I have a work PC that I want to use for personal reasons without disrupting the existing system. The user account doesn't have admin privileges, and I'd rather not mess with what's there. I considered swapping the HDD for my own, but the case is tough to disassemble since it's an OEM machine.
The alternative I found is to buy an SSD (an NVMe M.2) with a Type-C to USB 3.0 adapter. However, the USB port is black, which made me think it's USB 2.0, but after some research, it seems it's actually SuperSpeed USB (which is USB 3.0 or higher).
Now, I'm wondering whether I should install regular Windows 10 on the SSD (which I'd only use on this PC) or go with Windows To Go. I've heard that Windows To Go has bugs and compatibility issues, which concerns me. I'd also like to know if there could be any bottlenecks with this setup. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
Honestly, I'd suggest you just leave your work machine alone. There's a good chance you won't even be able to access the BIOS to change the boot order, especially if it's locked down. Better to avoid potential issues!
You really need to consider if this computer is stolen or not. If it's still registered with Intune, you could run into major problems trying to use it for personal purposes. Even if you replace the HDD, the device might re-enroll itself as a company property. If it’s legitimately yours, then just reinstall Windows on the existing drive—much simpler than messing with Windows To Go and dealing with bugs.
It's definitely not stolen, and I'm not looking to reinstall Windows. I just want a separate OS that I can use without impacting the work setup.
Why not just buy your own personal machine? It's probably less hassle than trying to make the work PC do something it wasn't meant for.
That's definitely a possibility, but I was hoping to save some money by using what I already have.
I actually managed to get into the BIOS without any issues, so I can change the boot order if needed.