We all need a reliable operating system to perform our daily work or perhaps in many situations we need to reinstall operating systems. Having a ready USB Flash drives with windows setup will always come in handy to quickly install windows.
Having USB Bootable disk is like a toolkit for your computer giving you ability to troubleshoot issues, reinstall your system, or just perform routine maintenance. In this article we will understand everything there is to know about creating bootable disks for Windows. We’ll break down the process step by step, so whether you’re a tech novice or a seasoned pro, you’ll feel confident in your ability to wield this powerful tool.
Introduction to Bootable Disk
A bootable disk, also known as a boot disk or startup disk, It is a removable media device that contains essential system files necessary to start a computer or to install fresh operating system on a computer. We can create this by using various software tools some tools even further provide you option to create multi-boot USB Drive.
Importance
Bootable disks act as very important tool in troubleshooting system issues, and running diagnostic tools. we can boot system independently of the installed operating system. Crucial for tasks such as system recovery, disk partitioning, and operating system installation.
Steps to create Bootable Flash disk
a) Selecting the Right USB Drive
Before creating a bootable disk, it’s essential to choose the appropriate USB drive. Consider the following factors:
Capacity
Before starting to create bootable drive please ensure your USB have sufficient storage space capacity to accommodate the operating system image and any additional files. A minimum of 8GB is recommended for most operating systems, but larger capacities like 16GB may be required for certain distributions.
b) Preparing the USB Drive
Before creating a bootable disk, it’s necessary to prepare the USB drive by formatting it and checking for errors. Format the USB drive using the appropriate file system for the operating system you plan to install. Most tools recommend using the FAT32 file system for maximum compatibility with various systems.
c) Downloading the Operating System Image
Next is downloading windows operating system, here it is recommended that you download or create ISO file from genuine sources or from company’s website just for security purpose to avoid any viruses, malwares in the downloaded file. so for this head over to Microsoft’s official website and download media creation tool and follow below steps
- Select Download tool, and select Run. You need to be an administrator to run this tool.
- On the License terms page, if you accept the license terms, select Accept.
- On the What do you want to do? page, select second option Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another pc, and then select Next.
- Select language of your choice.
- Next, on choose which media to use page select ISO file option and choose location to save file then click next.
after finishing the process of creating ISO file the next step is to write that image on USB drive.
d) Choosing the Appropriate Bootable Disk Creation Tool
This step is very important as there are lot of tools available for creating bootable disk from USB drives. Popular options include Rufus, Ultra ISO, UNetbootin, and Etcher and lot more. Compare the features, ease of use, and compatibility with operating system. choose the one that best suits your needs and preferences. Here we will be using Ultra ISO for creating disk.
e) Creating the Bootable Disk
- Go to Ultra ISO website and download free trial version of software.
- Download and install the software on your system, You need to be an administrator to install the software.
- After opening Ultra ISO click on menu > Bootable > Write Disk Image
- Insert your USB stick it will show up in software select it as target media.
- If your USB stick is not empty please click on format to format it.
- choose windows ISO image from its location on your disk.
- Finally click on write to create bootable disk.
f) Testing the Bootable Disk
After creating the bootable disk, it’s crucial to test it to ensure it functions as intended. Follow these steps:
Booting from USB Drive
Insert the bootable USB drive into the target computer and restart it. Access the boot menu or BIOS/UEFI settings to select the USB drive as the boot device. Follow the on-screen instructions to boot from the USB drive.
Verifying System Compatibility
Once booted, verify that the operating system installation or diagnostic tools function correctly. Ensure that all essential system components are recognized and functional.
Conclusion
Creating a bootable disk with a USB drive is a straightforward process that provides invaluable benefits to computer users. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure the successful creation of bootable disk.
Also check our article on Updating your system to Windows 11
