How to Bring SD Cards Online in a Windows To Go Workspace?

The removable disk is not working when booting via WinToUSB. The fixed disk was able to change from Offline to Online. However, the removable disk was not able to change from Offline to Online. It shows gray letters as the screen-capture when I click the right button of the mouse. I've tested it with many other computers and removable disks but results were same. Please check it out and let me know your opinion.

To prevent accidental data leaks, the host computer's SD cards remain offline by default when booting from a Windows To Go (WTG) USB drive created with the built-in Windows To Go Creation Wizard or Hasleo WinToUSB. This tutorial details how to bring SD cards online in a Windows To Go workspace using Disk Management.

cannot online SD card

 

Tutorial to Bring SD Cards Online in a Windows To Go Workspace.

Step 1. Boot Windows from the USB drive created by Hasleo WinToUSB.

Step 2. Run cmd.exe as a administrator.

Step 3. Run Diskpart at the command prompt
DISKPART>san
DISKPART>san policy=onlineall
DISKPART>list disk
DISKPART>select disk 2
DISKPART>attributes disk clear readonly
DISKPART>exit

Step 4. Eject the SD card from the card slot and reinsert it.

Step 5. Run Diskpart at the command prompt
DISKPART>list disk
DISKPART>select disk 2
DISKPART>online disk
DISKPART>exit

Note: Replace the disk number with your SD card's actual disk number. Following these steps, you can online SD cards in Windows To Go (WTG) workspace easily.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do SD cards stay offline in Windows To Go by default?

A: SD cards remain offline by default to prevent accidental data disclosure. This security measure protects data on removable storage devices when using Windows To Go on different computers.

Q: Why can't I online my SD card using Disk Management alone?

A: SD cards (removable media) require using diskpart with the 'san policy=onlineall' command to change the SAN policy. This allows Windows To Go to recognize and online removable disks.

Q: What is the SAN policy command for online SD cards?

A: Run 'san policy=onlineall' in diskpart to change the SAN policy to online all disks. Then use 'attributes disk clear readonly' and 'online disk' commands to bring the SD card online.

Q: Do I need to reinsert the SD card after running diskpart commands?

A: Yes, after changing the SAN policy and disk attributes, you need to eject and reinsert the SD card for Windows to detect it properly and allow online status.

Q: Will this method work for all SD cards in Windows To Go?

A: This method works for most SD cards. However, some very old or non-standard SD cards may not be supported. The key is to use diskpart with proper commands in administrator mode.