Installing Windows Server 2022 onto a USB attached SATA SSD?

[HomeServerChap]

Hi All, in the process of building a new home server using a HPE Microserver Gen10 Plus. It has 4 internal bays which will be hosting a mix of 4-8TB SATA drives, however it doesn’t have any other internal SATA ports for additional hosting (like some of the older Microserver models).

I want the O/S to boot off an SSD and I’d rather not sacrifice one of the internal bays and loose a large amount of storage. I had considered a PCIe SATA adaptor but was hoping to keep the PCIe slot free for a possible transcoding GPU. I just thought USB 3.2 speeds even when limited with a SATA adaptor would still yield a considerable speed increase over hosting the O/S on one of the internal SATA drives.

Therefore would anyone know of any way to force a Windows Server install onto a SATA SSD attached via a USB 3.2 port?

Thanks.

 

[gregsachs]

I can't confirm that you can install windows on this, but this enclosure shows up as a usb scsi controller device, and the drive is passed through:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWRRMYX?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

(I was going to attach a screenshot, but the forum says no!)

 

[drdepasquale]

The easiest way to do this is to create a bootable Windows to Go drive using Rufus. This works well for clients, it should also work on Windows Server versions.

How to create a Windows to Go version of Windows 11

If you want to use a Portable OS, then create a Windows to Go version of Windows 11 with the help of Rufus and the steps mentioned here.

www.thewindowsclub.com

 

[HomeServerChap]

I can't confirm that you can install windows on this, but this enclosure shows up as a usb scsi controller device, and the drive is passed through:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWRRMYX?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

(I was going to attach a screenshot, but the forum says no!)

That's similar to what I've attempted, the drive shows up during the Window installation but when selecting leads the following error "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. Setup does not support configuration of or installation to disks connected through a USB or lEEE 1394 port.".

The easiest way to do this is to create a bootable Windows to Go drive using Rufus. This works well for clients, it should also work on Windows Server versions.

How to create a Windows to Go version of Windows 11

If you want to use a Portable OS, then create a Windows to Go version of Windows 11 with the help of Rufus and the steps mentioned here.

www.thewindowsclub.com

I'm not sure Windows to Go even supports Server Editions but I have confirmed a Windows to Go install can't access local disks so that rules out this option also.

I think I will have to go the route of an M.2 SSD on a PCIe card and drop the ideal of a GPU card for transcoding.

 

[drdepasquale]

That's similar to what I've attempted, the drive shows up during the Window installation but when selecting leads the following error "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. Setup does not support configuration of or installation to disks connected through a USB or lEEE 1394 port.".


I'm not sure Windows to Go even supports Server Editions but I have confirmed a Windows to Go install can't access local disks so that rules out this option also.

I think I will have to go the route of an M.2 SSD on a PCIe card and drop the ideal of a GPU card for transcoding.

This isn't the "Official" version of Windows to Go. This is a modified version prepared by Rufus, It might work.