This is the Universal Write Filter (UWF) which descended from the earlier Enhanced Write Filter (EWF) in Windows Embedded.
Basically Windows runs like normal (i.e. from your Windows folder on the drive it is installed on), but any time there would normally be a need to write to the drive (for updating settings, files or whatever) the writes are directed to the RAM instead, so writes can be discarded as desired upon reboot for Windows to return to the reference state.
The UWF can be combined with Windows Kiosk Mode and it can be a foundation for a pretty well-mangaged stand-alone (or networked) desktop.
Alternatively, with a Linux Live desktop like you get when booted to a Linux Live "install" USB stick (without Linux actually being installed on HDD or SSD), the OS and entire file system itself runs from memory, and any updates or apps you install are also in memory only unless you enable "persistence", otherwise there are no routine writes to the USB drive and it reboots to the same reference defaults every time.
Good suggestion.
This is the Universal Write Filter (UWF) which descended from the earlier Enhanced Write Filter (EWF) in Windows Embedded.
Basically Windows runs like normal (i.e. from your Windows folder on the drive it is installed on), but any time there would normally be a need to write to the drive (for updating settings, files or whatever) the writes are directed to the RAM instead, so writes can be discarded as desired upon reboot for Windows to return to the reference state.
The UWF can be combined with Windows Kiosk Mode and it can be a foundation for a pretty well-mangaged stand-alone (or networked) desktop.
Alternatively, with a Linux Live desktop like you get when booted to a Linux Live "install" USB stick (without Linux actually being installed on HDD or SSD), the OS and entire file system itself runs from memory, and any updates or apps you install are also in memory only unless you enable "persistence", otherwise there are no routine writes to the USB drive and it reboots to the same reference defaults every time.