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Instructions for creating a bootable USB flash drive on Windows. How to Create a Bootable USB Using Rufus

As sad as it may be for many, the era of CD/DVDs is slowly but surely coming to an end... Today, users are increasingly thinking about having an emergency bootable USB flash drive in case they suddenly have to reinstall the system.

And the point here is not only to pay tribute to fashion. The OS is installed faster from a flash drive than from a disk; such a flash drive can be used on a computer that does not have a CD/DVD drive (and all modern computers have USB), and you shouldn’t forget about the ease of transfer: a flash drive can easily fit into any pocket, unlike a disk.

1. What is needed to create a bootable USB flash drive?

1) The most important thing is a flash drive. For Windows 7, 8 OS, you will need a flash drive with a size of at least 4 GB, preferably 8 (some images may not fit into 4 GB).

2) An image of a Windows boot disk, most often an ISO file. If you have an installation disk, you can create such a file yourself. It is enough to use the program Clone CD, Alcohol 120%, UltraISO and others (see how to do this).

3) One of the programs for writing an image to a flash drive (they will be discussed below).

Important point! If your PC (netbook, laptop) has, in addition to USB 2.0, also USB 3.0, connect the flash drive to the USB 2.0 port during installation. This applies primarily to Windows 7 (and lower) operating systems, because... These OS do not support USB 3.0! The installation attempt will end with an OS error stating that it is impossible to read data from such media. By the way, they are quite easy to recognize, USB 3.0 is shown in blue, the connectors for it are the same color.

usb 3.0 on laptop

And one more thing... Make sure your Bios supports booting from USB media. If your PC is modern, then it should definitely have this function. For example, my old home computer, bought back in 2003. can boot from USB. How configure Bios to boot from a flash drive - .

2. Utilities for burning a bootable ISO disk to a USB flash drive

2.1 WinToFlash

I would like to focus on this utility mainly because it allows you to burn bootable flash drives with Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8. Probably the most universal! You can read about other functions and capabilities on the official website. Here I would like to look at how you can create a flash drive for installing the OS.

After launching the utility, by default, the wizard starts (see screenshot below). To proceed to creating a bootable USB flash drive, click on the green checkmark in the center.

The process of transferring Windows system files usually takes 5-10 minutes. At this time, it is better not to load your PC with unnecessary resource-intensive processes.

If the recording was successful, the wizard will notify you about this. To start the installation, you need to insert the USB flash drive and restart the computer.

One of the best programs for working with ISO images. It is possible to compress these images, create, unpack, etc. There are also functions for recording boot disks and flash drives (hard drives).

This program was mentioned quite often on the site, so here I will give only a couple of links:

2.3 USB/DVD Download Tool

A lightweight utility that allows you to burn flash drives with Windows 7 and 8. The only negative, perhaps, is that when writing, it may give an error of 4 GB. The flash drive supposedly doesn't have enough space. Although there is enough space for other utilities, on the same flash drive, with the same image...

By the way, the issue of recording a bootable USB flash drive in this utility for Windows 8 was considered.

2.4 WinToBootic

Website: http://www.wintobootic.com/

A very simple utility that will help you quickly and worry-free create a bootable USB drive with Windows Vista/7/8/2008/2012. The program takes up very little space - less than 1 MB.

At the first launch, it required Net Framework 3.5 installed; not everyone has such a package, and downloading and installing it is not a quick task...

But the process of creating bootable media is very fast and pleasant. First, insert the flash drive into the USB, then launch the utility. Now click on the green arrow and indicate the location of the image with the Windows installation disk. The program can directly record from an ISO image.

2.5 WinSetupFromUSB

A simple and main free program. With it you can quickly create bootable media. By the way, what’s interesting is that a flash drive can accommodate not only Windows OS, but also Gparted, SisLinux, a built-in virtual machine, etc.

To start creating a bootable USB flash drive, run the utility. By the way, please note that there is a special add-on for the x64 version!

