Solved Window to Go on my Mini PC?


S

SteveL

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OS
Windows 11 Pro
Why would my Mini PC think my OS is "Windows to Go" when what I have is a Mini PC with a 1 TB SSD holding Win 11 Pro and two external HDDs?
 
Windows Build/Version
build 22000.2538, Version 21H2, installed on 4/9/2024

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 ProIntel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron16 GBIntel UHD Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
CyberGeek Nano A1 miniPC
CPU
Intel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel UHD Graphics
Hard Drives
1TB PCle SSD
Post screenshot of Winver command.
 

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OS
Windows 11
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PC/Desktop
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HP Pavilion
CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Motherboard
Erica6
Memory
Micron Technology DDR4-3200 16GB
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
Sound Card
Realtek ALC671
Monitor(s) Displays
Samsung SyncMaster U28E590
Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160
Hard Drives
SAMSUNG MZVLQ1T0HALB-000H1
I've seen this issue before and it was due to the PortableOperatingSystem value being set to 0x1. You may want to check that it exists using the following from command prompt:

Code: 
reg query HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control /v PortableOperatingSystem
 

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Windows 11, Windows 10, Linux Fedora Cinnamon
OS
Windows 11, Windows 10, Linux Fedora Cinnamon
x BlueRobot said:
I've seen this issue before and it was due to the PortableOperatingSystem value being set to 0x1. You may want to check that it exists using the following from command prompt:

Code: 
reg query HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control /v PortableOperatingSystem
Click to expand...
just delete the reg key -- reboot and then "Alles in Ordnung"

Cheers
jimbo
 

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Windows XP,11 Linux Fedora Rawhide pre-releas...2 X Intel i7
OS
Windows XP,11 Linux Fedora Rawhide pre-release 45
Computer type
PC/Desktop
CPU
2 X Intel i7
Screen Resolution
4KUHD X 2
This is what I get for the standard Released version of Win11:
1715099857828.png
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro RTM Version 24H2 Build 26100.4202Intel Core i5 11th Gen. 2.40GHz12GB
    OS
    Win11 Pro RTM Version 24H2 Build 26100.4202
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Vostro 3400
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 11th Gen. 2.40GHz
    Memory
    12GB
    Hard Drives
    256GB SSD NVMe M.2

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro RTM Version 24H2 Build 26100.4202Intel Core i5 10th Gen. 2.90GHz16GBOnboard, no VGA, using a DisplayPort-to-VGA a...
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    Win11 Pro RTM Version 24H2 Build 26100.4202
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Vostro 5890
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 10th Gen. 2.90GHz
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SteveL,

Do not delete any Registry Keys. That advice was incorrect.
jimbo45 said:
just delete the reg key
Click to expand...
That Key also contains several other important entries.
I suspect that he meant to refer to the relevant entry within that Registry Key rather than the Key itself.


Check the Registry Key mentioned by x BlueRobot
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
to see if it has an entry called
PortableOperatingSystem
and, if so, state what its Data column entry is.
I suspect that the Key exists in all systems but the entry PortableOperatingSystem only exists in systems that Windows believes are WTG.

Mine is not WTG.
Mine is not WTG.png


All the best,
Denis
 
Last edited:

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Home x64 Version 25H2 Build 26200....
OS
Windows 11 Home x64 Version 25H2 Build 26200.8037

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 ProIntel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron16 GBIntel UHD Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
CyberGeek Nano A1 miniPC
CPU
Intel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel UHD Graphics
Hard Drives
1TB PCle SSD
x BlueRobot said:
I've seen this issue before and it was due to the PortableOperatingSystem value being set to 0x1. You may want to check that it exists using the following from command prompt:

Code: 
reg query HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control /v PortableOperatingSystem
Click to expand...
I ran this command prompt, and the response ended with 0x1
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 ProIntel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron16 GBIntel UHD Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
CyberGeek Nano A1 miniPC
CPU
Intel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel UHD Graphics
Hard Drives
1TB PCle SSD
Try3 said:
SteveL,

Do not delete any Registry Keys. That advice was incorrect.

That Key also contains several other important entries.
I suspect that he meant to refer to the relevant entry within that Registry Key rather than the Key itself.


Check the Registry Key mentioned by x BlueRobot
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
to see if it has an entry called
PortableOperatingSystem
and, if so, state what its Data column entry is.
I suspect that the Key exists in all system but the entry PortableOperatingSystem only exists in systems that Windows believes are WTG.

