Having a USB disk with an operating system on it, such as Bootable macOS USB disk or Windows To Go can be useful for several reasons:
- Testing and troubleshooting: A USB disk with an operating system can be valuable for testing software, experimenting with new configurations, or troubleshooting issues on different machines. It allows you to have a controlled and consistent environment for such purposes without making changes to the host computer’s setup.
- Portability: With a USB disk containing an operating system, you can carry your personalized and familiar computing environment with you. This is particularly advantageous in scenarios where you need to use different computers but want to have your own operating system, applications, and files readily accessible.
- Security and privacy: By using a USB disk with an operating system, you can ensure that your personal data and computing activities remain isolated from the host computer. This can be beneficial in situations where you are using a public or shared computer, as your data is not stored on the computer itself, reducing the risk of data theft or unauthorized access.
- Convenience and familiarity: Having your own operating system environment on a USB disk allows you to work in a familiar setting, with your preferred applications, settings, and customizations. You don’t need to adapt to a different operating system or adjust to the configurations of each computer you use.
- Controlled and consistent environment: By using a USB disk with a pre-configured operating system, you can ensure a consistent computing experience across different computers. You can set up the operating system with specific security configurations, software installations, and system settings, providing a controlled and standardized environment for your work or personal use.
- Legacy or unsupported systems: In some cases, you may encounter a computer or device that does not have an operating system installed or is running an outdated or unsupported system. A USB disk with a modern operating system can provide a workaround, allowing you to boot the computer and utilize a more up-to-date and compatible environment.
- Data recovery or Operating System Repairs: In many cases you might find yourself in a situation that the operating system doesn’t boot or just crashes before you can get to desktop and copy your files before reinstalling the OS, so you can use the bootable USB disk to boot the system and copy your data or even fix the issue if possible.
Apple Computers
For Apple computers and macOS you don’t need any special tools to create the Bootable UBS disk, all you need to do is to install macOS on the USB disk as you do on the internal disk then you can boot your Mac from the USB disk and finish the installation and then install your applications.
Windows PCs
Windows To Go was a feature introduced by Microsoft in Windows 8 Enterprise and Windows 10 Enterprise editions. It allowed users to create a portable version of the Windows operating system that could be installed on and run from a USB flash drive or external hard drive.
The primary purpose of Windows To Go was to provide a fully functional and personalized Windows environment that could be easily carried around and used on different computers without the need to install Windows on each individual machine. It was particularly useful for enterprise scenarios, where employees needed to access their work environment on different computers or in situations where a secure and controlled operating system was required.
Windows To Go provided a secure and isolated environment by employing Windows’ BitLocker encryption and enforcing security policies. It also allowed users to install and run applications, save files, and customize their settings, just like a regular Windows installation.
However, it’s worth noting that Windows To Go has been deprecated by Microsoft. Beginning with Windows 10 version 1903, Microsoft announced that Windows To Go would no longer be supported due to the availability of alternative solutions, such as Windows 10 on ARM devices and the Windows Virtual Desktop service. As a result, Windows To Go is no longer included or officially supported in recent versions of Windows.
But you can use Rufu to create Windows Installer disks or Windows To Go disk free and easily.
It’s best if you use a USB disk with at least 32 GB of space or you can use any external hard disk drives that you might have lying around.
Just make sure you don’t have any data on them before formatting them.