Once launched you only need to specify 2 things:

  1. First, indicate the flash drive on which the recording will be made. Usually, it is determined automatically. By the way, under the line with the flash drive there is a checkbox: “Auto Format” - it is recommended to check the box and not touch anything else.
  2. In the “Add USB dick” section, select the line with the required OS and check the box. Next, indicate the location on your hard drive where the image with this ISO OS is located.
  3. The last thing you do is click on the “GO” button.

By the way! The program may behave as if it is frozen while recording. In fact, most often it works, just do not touch the PC for about 10 minutes. You can also pay attention to the lower part of the program window: messages about the recording process appear on the left and a green stripe is visible...

3. Conclusion

In this article, we looked at several ways to create bootable USB flash drives. A few tips when writing such flash drives:

  1. First of all, copy all the files from the media, in case you need something later. During recording, all information from the flash drive will be deleted!
  2. Do not load your computer with other processes during the recording process.
  3. Wait for a successful information message from the utilities with which you work with the flash drive.
  4. Disable antivirus software before creating bootable media.
  5. Do not edit the installation files on the flash drive after burning it.

That's all, happy OS installation everyone!

It's no secret that USB drives are the most convenient when creating boot devices. And, even despite the fact that DVD/CD discs maintain a favorable distance for themselves in terms of operating speed, flash drives, in turn, have a number of significant advantages that are hard to argue with.

What advantages are we talking about?

  • Installing a Flash drive on a PC without a built-in DVD drive.
  • Large amount of memory.
  • Ability to quickly change content.
  • In terms of dimensions, flash drives are much more compact than DVDs.

In this article we will look at the process of creating a bootable USB flash drive using such a wonderful tool as Rufus. Using it and the settings preinstalled in it, you can easily install the operating system on a new PC without errors.

How to create a bootable USB flash drive using Rufus?

Requirements for effective work

  • Installed Rufus software.
  • ISO file of the operating system you need.
  • A USB device with a capacity of at least 4 GB for Linux and 8 GB for Windows.

Download RUFUS from the official website

Rufus is free software for creating bootable media. You can download it from the official website by clicking on the link below:

Useful articles


Scroll down the page and download the version that suits you: installation or portable.

Create bootable media

Rufus does not require any pre-installation, so you can simply run the executable file.

Before you start working directly, connect a Flash drive to your computer and run the program as administrator.

If the media is installed and working correctly, Rufus will automatically detect the drive and display it. If you have installed multiple devices, select the one you want from the drop-down menu “ Device”.

Now you need to select a download method. Rufus suggests choosing one of the following types:

  • Disc or ISO image.
  • FreeDOS.
  • Non-bootable image.

Click Start and wait for the installation process to complete.

Typically, the preset settings always work correctly and help you set up any bootable USB drive without any hassle. However, for those of you who would like to understand the nuances, we will look at the issue in more detail.

There are two low-level operating system startup programs − UEFI And BIOS.

Since the second one is already becoming obsolete, new devices come with support for a newer version of UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). It is much more efficient than its predecessor, BIOS, so it is likely that the world of computer technology will soon completely abandon outdated standards.

Creating a bootable Windows 10 USB flash drive with UEFI

  • Section layout: GPT.
  • Target system: UEFI (non-CSM).
  • File system: FAT32.
  • Quick formatting.

Creating a bootable Windows 10 USB flash drive with an outdated BIOS

  • Section layout: MBR.
  • Target system: BIOS or UEFI-CSM.
  • File system: NTFS.
  • Cluster size: 8192 (default).

IN advanced formatting options check the first two parameters:

  • Quick formatting.
  • Create an extended label and device icon.

The main difference between creating a bootable Windows flash drive and Linux is that when using Linux, Rufus first will check for an update to the Syslinux/GRUB files.

Consequently, a pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the update or refuse it. If you refuse, the application will simply use its own resources.

Possible Rufus errors

Unfortunately, there are no programs that could work throughout the entire history of their existence without errors. Below we will look at the most basic ones and tell you how to fix them.

Error: The device is not ready.

In most cases, when this error occurs, it indicates a hardware issue that is preventing the USB drive from connecting properly. It appears if the device was automatically turned off or the formatting process failed.

