Program for bootable USB flash drive Windows XR. How to burn any ISO image to a USB flash drive

In this article we will tell you in detail how to quickly and easily burn an ISO image to a flash drive (USB flash drive). This is usually necessary to create bootable flash drives with the operating systems Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 or Ubuntu (Linux), in order to then reinstall a computer or laptop using it. But the described method can be used to burn any ISO image to a flash drive, since it is one of the most versatile and fastest.

What is necessary?

To create a bootable USB flash drive with Windows, Ubuntu or another image, you must have the following prepared:

  1. Flash drive (USB flash drive);
  2. Any ISO image;
  3. A cup of tea or coffee and 15 minutes of your time.

Burning a disk image to a USB flash drive

1. Preparing a flash drive

Prepare a working flash drive that does not contain files that are important to you, since all files will be deleted during the image recording process. On average, flash drives are 4 GB or 8 GB should be enough for an average .ISO image from Windows, Linux or other image. But it is advisable to check and compare the size of the image and your flash drive; to do this, right-click on the image and select “Properties”.

2. ISO image

Any ISO image will be suitable for recording. If you want to create a bootable USB flash drive for installing Windows or Linux operating systems, then it is advisable to download images from the official developer sites to avoid various errors during installation and operation.

2.1 Download ISO images

If you already have the downloaded image, you can skip this step.

  • The original Windows images are Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows XP is officially no longer available for download from the official website.
  • Original Linux images - Ubuntu 16.04.1 / 14.04.5, Mint 18.1.

Or use your favorite torrent trackers. 🙂

To record and edit images, we recommend the UltraISO program, which does not take up much space, is fast, convenient and easy to use, correctly writes images to a flash drive, thanks to which Windows or Linux OS images automatically become bootable, from which you can install Windows or Windows immediately after recording. Linux. , install and proceed to recording the image. The program is completely free for 30 days.

4. Burn an image using UltraISO

Run the program and open the ISO image, to do this go to the menu File > Open(CTRL+O), or just double-click on the image file.

Insert the flash drive into your computer or laptop and go to the menu on “Boot” > “Burn hard disk image...”

4.1. Correct formatting of a flash drive

Attention! Formatting will destroy ALL data on the flash drive. Click "OK" to start formatting, "Cancel" to cancel it.

4.2. Writing an image to a flash drive

To start burning an ISO image to a flash drive, follow the instructions in the following screenshot. Select your flash drive, the recording method “USB-HDD+” and click “Burn”.

Do not interrupt writing an image to a flash drive; on average, writing an image to 4.5 GB takes 10-15 minutes, it all depends on the speed of the flash drive and your HDD/SSD drive.

Burning the boot image is complete! You can now restart your computer and begin installing the operating system if you recorded a Windows or Linux image.

If something is not clear, write in the comments below, we or one of our readers will definitely answer you!

Rufus is a program for the Windows operating system designed to format and create bootable USB drives. Compared to other similar programs, Rufus is multifunctional, has a simple and intuitive interface, is translated into 30 languages ​​and does not require installation.

You can use the program if you have the operating system Windows XP or a later version; the bit depth - 32 or 64 bits - does not matter.

Download the executable file to your computer. You can do this by following the link below. Once the download is complete, the application is ready to use.

The program is designed to create a bootable USB disk from a bootable ISO image for Windows, Linux, UEFI and other formats. It is also useful if you need to flash the BIOS or other firmware from DOS.

If you have saved the files for installing the operating system on a CD or DVD, then you can easily create an ISO image from them, for example, using the CD burning program - IntraRecorder. You can also use the UltraISO program to work with disk images.

Now let's begin to understand how the program works.

We connect the flash drive on which we will record the boot disk image to the computer. Be careful that the size of the USB drive is not smaller than the size of the ISO file. We run the program as administrator. To do this, right-click on it and select the item from the context menu "Run as administrator".

The Rufus program window opens. In the first field “Device”, from the drop-down menu, you need to select the flash drive that we plan to make bootable.

In the next field, if you have selected "MBR for computers with BIOS or UEFI", nothing needs to be changed. UEFI is an interface that is installed between the operating system installed on a computer and the software that ensures the functioning of various hardware components of the computer. Its essence is the same as that of the BIOS, but there are still a few differences. Moreover, it is developed by Intel, and the BIOS is software supported by various brands.

Next you need to select a file system. If the image weighs more than 4 gigabytes or you plan to write movies to a flash drive after formatting, it is better to choose NTFS, since in the FAT format you will not be able to subsequently write files larger than 4 gigabytes to a flash drive.

