windows to go and portable virtualboxburpee.smccme.edu/onlinepowerpoints/wtgandpvb.pdf · windows...

©2014 - Professor Howard Burpee

SMCC Computer Technology Dept.

Windows to Go

and

Portable VirtualBox

Creating a portable virtual machine test bench

Originally presented at the Maine Technical User’s Group Conference, June 2014



Steps in the Process

Create a Windows to Go bootable USB device

Resize the %systemdrive% and create a new partition on the device

Download Portable VirtualBox and the VirtualBox binaries

Install the Portable VirtualBox wrapper

Create your VMs



Windows to Go

Windows to Go (WTG) is a new feature of Windows 8.X and Windows 10

Allows the creation of a full blown version of Windows 8 or 10that boots from a USB flash drive or USB hard drive

-UFD or UHD



Windows to Go Requirements

WTG Software Requirements:

•Enterprise version of Windows 8.X or 10, or Education version of Windows 10*Microsoft licensing for WTG requires a volume license with software

assurance

*Can be done with the evaluation versions

* Downloadable for free from Microsoft

•You can use IMAGEX.EXE to create a WTG device using the Pro versions of Windows 8.X or 10*http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/03/ordering-windows-to-go-

how-to-create-a-bootable-windows-8-usb-thumb-drive

*Not part of this demo




WTG Hardware Requirements:

•The original Windows 8.0 WTG application had a very short hardware compatibility list (HCL)

- Including:

*Kingston DataTraveler UFD

*Spyrus Portable Workspace UFD

*Western Digital My Passport Enterprise UHD





•The Windows 8.1 and 10 versions of WTG support many more USB devices = non-certified drives

- Including:

*Virtually any UHD

*All UFDs that mount as a fixed disk

* Ex: Sandisk Cruzer

*Most UFDs mount as a removable disk which cannot be used with the Windows to Go application





•To boot from your WTG device you need a system that:

-Meets the HCL for Windows 8.X or 10

- Is capable booting from a USB device

*Virtually any system, laptop or desktop, made within the past two or three years



Using Windows to Go

Why use Windows to Go?

•For your remote workers – you have created and secured the OS

•Contractors / consultants visiting your company – your security policies don’t allow BYOD

•Taking your work home or on the road with your personal stuff – all your applications, files, and settings go with you – again, you have setup and secured the device

-Think Bitlocker…



Building Your WTG Device

Start by finding the Windows to Go application




Run the program




Assuming a compatible device is connected, it will be found




After clicking next, the program searches for a Windows 8.X or 10 INSTALL.WIM file (image)




You will need the proper version of Windows .iso file, or install DVD for this step

You can mount the ISO file as a disk in a DVD drive with Windows 8 or 10




There seems to be a bug in Windows 8.1 when trying to mount an ISO

But, when you look, the file has been mounted




Choose add search location if your mounted ISO or installation DVD is not automatically found




The program has now found the image required




Would you want to use Bitlocker to Go?

•Another new feature of Windows 8.X or 10




You are now ready to create, note that the process will reformat the drive




This might take a while

•Approximately 35 minutes on my Dell i5 4GB system




In progress




Completed



Setup Windows on the WTG Device

You are now ready to boot from the WTG UFD or UHD and setup Windows

•Booting from a USB device may need a change in the BIOS or UEFI settings on your system

•It may be as simple as pressing the boot options key at startup and selecting the boot from USB

-Usually F11 or F12

- If prompted, choosing the non-UEFI option is recommended




As WTG boots for the first time you will see:

Startup Loading Drivers Continuing to Build the HAL

System Reboots Language

Settings

EULA




Configuration and account settings:

Computer Name

Settings Create an Admin User

Use your Microsoft AccountPassport / LiveID / Hotmail / etc.

Create a Microsoft

Account

Create a Local

Account




Settings:

•If you choose Customize on the Settings window, you will be presented with options to turn on or off:

- IE SmartFilter

-App location awareness

-Windows update settings

-Etc.