If you happen to encounter this error, use the following instructions:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

2. Enter the command mountvol /e and press Enter.

An error occurs 0x00000015 perhaps for another, more rare reason - a bad USB connection. Therefore, using an external USB 3.0 Hi-Speed ​​cable or connector is strongly discouraged.

Device eliminated because it appears to contain no media.

If you encounter this error, try using a different USB device. It informs you that the drive you selected can no longer overwrite data (has failed).

Error Access is denied.

This error appears when Rufus conflicts with other third-party software. Make sure your antivirus is not blocking the installation application process.

Moreover, if you are the owner of the Windows 10 operating system, it is likely that the culprit for the error is 0x00000005 may be a function Controlled Folder Access.

The essence of its work is that it prohibits programs from writing data to disks on which it is not installed.

To disable the option Controlled Folder Access, use the following instructions:

1. Open Start menu > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security.

2. Open Windows Defender Security Center.

3. Go to section Protection against viruses and threats.

4. Open Antivirus and other threat protection settings.

5. Go to parameter Managing controlled access to files.

6. Disable the feature.

Now you are guaranteed to create a bootable USB flash drive, avoiding any possible errors!
We hope you found the article useful and helped you create a bootable USB drive correctly.

Today, more and more netbooks and laptops are being produced that do not have a CD drive. Windows 10 or a previous version of this operating system pre-installed on your computer may crash and freeze over time. If restoring it and other methods do not help, the system will have to be reinstalled. Since netbooks do not have a disk drive, to reinstall Windows you will have to make a bootable USB flash drive.

But even some owners of desktop PCs prefer to install the OS not from a disk, but from removable media, since it is easier to store and move it this way. You can write an operating system image to a flash drive using a convenient utility. Ultra ISO. This instruction will help you create such an image.

Preparing an image for recording via UltraISO

First, we need to download the Windows 10 ISO image. This can be done using the official website. To do this, follow the link: https://www.microsoft.com/ru-RU/software-download/windows10. If you are not satisfied with version 10 of the system, but need an earlier one, for example XP, 7 or 8, then find and download the appropriate image via the Internet.

To make a bootable USB flash drive, use only licensed, clean software and do not download various modified versions, since, subsequently, problems often arise with them when transferring system files and subsequent installation.

If you have Windows XP, 7, 8 or 10 downloaded, the next step is to install and run the UltraISO program (by the way, you can use it for free for a month). In the working window of the program, click the open button, it is highlighted with a red square in the screenshot:

The appropriate tool for creating a bootable USB flash drive will be launched, and the image of the selected OS (XP, 7, 8 or 10) will open at the top of the program. You will see a list of system installation files and folders.

Preparing and burning an image to a USB drive via UltraISO

To create a bootable USB flash drive, you must insert it into a USB port. It is worth noting that removable media must have a memory capacity of at least 4 GB. For Windows XP, you can use a flash drive with a capacity of at least 2 GB. To successfully create an image, the USB drive must be formatted in FAT32. This can be done through the system: in the folder " My computer"Right-click on the device and click " Format" In the settings, check the FAT32 box.

All necessary information, if there is any on the flash drive, must be saved in the hard drive memory, since formatting deletes all existing files. This operation can also be carried out later through a special window for recording and creating UltraISO.

If the USB drive is ready and inserted into the port, you can proceed to the next step. In the UltraISO window, select the command "" → " from the menu Burn a Hard Disk Image...».

A window will open for recording a hard drive, in which you need to select our USB drive (check under which letter of the Latin alphabet it is marked in the folder “ My computer"). Here you can also format the flash drive if you have not done so previously. Click the Burn button to burn the ISO image. Next, you will be warned that all information will be deleted. Click Yes. Next, the process of unpacking and copying files begins. We wait until the download finishes. Here you can see the approximate remaining time and recording speed, which will depend on the power of the computer.

After the notification that the recording is complete, you can close UltraISO and check for the presence of the image on the USB drive. The number of files will vary depending on the system. Thus, Windows XP takes up less memory and therefore has fewer files.

Then you can use the bootable USB flash drive at your discretion. It is ready to be installed on your computers. To do this, you need to launch from it on the desired device and then follow the prompts. If you have never installed Windows using a bootable USB flash drive before, read about how to do it.

