep Microsoft positioned as a strong option as virtual desktop and thin client systems continue to rise in popularity.
Many power users already run virtual laptops off USB flash drives, enabling them to work on a single consistent environment at both home and work without fussing with a laptop or briefcase. An official bootable Windows 8 USB version should cement this concept and help Microsoft move towards more secure OS options comparable to VPMs.
With an official version of bootable Windows OS on USB, IT managers could now use a Nexcopy USB Duplicator to mass-produce their installation and/or restore media in a much faster time frame than using an old-school optical duplicator.
An additional caveat of the portable Windows system is the speed of the environment. Granted, there is nothing like running off a hard disk, but running off NAND flash will be almost as smooth… and with memory performance getting better with USB 3.0 flash drives, it will soon become virtually the same experience.
Video of Bootable Windows 8 running on a MacBook Pro via USB after the jump:
Watch on YouTube
Source: EverythingUSB
Bootable USB Drive Articles on GetUSB.info
GetUSB.info has published several articles and tutorials related to bootable USB drives, covering setup guides, troubleshooting tips, and reviews of popular utilities. Below is an overview of their most useful content.
Bootable USB Guides on GetUSB.info
Other Related Articles
- Review of Rufus Utility: Explains how Rufus writes bootable ISO files to USB and clarifies common misunderstandings.
- USB Boot Troubleshooting: Tutorials about BIOS boot order issues, clearing boot code from USB drives, and proper formatting steps.
Summary Table of Bootable USB Articles
| Topic |
Published On |
Highlights |
| Boot Ultimate Boot CD from USB |
2006 |
Hands-on guide using Syslinux and ISO extraction to create a bootable USB version of the Ultimate Boot CD. |
| Check if USB is Bootable |
July 2020 |
Methods using Windows Disk Management to verify MBR/boot code on a USB drive. |
| Make USB Bootable Using Ventoy |
2022 |
Multi?boot support, handles ISO/IMG/VHD/EFI files, no need to reformat for new images. |
| Review of Rufus Utility |
2021 |
Explains how Rufus writes bootable code and compares it with other tools for ISO installation. |
| USB Boot Troubleshooting |
2021–2022 |
Guides for BIOS issues, clearing bootstrap code, and proper bootable USB formatting methods. |
For more tutorials, reviews, and troubleshooting guides on creating and using bootable USB drives, visit GetUSB.info.
Under the agreement, Imation will receive exclusive license rights from IronKey for the secure storage management software and service along with licensing to use the IronKey brand for its secure storage products.
While Imation is bringing the IronKey brand to a global distribution channel, IronKey will accelerate their focus on cloud-based security tools and features. IronKey will support
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In a jelly battery the jelly would replace the liquid electrolytes currently used in most lithium batteries. University of Leeds dreamed up a very unique solution to our never-ending-quest for more battery power.
A new prototype of battery, the jelly battery, avoids what the pros call “thermal runaway.” The thermal runaway is what causes batteries to over heat and [sometimes] catch on fire.
The Leeds research team says their secret to success lies in the blending of a rubber like polymer with a conductive, liquid electrolyte into a thin, flexible file of gel. That film sits between the battery electrodes.