Finishing the setup:

Thank You So Much I’ll Be Sure to Do That Gotta Love the Colors

Finally. Logged in




You will only have to run through the configuration and account setup the first time you boot your WTG device

When you use it on different systems in the future, it will run through the Getting Devices Ready (only once for each different system) and reboot at least once

•Usually takes a few minutes for each different system



Using Your WTG Device

Now, what can you do with it?

•Run the Windows updates

•Install your Anti-Malware solution

•Install your apps – Office, etc.

•Customize for your use

•Add users

•Join a Domain



Setting Up Portable VirtualBox

Why Portable VirtualBox?

•Portable VirtualBox (PVB) is a wrapper for the VirtualBox (VB) hypervisor that allows it to run as a portable app*Not a true portable app – fails to run properly on some systems

•By using PVB, running on a separate partition from the %systemdrive%, you can access and run PVB and work with your VMs from your WTG device without booting to the WTG interface on a system




Although VirtualBox is not as feature rich as other Type II hypervisors, like VMWare Workstation, it is a capable VM platform, and provides versatility when used with the PVB wrapper in a WTG environment

Theoretically, you could use the Windows 8.X Hyper-v service on a WTG system, but I have not found this to be possible on all systems




Download to your WTG device:

•The VirtualBox installer:

-https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

•The Portable VirtualBox installer:

-http://www.vbox.me




We could install and run PVB from the %systemdrive%, but for reasons we will talk about shortly, it is better to install and run PVB from a partition separate from the %systemdrive%

Run the disk management console in WTG to do this




Use the disk management console to:

Shrink the %systemdrive% Choose the Size Create a New Volume

Running the Wizard Choose the Size Important! Assign

a Drive Letter




Use the disk management console to:

Name and Format Complete

Make Sure of the Drive Letter

as this Will Be Important Later




Move the downloaded files to a folder on the V: drive before installing




Run the PVB installer from the V: drive:

Extract to Path Extracting Run the PVB Program

UAC. Language Search for Vbox

Installer




Run the PVB installer from the V: drive:

Run the Vbox

Installer

Now Run the PVB

Program Again

Almost Ready to Create VMs




Create your virtual machines in PVB:



Using Portable VirtualBox

Although PVB is supposed to be a portable app, it does not work consistently on all systems, including WTG

It will work much better if you install Virtual Box on the host machine, but run the PVB version

•You should install the same version of Vbox that you used to setup PVB



Install Virtual Box

Installing Vbox on a host system:

Run the Installer Start the Install Choose Packages

Options Head’s Up Install



Install Virtual Box

Installing Vbox on a host system:

UAC Installing Installing Unsigned Drivers

Done Run PVB Not VBox




So… now that we’ve setup WTG and PVB… Why?

Your new Windows to Go device creates a versatile OS on a UHD or UFD that can be used for many purposes that were identified earlier

Portable VirtualBox allows you to take your test bench VMs with you

But, there is an added value to this device




Added value:

You can now use the PVB and VMs on any system by connecting, but not booting to the WTG device

As the PVB files are all stored on the second partition you can access the partition from any Windows system and run PVB with booting to WTG

•Again, it is recommended that you install VirtualBox on the host systems, but run the PVB version




One issue:

When you connect your WTG device to a running Windows system, by default the WTG %systemdrive% will not be mounted – this is a characteristic of the WTG installation

The second partition that has PVB and your VMs on it will most likely be mounted, but not assigned a drive letter




One issue:

You will need to run the disk management console on the host machine and assign a drive letter to the partition with PVB on it




Use the disk management console:

Drive Mounted but

No Drive Letter Change Drive Letter Add

Important! Choose V: Done




Important!

You must assign V: to this PVB partition as this was the drive letter you assigned earlier before you installed and configured PVB

If you don’t use the same drive letter you assigned in WTG, PVB will have issues with the paths to the VMs



Done!

Questions?

Suggestions to make this process better?

Download the instructions at:

•http://burpee.smccme.edu/docs

Thanks…

•Howard Burpee, Professor of Computer Technology at SMCC – [email protected]

•Also, sole propietor of Indivdual Effort Technology Consulting – [email protected]

windows to go and portable virtualboxburpee.smccme.edu/onlinepowerpoints/wtgandpvb.pdf · windows...

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