I also "pack" a pocket size USB powered only 1TB Seagate Expansion around a lot. Had so many read/writes it bogs down at times though Probably going to replace the mechanical drive with a SSD soon.
I'm sort of odd in that I like the best but at the lowest price. Which in tech is usually the holy grail (wishful thinking). Still, I got my enterprise grade 2TB HDD for only $50.
u your not going to see that for at least another year and bit more....1 tb still runs u for around $350
I think this topic has gotten away. So let me ask the question again. If I get a 16GB USB 3.0 flash drive and create a 4GB and a 12GB partition. Will apps like Rufus respect the partition and only format the 4GB side and leave everything stored on the 12GB side alone?
Technically you won't be able to make multiple partitions with a standard USB Key. You would need a "Windows to Go" ready USB Key which is configured as a Fixed Disk...
You can use a third-party partitioning tool to make multiple partitions with a standard USB Key, but Windows will recognize only the first partition. This means that even if you create a multi-partitioned usb flash drive, Windows will not mount the other volumes or assign drive letters to them, in fact that Windows completely unable to access these partitions. Windows To Go Certified Drive is good, but a bit pricey.
Years ago I'd found a .RU site that had a collection/database of firmware & update tools for different USB Keys. Toggling 1 bit made the key seen as fixed disk. Can't find that site now...
I tend to run those in a VM with passed-through USB. Given the facts that this sort of software generally needs to run with administrative privileges and that you're not able to verify authenticity (since they're not distributed publicly by manufacturers) you should watch out. Speaking from first-hand experience here.
Thanks. Now please tell me this sort of malware sits at Windows level, not firmware level (USB drive firmware)
While it's "possible" It's definitely not worth the trouble. A better idea is to make a folder with the other programs and just move it to Your desktop and then moving it back. As posted, Windows will only see one partition at a time on a removable drive, so You'd have to use a program like BOOICE to Repeatedly deactivate one partition and activate the other. Gets to be a Pain really fast.
Just a question.... If you use WIn2go or Win2USB (what ever Windows 10 built in is called)... with Windows 10.... Assuming I have a fairly fast USB 3.0 drive. How well does it run ? If I setup a OS with applications like office and some 3rd party apps, Do they all get dumpped to the USB drive for Win2go ? Does it re-sync when you change the desktop OS and apps or edit a file ? Does the feature come with WIndows 10 Pro, or is just the Enterprise version ? Booting, I assume you just boot off the drive to run it. Does it require 2-3 reboots before it runs, or does it just boot and run on ANY PC (assuming USB 3.0 drive and fairly modern hardware) ? Will it run on systems with USB 2.0 ? How about a VMware player ? I normally keep a copy of VMware player with a VM on Windows 7 on a Very fast USB 3.0 256gb drive....I get to a PC, I do a quick install of Vmware player, then load my VM. Would love a quicker way to provide the same type of results. I use 32bit as it seems to run a little better with less overhead/space used on the USB drive.