Windows 8 Portable Workspace Allows Running Windows Off USB

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Linux has had OS installations that reside on USB thumb drives for a while now, and it seems that Microsoft is going to be making Windows 8 able to do the same trick. The early copy of Windows 8 that was leaked earlier this week gave an early glimpse at a feature called "Portable Workspace Creator." The feature is described as: "Portable Workspace is a Windows feature that allows you to run Windows from a USB storage device."

This new feature requires at least 16GB of space to make a Portable Workspace. It also lists a requirement of having access to Windows 8 Enterprise Edition installation files, so this could be a feature made for business IT and not just for personal users. Perhaps Microsoft is restricting it somehow over concerns of casual piracy.

It’s not yet clear exactly how Portable Workspaces work once created. The 16GB limitation could also indicate a minimum HDD space for Windows 8 across the board. One thing that is clear from the latest leaks is that Microsoft is working hard to add a number of exciting new features to Windows, making its next-generation operating system an exciting affair.

It's important to bear in mind that Microsoft often shows off features in early beta releases that do not make the final cut. There's no doubt that Portable Workspace Creator is a handy feature to have, but at this time there's no confirmation about whether it will available only to Windows 8 Enterprise users.