Now let's move on to cluster size. A cluster is the minimum amount of space that can be allocated on disk for a file. If you plan to use a flash drive to store small files, choose a smaller cluster size. If you record movies or music on it, choose a higher value.

“Volume label” is the name of the flash drive after formatting.

In the parameters, check the boxes next to the item "Quick Format"– after formatting, you will have the opportunity, using special programs, to restore the necessary files from the flash drive; And "Create a boot disk"– select “ISO image” from the drop-down list, click on the optical drive icon and select the IOS image file on the computer.

After completing the creation of a bootable USB flash drive with an ISO image, you need to click on the “Close” button. That's all - program for creating a bootable USB flash drive Rufus She did an excellent job with her task, and most importantly it didn’t take much time.

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Introduction

At the time of buying Windows 7 in the shop Microsoft (Microsoft Store), you will be able to download an ISO image of this product.
allows you to create copies of Windows 7 ISO files on a disk, USB Flash or DVD. To create a bootable DVD or USB Flash drive, download the ISO file and then run Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool. After this, you can install Windows 7 directly from a USB flash drive or DVD. If you are not sure how many bits Windows 7 is (32-bit) x86 ) or 64-bit ()) you will need for the upcoming installation, then you can learn more about the difference between Windows 7 x32 and Windows 7 x64. An ISO file contains all the Windows 7 installation files combined into one uncompressed file. When you download an ISO file, you must save it on your hard drive to install Windows 7. To install Windows 7 on a USB Flash or DVD, all you need to do is insert the USB Flash into a free USB port or insert the DVD into your DVD -drive and start Setup.exe Windows 7 USB / DVD Download Tool programs from the root folder on the disk.

Note: You will not be able to install Windows 7 using Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool if the ISO file is saved on a USB disk or DVD.

A copy of the Windows 7 ISO file created using the USB/DVD Download Tool is bootable. A bootable disk allows you to install Windows 7 without first running the existing operating system on your computer. If you change the boot order of the disks in BIOS your computer, you will be able to run Windows 7 installation directly from a USB flash drive or DVD when you turn on your computer. Please refer to your computer's documentation for information on how to change the boot priority of drives through the BIOS.

Once you accept the Windows 7 license terms, you will only be allowed to make one copy of the ISO file onto a disk, USB flash drive, or other media as a backup for reinstallation on the licensed computer. If you do not delete the copy of the ISO file that you made to install the software on your computer, then this copy of the ISO file will be your backup copy.

Installation

For installation Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool You need:


Step 1. Click here to download Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool installation file .

Step 2. When prompted to save the file to disk or run it, select Execute.

Step 3. Follow the installation instructions. You can determine where to install the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool and whether to create shortcuts in the menu Start or at Desktop.

You must have administrator rights on the computer where you are installing Windows 7 USB / DVD Download Tool. This requires Microsoft NET Framework 2.0 or higher. If this tool is not on your computer, the program will install it for you. In this case, you may need to restart your computer to complete the installation.

System requirements

  • Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista or Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit);
  • recommended Pentium 233 MHz or higher ( 300 MHz);
  • 50 MB free disk space on your hard drive;
  • DVD-R disk or removable USB-Flash no less 4GB.

Burning an ISO Image

Before launch Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool Make sure you have already purchased Windows 7 and downloaded the Windows 7 ISO file to your hard drive. If you bought Windows 7 but haven't yet downloaded the ISO image, you can download the file from your Microsoft account.

To record ISO-file with Windows 7 you need:

Step 1. Click the button Start and select Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool from the list "All programs".


Figure 1. Windows 7 USB / DVD Download Tool - program window

Step 2. Enter the name and path of your original Windows 7 ISO file or click the button "Review" and select the file in the dialog box "Open".


Figure 2. Window for selecting a file with a Windows 7 image

Step 3. Select "USB device" to create a copy on a USB flash drive or "DVD" to create a copy to a DVD disc, and then click "Further".


Figure 3. USB or DVD recording selection window

Step 4. If you are writing a file to a USB flash drive, select the USB device from the drop-down list and click the button "Start copying".
If you are copying files to DVD, click the button "Begin" to start recording.


Figure 4. Selecting a USB flash drive

After your ISO- the file with Windows 7 will be recorded on the selected media, you can start installing Windows 7, to do this, go to the root directory of your DVD or USB flash drive and run Setup.exe.