As mentioned earlier, this ISO burning instruction can be used for any OS. It is best to have a bootable USB flash drive so that if the system fails, you can use it. Please note that the article provides 5 ways to create a bootable device from an ISO file.

Video on the topic

Since almost no one uses CDs and DVDs these days, it is logical that it is best to burn the Windows image for further installation onto a USB drive. This approach is indeed much more convenient, because the flash drive itself is much smaller and is very convenient to store in your pocket. Therefore, we will analyze all the most efficient methods for creating bootable media for further installation of Windows.

For reference: creating bootable media means that an operating system image is written to it. From this very drive, the OS is subsequently installed on the computer. Previously, when reinstalling the system, we inserted a disk into the computer and installed it from it. Now you can use a regular USB drive for this.

To do this, you can use proprietary Microsoft software, the already installed operating system itself, or other programs. In any case, the creation process is not difficult at all. Even a novice user can cope with it.

All the methods described below assume that you already have a downloaded ISO image of the operating system on your computer, which you will write to a flash drive. So, if you haven't downloaded the OS yet, do so. You must also have suitable removable media. Its volume should be sufficient to accommodate the image you downloaded. At the same time, some files may still be stored on the drive; it is not necessary to delete them. All the same, during the recording process, all information will be irretrievably erased.

Method 1: Use UltraISO

There is a detailed description of this program on our website, so we will not describe how to use it. There is also a link where you can download it. To create a bootable USB flash drive using Ultra ISO, do the following:


If any problems or errors appear during recording, most likely the problem is in a damaged image. But if you downloaded the program from the official website, no difficulties should arise.

Method 2: Rufus

Another very convenient program that allows you to very quickly create bootable media. To use it, follow these steps:

It is worth saying that Rufus has other settings and recording options, but they can be left as they are originally. If you wish, you can check the box "Check for bad blocks" and indicate the number of passes. Thanks to this, after recording, the installation flash drive will be checked for damaged parts. If any are detected, the system will automatically correct them.

If you understand what MBR and GPT are, you can also indicate this feature of the future image under the inscription “Partition scheme and system interface type”. But doing all this is completely optional.

Method 3: Windows USB/DVD Download Tool

After the release of Windows 7, developers from Microsoft decided to create a special tool that allows you to make a bootable USB flash drive with an image of this operating system. This is how a program called . Over time, management decided that this utility could well provide recording for other operating systems. Today, this utility allows you to record Windows 7, Vista and XP. Therefore, for those who want to make media with Linux or another system other than Windows, this tool is not suitable.

To use it, follow these steps:


Method 4: Windows Installation Media Creation Tool

Microsoft specialists have also created a special tool that allows you to install on a computer or create a bootable USB flash drive with Windows 7, 8 and 10. The Windows Installation Media Creation Tool is most convenient for those who decide to record an image of one of these systems. To use the program, do the following:


In the same tool, but for Windows 10, this process will look slightly different. First, check the box next to the inscription "Create installation media for another computer". Click "Further".


But then everything is exactly the same as in the Windows Installation Media Creation Tool for version 8.1. As for the seventh version, the process there is no different from that shown above for 8.1.

Method 5: UNetbootin

This tool is intended for those who need to create a bootable Linux USB flash drive from Windows. To use it, do this:


Method 6: Universal USB Installer

Universal USB Installer allows you to burn images of Windows, Linux and other operating systems to drives. But it is best to use this tool for Ubuntu and other similar operating systems. To use this program, do the following:


To install Windows, you need a boot disk or bootable USB flash drive. In this article, I will talk about the simplest and most reliable ways to create bootable media that works with any version of Windows (XP, 7, 8, 10).

If you are reinstalling Windows on an old computer, I recommend running. Prepare in advance.

If you purchased Windows on a DVD and your computer or laptop has a DVD drive, then you do not need this article, go to the next article “”.

2. Selecting boot media

If you have a Windows installation disk, but your computer or laptop does not have a DVD drive, then you will need a computer with a DVD drive to create a bootable USB flash drive from the installation disk. Go to the "" section.
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If you received Windows as an image file, you need to create a boot disk or flash drive. If your computer or laptop has a DVD drive, it is easier and more reliable to use a DVD. Prepare 2-3 blank DVD-R 16x discs and proceed to the "" section.

