Windows to Go for Windows 8 or Windows 8 Server (boot from USB)

I wanted to play around with Hyper-V on my laptop but didn't want to wipe Windows 7 to do it and I wasn't about to dual-boot.

Enter a cool new feature from the windows 8 family - "Windows to Go" .  Windows to Go allows you to install the Windows 8 family onto, that's right not from, a USB stick.

This process is the same for either Windows 8 (client) or Windows 8 Server

Tools used:

• Most others say that you have to download Windows AIK (1.8gb) just to make use of imagex.exe but I have spoken about gimagex.exe before.  It's just a GUI wrapper for imagex and works well if you don't really like to memorize a bunch of command lines to image systems and it's FREE!
• Either Windows 8 Consumer Edition ISO or Windows 8 Beta
• A tool like WinRar to extract the files from the ISO
• diskpart.exe

Hardware Required:

• At least a 16Gb usb thumb drive.  You are going to want to purchase a usb 3.0 drive if you have the slots available as this is booting windows from the USB key.

Steps:

1. Open command prompt and enter the following commands
1. List Disk - This will show you a list of the physical disks that you have plugged into your computer.  Make note of the number that is your USB key
2. Sel Disk 1 - where 1 is your USB stick
3. Clean - wipes the drive out
4. Create Partition Primary
5. format fs=ntfs quick label=Win2Go
6. active
7. assign
8. exit
2. Extract the Windows 8 ISO to c:\extracted\win8 (or wherever you are comfortable with)
3. Open gimagex.exe
4. Select the Apply tab at the top
5. Select the install.wim file from the extracted ISO - ie. c:\extracted\win8\sources\install.wim as the Source
6. Select the drive letter of your freshly formatted USB key as the Destination
7. Click Apply and wait :) 
1. 
   
8. Once gimagex Apply reaches 100% open a command prompt and enter the following command:
1. bcdboot f:\windows /s f:  - where f: is your usb key

That's it, your done!  Boot your computer off of your usb key and let setup complete.