FAQ

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about using Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool:
  • What size USB Flash Drive is required?
    You need a USB Flash Drive with at least 4 GB of free disk space.
  • Can I use my own disk or flash drive with an ISO file on it to install Windows 7 on someone else's computer?
    No. The disk or flash drive containing your burned ISO file is intended for installation of Windows 7 only on the licensed user's own computer.
  • Can I backup to CD-R?
    No. The Windows 7 ISO file is too large to fit on a regular CD.
  • Can I use Blu-Ray DVD for backup?
    Yes, as long as your DVD drive can write to Blu-Ray DVD.
  • If I have some files on a USB Flash drive, will Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool delete them?
    This program requires a completely empty USB Flash drive to copy files from Windows 7. This ensures that the device will be bootable after the copy is complete.
  • Can I make a backup using an iPod, camera, or other device with enough free disk space?
    Yes, but it's not recommended. The device must be formatted in order for the media on which recording will be made to become bootable. A dedicated USB Flash Drive for this purpose would be the best option.
  • Can I use Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool to backup other files?
    This tool is designed to burn only ISO files with Windows 7 from the Microsoft Store.

Troubleshooting

The following tips may help you if you encounter any problem while using this tool.
  • My USB device is not in the list of available devices.
    If you do not see your USB Flash device in the list of available devices, make sure the drive is inserted into the USB port or click the Refresh button next to the list of available drives.
  • I inserted a blank DVD-R disc into my DVD drive, but Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool cannot recognize it.
    If there are several DVD drives in the system, then select the first one that can burn DVD. If you have multiple DVD-R discs, try inserting a blank DVD-R into another DVD drive. If this does not help, please make sure that your disc is not damaged and that your DVD-R disc is usable, or contact product support.

A program for installing Windows 7 from a flash drive eliminates the need to use a CD drive.

You only need to prepare the distribution kit in advance and set the Bios settings.

Important: The program to install should be selected as carefully as possible - you can accidentally download a virus or Trojan. The situation is similar with the Windows distribution. If possible, you should use the licensed version. Otherwise, scan all files with an antivirus.

UltraISO program

UltraISO software must be installed. There are no difficulties; all you need to do is run the executable file and keep pressing the next button.

Important: During installation, the program should not ask for a phone number or other data - it is provided free of charge.

If something like this occurs, then you should remove it immediately. Most likely, the utility is infected with a virus.

Creating a bootable USB flash drive is as follows:

  • after launch, a window immediately opens in which you need to click on “trial period” (Fig. No. 1);
  • then the program will open the main working window, you need to click on the “open” context menu - you should select the Windows distribution package prepared in advance for installation;

  • then the flash drive connector is inserted into the USB port;
  • click on the menu under “boot” - select “burn hard disk image”;

  • after installation, click on “format”;
  • after formatting the flash drive is completed, you need to click on “write” (Fig. No. 4);

Advice: It is not necessary to use utilities from a third-party manufacturer to install - you can use standard OS tools.

It is possible to use the official application to create a bootable USB flash drive.

To create a boot device, you will again need a distribution kit - preferably in ISO format. The operation itself looks like this:

  • launch is carried out;
  • by clicking on “Browse” we open the file with the distribution kit;

  • We indicate “USB device”;

  • To record to a USB drive, you must insert the media in advance;

  • Click “Start over”.

After this, you need to wait 5-15 minutes until the creation of the bootable flash drive is completed.

WinToFlash program

You can also use the WinToFlash utility. You can download it for free on the official website - http://wintoflash.com/.

You only need to do two steps:

  • run the installed utility;
  • select the appropriate menu - “transfer the Windows installation program to a drive”;
  • Click start (Fig. No. 6).

WinSetupFromUSB program

A convenient utility for performing the task in question is WinSetupFromUSB. You will need an ISO image and a USB drive. After launch you need to do the following:

  • format memory;
  • run MasterBootRecord (MBR) in Bootice (Fig. No. 7);

  • write down everything you need using WinSetupFromUSB (Fig. No. 8).

Bios settings

To install Windows 7 using this method, you will need to configure the BIOS accordingly.

If possible, you should read the manual; it can be downloaded for free on the manufacturer’s official website.

Bios settings may have their own characteristics, some specifics. It is purely individual for each model - even from the same manufacturer.

To enter the settings, it is usually enough to press the Delete key at the initial stage of booting the PC. As a result, a window with a tabular menu will appear (Fig. No. 9).