Mine is not WTG.
View attachment 95549


All the best,
Denis
Click to expand...
Mine shows PortableOperatingSystem ...
1715105561451.png
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 ProIntel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron16 GBIntel UHD Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
CyberGeek Nano A1 miniPC
CPU
Intel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel UHD Graphics
Hard Drives
1TB PCle SSD

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11, Windows 10, Linux Fedora Cinnamon
OS
Windows 11, Windows 10, Linux Fedora Cinnamon
SteveL said:
Mine shows PortableOperatingSystem ...
View attachment 95561
Click to expand...
And I'll admit I don't quite know what to do now. I have a long-standing aversion to messing around with the Registry, as if it is some almighty God of the computer and one tiny deletion or change can cause it to explode! I'm kinda nerdy but not so much as to be comfortable with Registry editing.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 ProIntel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron16 GBIntel UHD Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
CyberGeek Nano A1 miniPC
CPU
Intel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel UHD Graphics
Hard Drives
1TB PCle SSD
SteveL said:
And I'll admit I don't quite know what to do now.
Click to expand...
The "reg add" command which I suggested will resolve the issue for you. You'll need to reboot the system for the change to take effect. I've also found the original Microsoft support article which describes the issue as well for you.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11, Windows 10, Linux Fedora Cinnamon
OS
Windows 11, Windows 10, Linux Fedora Cinnamon
x BlueRobot said:
You can either delete that particular value or use the following command from command prompt:

Code: 
reg add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control /v PortableOperatingSystem /t REG_DWORD /d 0

Source: Multiple operations fail if Windows 8 is improperly identified as a Windows To Go installation - Windows Client
Click to expand...
Help me understand what this command prompt does: I think it says ... go to that particular line of my mini's Registry that says PortableOperatingSystem, then go to the end of the line and delete the number "0". Is that right?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 ProIntel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron16 GBIntel UHD Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
CyberGeek Nano A1 miniPC
CPU
Intel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel UHD Graphics
Hard Drives
1TB PCle SSD
SteveL said:
Help me understand what this command prompt does: I think it says ... go to that particular line of my mini's Registry that says PortableOperatingSystem, then go to the end of the line and delete the number "0". Is that right?
Click to expand...
Thanks much, BlueRobot. I did the command prompt gambit, rebooted, and lo and behold the Registry entry with PortableOperatingSysterm shows 0x00000000 (0). Also thanks to others who responded to me earlier. I appreciate it all.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 ProIntel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron16 GBIntel UHD Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
CyberGeek Nano A1 miniPC
CPU
Intel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel UHD Graphics
Hard Drives
1TB PCle SSD
SteveL said:
Is that right?
Click to expand...
Sort of, it changes the value data of the registry value PortableOperatingSystem which is located at HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control to 0. It was originally set to 0x1.

If your issue is resolved, could you please mark this thread as solved so others with a similar problem will know that this thread has a solution?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11, Windows 10, Linux Fedora Cinnamon
OS
Windows 11, Windows 10, Linux Fedora Cinnamon
SteveL said:
Why would my Mini PC think my OS is "Windows to Go"
Click to expand...
Steve,

Out of interest, why did you think that your computer thought it was running WTG? How / Where did that show up?


Denis
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Home x64 Version 25H2 Build 26200....
OS
Windows 11 Home x64 Version 25H2 Build 26200.8037
Try3 said:
Steve,

Out of interest, why did you think that your computer thought it was running WTG? How / Where did that show up?


Denis
Click to expand...
I can't recreate it now, since the registry setting was successfully changed. But here's what I recall: after the mini would go to sleep (or I would turn it off) and then later restart or reboot, sometimes there would be a rectangular popup box that said I shouldn't take a USB drive out of the computer while asleep as it confused the WIndows To Go. (I have two USB cables plugged into the back of the mini: one to a box with two external HDDs --usually turned off -- and one to a USB hub with keyboard, printer, webcam, etc. plugged in. No USB cables or drives were removed after shutdowns, so I was confused.) I would routinely close that popup box and nothing bad happened. But the WTG reference sent naive me down the rabbit hole in trying to find out what it was talking about. For a while, I thought the external HDDs had something to do with it, as it may have been that the box was live when the computer shut down, and then the box itself later went to sleep, thus tricking the mini into thinking a USB drive had been removed. I was about to try just unplugging the HDD box for a while to see if that revealed what the problem was. But I'm guessing the problem is now fixed through the registry edit.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 ProIntel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron16 GBIntel UHD Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
CyberGeek Nano A1 miniPC
CPU
Intel Alder Lake N100 3.4 GHz Celeron
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel UHD Graphics
Hard Drives
1TB PCle SSD
SteveL said:
a rectangular popup box that said I shouldn't take a USB drive out
Click to expand...
Oh, right. I recognise that description from my own WTG experiments.

Thanks,
Denis
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Home x64 Version 25H2 Build 26200....
OS
Windows 11 Home x64 Version 25H2 Build 26200.8037
Try3 said:
SteveL,

Do not delete any Registry Keys. That advice was incorrect.

That Key also contains several other important entries.
I suspect that he meant to refer to the relevant entry within that Registry Key rather than the Key itself.


Check the Registry Key mentioned by x BlueRobot
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
to see if it has an entry called
PortableOperatingSystem
and, if so, state what its Data column entry is.
I suspect that the Key exists in all systems but the entry PortableOperatingSystem only exists in systems that Windows believes are WTG.

Mine is not WTG.
View attachment 95549


All the best,
Denis
Click to expand...
Hi there
perhaps I wrote it badly --the key I meant deleting (or changing to '0') was just the portable OS key not the control key of course.

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows XP,11 Linux Fedora Rawhide pre-releas...2 X Intel i7
OS
Windows XP,11 Linux Fedora Rawhide pre-release 45
Computer type
PC/Desktop
CPU
2 X Intel i7
Screen Resolution
4KUHD X 2
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