How to Make a USB Bootable

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to reinstall your operating system but your computer didn’t have a CD/DVD drive? Or, maybe you just prefer the convenience of using a USB drive to install your OS. In either case, creating a USB bootable drive is easier than you might think. In this article, we’ll cover the basics of making a USB bootable drive in relaxed English, so even if you’re not a tech-savvy person, you’ll be able to create one in no time.

Before we dive into the steps, let’s first understand what a USB bootable drive is. Essentially, it’s a USB drive that contains the necessary files to install or repair your operating system. When you boot your computer from this USB drive, the operating system installer or repair tool will launch, allowing you to perform the necessary actions on your computer. Now, let’s get started with creating your very own USB bootable drive!

Preparing Your USB Drive

Making a USB drive bootable is easy, but you need to prepare the USB drive first. The following steps should be followed to prepare your USB drive for creating a bootable USB.

Step 1: Formatting USB Drive

Formatting the USB drive is the first and foremost step. This step will erase all the data on your USB drive, so it is important to save your data if any important files are stored in the USB drive. You need to format the USB drive by following the below steps:

1. Insert your USB drive into your computer.
2. Open “My Computer” or “This PC” on your desktop.
3. Right-click on the USB drive, and then select “Format.”
4. In the formatting menu, choose the file system and the allocation size.
5. Click “Start” to format the USB drive.

Step 2: Creating A Bootable Partition

Once the USB drive is formatted, you need to create a bootable partition. The partition helps your computer to recognize the USB drive as a bootable device. Follow the below steps to create a bootable partition:

1. Run “Command Prompt” as an administrator.
2. Type “diskpart” and hit enter to start the disk partitioning tool.
3. Type “list disk” to display all the disks attached to your computer.
4. Type “select disk #,” where # is the number of the USB drive.
5. Type “clean” to erase the current partition table on the selected disk.
6. Type “create partition primary” to create a new primary partition.
7. Type “select partition 1” to select the newly created partition.
8. Type “active” to make the partition active.
9. Type “format fs=ntfs quick” to format the partition with NTFS file system.

Step 3: Copying Bootable Files

After creating the bootable partition, the next step is to copy the bootable files to the USB drive. The following steps should be followed to copy the bootable files to your USB drive:

1. Download the ISO image of the operating system you’d like to install.
2. Right-click on the ISO file and select “Mount” to mount the image to a virtual drive.
3. Copy all the files from the virtual drive to the USB drive.

Step 4: Testing The Bootable USB Drive

Finally, you need to check whether your USB drive is bootable or not. Follow the below steps to install the operating system through your USB drive:

1. Insert the USB drive into the desired computer.
2. Restart the computer, and press the key to enter the boot menu.
3. Select the USB drive as the bootable device.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the operating system.

In conclusion, creating a bootable USB drive is a straightforward process. As long as you follow the above-mentioned steps carefully, you will have a successful result. So, whether you want to install Windows or Linux, follow these steps, and you’ll be good to go!

Preparing for the USB Boot Process

Now that you have gathered all the tools required for creating a bootable USB drive, it’s time to initiate the process. This section of the article is going to guide you through the steps of preparing for the USB boot process.

1. Choose the Correct Operating System Version

Before you begin the process, it is important to make sure that you have the correct operating system (OS) version’s iso file. If you intend to make a Windows bootable USB drive, make sure you have the correct version of Windows, such as Windows 10, Windows 7, etc. Similarly, if you want to make a bootable USB for Linux, make sure you have the correct version of the Linux distribution.

2. Verify the Authenticity of the Downloaded ISO File

Since the USB drive you are making will have complete access to your computer, it’s important to ensure that the OS you’re downloading and installing is legitimate and secure. Download the OS iso file from the official website to ensure authenticity. Additionally, verify the checksum of the downloaded ISO file using tools like HashTab or MD5summer.

3. Check the USB Drive Capacity and Format

You need a USB drive that has enough capacity to store the OS iso file. The recommended capacity for making a bootable USB drive varies between 4 GB and 16 GB, depending on the OS that you are installing. Also, ensure that the USB drive is properly formatted. The most preferred format for making a bootable USB is FAT32, but NTFS can also be used.

4. Back Up Important Data from the USB Drive

Before you begin the boot process, it’s crucial to back up all your important files. Creating a bootable USB drive requires formatting the drive, which will delete everything from it. So, ensure that you have backed up everything that you need.

5. Unplug all External Drives and Devices

It’s a good practice to unplug all external drives, including external hard drives, optical disk drives, memory cards, and USB sticks, before booting from the USB drive. This ensures that the USB drive gets the first preference for the boot process, preventing any complications during the process.

6. Connect the USB Drive to your Computer

Insert the USB drive into your computer’s USB port. Ensure that the USB port is properly functioning to avoid any errors during the booting process. If you are using a desktop PC, use the USB port that is located at the back of the computer, as the front ports may not provide enough power to the USB drive.

7. Restart your Computer and Enter BIOS Settings

Restart your computer and enter the BIOS settings by pressing the specific key combination on your keyboard, depending on the manufacturer’s instructions. Generally, the F2, F8, F10, or Del key works to enter the BIOS settings. In the BIOS settings, select the ‘Boot Order’ menu and change the boot order priority, placing the USB drive at the top of the list.

8. Save Changes and Exit BIOS Settings

After changing the BIOS settings, ensure that you save the changes made and exit the BIOS settings by pressing the ‘F10’ key or selecting the Save and Exit option.

9. Initiate the Booting Process from the USB Drive

Once your computer restarts, it will recognize the USB drive as the booting source and start booting from it. If everything goes fine, the installation process will start, and you can proceed with following the on-screen instructions.

10. Troubleshoot Booting Errors

If your computer is not booting from the USB drive, it can be due to several reasons such as a faulty USB port, corrupt ISO file, a problem with the boot order, etc. Check out how to troubleshoot these errors from online forums, YouTube videos, or the official website of the OS you are trying to install.

In conclusion, by following the above listed preparatory steps, you can successfully initiate the booting process and start installing your preferred operating system on your computer.

Methods to Create a USB Bootable in Windows

There are different techniques to create a USB bootable in Windows, and we will explore them for you in this section.

Method 1: Use the Command Prompt

Method 2: Use Rufus

Rufus is a popular open-source utility that allows users to create bootable USB drives easily. Follow these steps to create a USB bootable using Rufus:

Method 3: Use PowerISO

PowerISO is another utility that can be used to create bootable USB drives. Follow these steps to use PowerISO:

Method 4: Use UNetbootin

UNetbootin is a free and open-source utility that can create bootable USB drives for various operating systems. Follow these steps to use UNetbootin:

That’s it!

You’ve just learned how to make a USB bootable drive! By following this tutorial, you can now create a bootable USB drive quickly and easily, and without any struggle. We hope that this guide was valuable and helpful to you. If you enjoyed reading this article, don’t forget to share it with your friends and loved ones who are also interested in making a bootable USB drive. We appreciate your time and interest in our website. Thank you for reading and come back for more exciting articles in the future!