After successfully enabling Bios, you need to find the option responsible for the boot order from various types of devices.

In all Bios this menu is called differently. This is where the difficulty lies.

But, as a rule, all such items contain the word boot in their name.

Boot settings are made as follows:

  • open the boot priority selection menu (Boot);
  • select USB-HDD.

Important: You must first insert the USB drive into the connector - only after that it will appear in the list of devices from which you can launch.

Installing the operating system

All programs can be downloaded completely free of charge from the Internet.

But it’s worth familiarizing yourself with all the requirements in advance - the amount of free space on your hard drive, RAM and other characteristics.

When all the preparatory work is completed, you can begin installing Windows. This operation is carried out as follows:

  • After setting up Bios and installing the drive into the port, you need to reboot, a window will appear asking you to press any key (Fig. No. 10);

  • The OS installation window will open - you need to click on “next” (Fig. No. 11);

  • then a window will open - you need to click on the “install” button (Fig. No. 12);

  • you need to select the version of the operating system to be installed - almost all pirated distributions allow you to do this (Fig. No. 13);

  • the system requires you to read the license agreement, check the box next to “I accept the license terms” and click “next”;
  • select “full installation” in the next window that opens (Fig. No. 14);

I will show you 4 ways to help you make a bootable USB flash drive. Usually it is needed to install Windows OS or for a program if it runs before the system boots.

There are many programs to solve this problem, but sometimes you can get by using the system. I will provide instructions that will help you make a bootable USB flash drive with any version of Windows or program. 4 methods, 2 universal and 2 for specific OS.

But before that you need to prepare. You will need:

  1. Flash drive with a capacity of 4 GB or more.
  2. Image ( iso) operating system or program for which a bootable USB flash drive will be created.

Before creating a bootable USB flash drive, be sure to format it to avoid errors.

Bootable USB flash drive in Windows OS

You can do without third-party programs and do everything in Windows. To do this you will have to use a number of commands. I will demonstrate only the most necessary ones.

First clear your device of all files. To do this, go to the execution line ( Win+R) from the Start menu >> Run, and then enter the command diskpart as in the image below.

In the window that appears, enter list disk to see all devices for further work with them.


In my example, there were 2 devices:

  1. 0 - hard drive.
  2. 1 - flash drive.

It is very easy to distinguish a flash drive from hard drives by size. Select it with the command select disk 1.

Be careful, there may be another number instead of 1.



After this, you need to create a primary partition. To do this, enter create partition primary.


Select a section by entering select partition 1 and activate it with the command active.



Then set the letter to the carrier ( automatically) by entering assign and finish the job Exit.


Now be sure to download the files to the USB flash drive unpacked. If you just copy the iso file, nothing will work.

If you don’t understand something, you can watch a video on how to do it using a real example.

Bootable USB flash drive for Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

Download and install the USB/DVD Download Tool. It is made specifically for working with Windows 7 files and is absolutely free. Most likely it won't work with others. Just 4 simple steps to create.

Please note that if you use an image not from the official Microsoft website, problems or errors may occur.


Provide the path to the iso file and proceed to the next step.


Then select “USB device” for a flash drive or “DVD” for a disk.


Select a flash drive and start copying. It must have at least 4 GB of free space.


Then wait until it is written to the device and you will receive a ready-made bootable USB flash drive.


The instructions are also available in video format.

Bootable USB flash drive for all images in UltraIso

This is a paid program with a free trial period. Download it from the official website and install. It is multifunctional and in Russian. Suitable for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10.

You can watch an example of installing Windows XP in the video. With other versions of systems, everything is done similarly.

Once launched, select a trial period.


Then open the image in the program.


Now in the “Bootboot” tab, select the image entry as shown in the example below.


Settings are set here.

  1. Disk drive- flash drive.
  2. Image file— here check whether the path is specified correctly.
  3. Recording method- be sure to use USB-HDD+. Otherwise, in some cases it will not work.

After checking all the settings, start recording.


Wait for it to finish. Time to finish is shown on the right.

Under no circumstances remove the flash drive until the process is completed.


If completed successfully, you will see a completion message. After this, the bootable USB flash drive will be ready. Just close the window and enjoy.


Additional method for Windows XP

Download the free DirectGrub utility and unpack the archive. No installation required. Select the iso file, flash drive and click “Start” as in the image below.


Wait while the files are copied. After successful completion, a window will appear.

I hope you don’t have any questions and everything turned out well.

What did you use to create a bootable USB flash drive?