If your computer or laptop does not have a DVD drive or you are too lazy to go to the store to buy discs, then take a flash drive with a capacity of 4 GB or more and go to the “” section.

3. Create a disk image

We use the Daemon Tools program to create an image file from the Windows installation disk, which will later be needed to create a bootable USB flash drive. You can download it at the end of the article in the “” section.

3.1. Installing Daemon Tools

3.2. Creating an image in Daemon Tools

Insert the Windows installation disc into your DVD drive and close the AutoPlay window if it appears. Find the “DAEMON Tools Lite” shortcut on your desktop or START menu and launch the program. Click on the floppy disk icon “Create a disk image.”

Make sure that the drive you inserted the Windows installation disc into is selected. The drive letter in Windows Explorer and in the program window must match.

Uncheck the “Add to Image Catalog” option and click on the button with three dots “…” to select a folder to save the image file. Please note that it can take up to 3.5 GB.

I recommend saving the image file on a separate disk partition (for example, “D”). In the “File name” column, enter, for example, “Windows_7” so that you can later understand what kind of file it is. I recommend not using Russian letters and spaces in the title. In the “File type” column, be sure to select “Standard ISO images (*.iso)” and click “Save”.

Check that everything is specified correctly and click “Start”.

The image creation process takes only 3-5 minutes. At the end the message “Image creation complete” should appear. Click the “Close” button and exit the main program by clicking on the cross.

If an error message appears or the process is stuck in place, either the installation disc or the DVD drive is damaged. Try wiping the disk with a dry, soft cloth and try again, or use another computer.

4. Create a boot disk

We need the Astroburn program to burn an image file to a DVD. You can download it below in the “” section. If you plan to use a USB flash drive to install Windows, skip this section.

4.1. Installing Astroburn

Installing the program is quite simple. Run the installation file and click Next several times.

4.2. Burning a disc in Astroburn

Insert a blank disc into your DVD drive and close the AutoPlay window if it appears. Find the Astroburn Lite shortcut on your desktop or START menu and launch the program. Switch to the “Image” tab and click on the icon to the right of the “Path to image file” field.

Find where the Windows image file is located on your disk, select it with the left mouse button and click “Open”. For example, all my disk images are located on drive “D” in the “ISO” folder.

Double-check that you have selected the correct file and that the “Check” checkbox next to the DVD drive name is selected. This will ensure that the disc was recorded without errors and that the Windows installation process will not be interrupted unexpectedly. I also recommend setting the recording speed to 8.0x, this is optimal for 16x DVD-R discs. Click "Start Recording".

The process of burning a disc along with checking takes up to 10 minutes. When you finish recording, close the program. If an error message appears or the process is frozen, it means either you got a bad disk or the DVD drive is worn out.

Try recording again on a new disc, if it doesn’t work, then use another computer.

5. Creating a bootable USB flash drive

5.1. Methods for creating bootable flash drives

There are many ways and programs for creating bootable flash drives, from manually writing commands on the command line to using Linux boot loaders. The disadvantage of the command line is that it is difficult for beginners and prone to errors. The disadvantage of Linux bootloaders is that such flash drives do not boot on all computers.

There is also an official program from Microsoft for creating bootable flash drives “Windows USB/DVD Download Tool”. It is very easy to use and flash drives recorded with it can be loaded on most computers. But this program has a number of limitations. For example, to use it in Windows XP, you need to additionally install several more cumbersome add-ons (.NET Framework 2.0 and Image Mastering API v2), and in order to create a bootable USB flash drive for installing Windows 7 x64 in Windows 7 x32, you need to copy it to the folder with the program additional file or fiddling with the command line. There are other problems with the program.

Therefore, I decided to give you just one, but simple and reliable way to create bootable flash drives that are suitable for any operating systems and computers, using the Rufus program.

5.2. Using Rufus

The Rufus program is designed to create bootable flash drives for installing various operating systems, including Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1, 10. It does not require installation and can be run on any operating system from Windows XP to Windows 10, regardless of bitness .

