Run Windows 11 from USB on VHDx

Easily Run Windows 11 from USB, fully contained inside a Virtual Hard Disk (VHDx) image file. The following process enables you to take a full installation of Windows 11 with you on a flash drive, and then Boot Windows from USB at any computer.

The resulting Windows USB install bypasses Microsoft Windows TPM, CPU, RAM, and storage requirements, so it should be bootable from most modern computers even if they don’t meet those minimum requirements. The entire installation is stored within a dynamic .vhdx image file stored on an exFAT formatted USB device. This enables you to also store and boot other distributions and system tools while continuing to use your removable drive for traditional storage purposes.

How to Install Boot and Run Windows 11 from USB

To boot Windows from USB flash drive we will be using a streamlined, minimal and optimized build of Windows 11 offered by Phoenix LiteOS : Windows X-Lite. We will use YUMI exFAT  to automate the VHD file creation and Windows to USB installation processes.

  1. First, download the YUMI exFAT Multiboot USB Creator.
  2. Step 1: select your USB flash drive from the list, and prepare the drive.
    Step 2: Select Phoenix LiteOS or X-Lite from the distribution drop list (download the ISO).
    Step 3: Browse to and select your downloaded Phoenix LiteOS Windows 11 based ISO file.
    put Win 11 on USB using YUMI exFAT
  3. Click Create.
  4. Once finished reboot your PC, set your System boot menu to boot from the USB device.
  5. From the YUMI menu, navigate to the Windows On VHD option.
    Windows On VHD menu option
    Next, select your Phoenix LiteOS Windows 11 vhdx file.
    Boot Windows 11 Pro from USB
  6. If all goes well, your computer should now be preparing Windows for its first boot from the applied image. This can take some time, and your PC will restart once or twice before finally booting into Windows 11 from the USB. When this happens, you’ll be dropped back to the boot menu, so be prepared to select and boot from the file a couple of times.

Windows 11 running on USB from a VHDx image

Here is Phoenix LiteOS Windows 11 Pro Plus running entirely from a self contained dynamically expandable VHD Image file on the YUMI exFAT formatted USB.

Boot Windows from USB
And that’s How to Install Boot and Run Windows 11 from USB. Windows will run from the self contained VHDx (Dynamic Virtual Hard Disk) file on the flash drive.