You can download this program in the "" section. Next, you will need any computer with Windows installed and a flash drive with a capacity of at least 4 GB.
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Insert the flash drive into your computer and if there are valuable files on it, copy them to your hard drive. Immediately after creating a bootable USB flash drive or when you have finished installing Windows, you can return them back.

It is not necessary to clean and format the flash drive, just run the Rufus program and make sure that the flash drive is selected in the “Device” field.

Find where the Windows image file is located on your disk, select it with the left mouse button and click “Open”. For example, my previously created image is located on drive “D”.

Now you need to select the type of boot partition (MBR or GPT) and computer motherboard firmware (BIOS or UEFI) on which Windows will be installed. It's not as difficult as it sounds

MBR is a simpler and more reliable type of boot partition, but does not support hard drives larger than 2 TB. If you don't have a 3TB or larger drive, I recommend using this type of partition to avoid some possible problems in the future.

GPT is a more advanced type of boot partition that supports very large disks. If you have a hard drive with a capacity of 3 TB or more, then use this type of partition, otherwise the computer will only see about 2.3 TB. In other cases, I do not recommend GPT markup, as there are various problems with it.

The motherboard firmware can be BIOS or UEFI. This can be found in the manual or on the website of the motherboard or laptop manufacturer, as well as visually when entering the Setup boot program. To do this, you need to hold down the “Delete”, “F2”, “F10” or “Esc” button immediately after turning on the computer. You can read which button to press in the messages that appear immediately after turning on the computer.

In text form.

In graphical form.

If the Setup program looks like the picture below, then this is a classic BIOS.

If it’s like in the next picture, then it’s UEFI.

So, if you have a classic BIOS, then select “MBR for computers with BIOS or UEFI” in the “Partition scheme and system interface type” field. This is the most universal option and the flash drive can be used for installation on different computers, both with BIOS and UEFI.

If you have determined for sure that you have UEFI and the disk size does not exceed 2 TB, then select “MBR for computers with a UEFI interface.” If you have UEFI and a disk of 3 TB or more, then select “GPT for computers with a UEFI interface.”

Next you need to select “File system”. If in the previous step you selected “MBR for computers with BIOS or UEFI,” then select NTFS. If the second or third item is with UEFI, then select FAT32, since UEFI does not work with NTFS.

We leave the cluster size at default, and in the “Volume Label” field you can write, for example, “Windows7 x32” (or x64) so ​​that you can later determine what’s on this flash drive.

Double-check all settings and the correct image selection. The selected disk image is displayed at the very bottom of the program. Instead of the name of the flash drive, it may be written “CD_ROM”; the drive letter must match the flash drive.

Click on the “Start” button and confirm the destruction of your flash drive along with your computer

Wait for the recording to finish, this can take from 3 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the image and the speed of the flash drive and should end with the green bar completely filling and the word “Ready” at the bottom of the program.

After that, you can add any files to the bootable flash drive and use it like a regular flash drive. If it is working properly, this will not affect its operation as an installation disk. But perform a safe removal of the flash drive using the system tray icon.

5.3. Possible problems and solutions

Problems can arise due to a bad flash drive, a bad USB extension cable, a damaged or incompletely downloaded image file from the Internet, or the computer itself on which the recording takes place.

Possible solutions:

  • formatting and checking the flash drive for bad blocks
    (there is a checkmark in the Rufus program)
  • inserting a flash drive into the rear USB port of the computer
  • Windows image checksum verification
    (for example, the Hash Calculator program)
  • burning a flash drive on another computer
  • replacing a flash drive with another one

As for checking the checksum of an image, usually the site where you download the image has its checksum (or hash). The checksum also needs to be calculated for the downloaded file using a special Hash Calculator program, which you can download below in the “” section. If the calculated checksum matches the one indicated on the website, then the file was downloaded without damage. If the hashes do not match, then the file is damaged and must be downloaded again. Otherwise, errors may occur during the disc burning or Windows installation process.

6. Links

That's all, in the next article we will talk about booting from an installation disk or flash drive.

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