How to Make a Bootable USB Drive on Windows 10 - 3 Ways

Video - How to make a bootable usb using Rufus

Rufus download url: https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/releases/download/v3.11/rufus-3.11.exe

How to create bootable usb without any software in Windows

Here is a tutorial for advanced users that shows how to make usb bootable without software in Windows.

Video Guide: How to create a DOS bootable USB using HP USB Format Tool

Need Create a Bootable USB Drive to Start Computer Again?

"Hello, I have a HP Windows 7 computer and recently also have upgraded the OS into Windows 8. And, I also want to make bootable USB drive for this Windows 8 PC. Do you know how to create a bootable USB drive step by step? Thanks"

"I want to make a bootable USB flash drive to restart my PC. Is it possible for me? Honestly, recently, do not know why my Windows 10 laptop just cannot boot up. So, I just think perhaps I can create a bootable USB drive to reboot it again. But, I know nothing about it and only have heard about it online before. Do you have any suggestion for this? Is there any software able to help me out? Thank you very much!"

OK! Friends! No matter why you need to make a bootable USB drive now, there are several ways for you to go on. Of course, no matter which one of them is proper for your case, hope you can back up all important data inside this USB drive to avoid any data loss troubles.

How to Make USB Flash Drive Bootable?

Generally speaking, there are several methods for people to create a bootable USB flash drive. Just go select one according to your own conditions:

Method1: Create a Bootable USB Drive Manually

No matter whether you are a computer expert or snub, you can go follow the below steps and try to make a USB drive bootable manually.

Step1. Reset PC BIOS Boot Order 

In order to boot up your computer from the attached USB pen drive, you are often firstly supposed to set this USB drive as the first boot item in BIOS interface. Follow this to reset the boot order: restart your computer and click F2 to open BIOS interface. And then, Select Advanced BIOS Features under BIOS Setup Utility option list. And then, select USB flash drive/pen/key as the first boot item.

And then, reboot your PC and continue the following steps.

Please Note:

*Plunge your USB pen drive to your PC before you restart your computer to reset the BIOS boot order.
*But, if you do have attached a USB drive there, the related flash drive option is also not listed in BIOS boot order. And unfortunately, your PC may not be able to boot form a USB flash drive. Go try other computers to take chances.

Step2. Open Command Prompt to create a bootable USB drive

And then, you are supposed to open your Windows commend prompt to make the USB flash drive bootable. Just go search the detailed instructions online to see how you can do a bootable USB drive step by step.

Please Note:

Computer with different Windows operating systems could have different prompt lines to do it. Just do it under the guide of some professional experts or authorized site articles.

Method2: Apply Professional software to make a bootable drive with ease

Of course, if it is too difficult and complex for you to create a bootable drive manually, also do not worry. There are also many professional bootable flash drive programs that allow people to make an attached flash drive bootable with simple clicks.
What you are supposed to do is only to firstly save flash drive file backups well elsewhere, download and launch such software well on your PC, and follow its guidance to do a bootable drive.

Method3: Create a bootable flash drive with HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool

Have you ever tried to format a hard drive or flash drive with HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool? Honestly, HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool is not only a disk formatting tool, which allows people to perform a formatting process on a flash drive or hard disk with Windows not able to complete the format error, hard drive virus issue and corrupted drive problems, completely for free, and also able to help create a bootable flash drive. Hence, merely free download this software online and go select Create a DOS Startup Disk option listed there. And then, follow its guidance to go on.  

Also Boot up Computer from External CD, DVD, HD or SSD

When your computer really cannot boot up anyway, except USB flash drive, you can also go try to restart your PC from an external CD, DVD, HD or SSD. Of course, just as you create a bootable flash drive, you are also supposed to firstly reset these external storage devices and make them bootable. 
No matter which storage device you will finally choose to reboot your Windows computer, you are also suggested to save data backups in advance.

Related Notes and Tips for You to Create a Bootable USB Drive

Here are also some important notes and tips for you:
1). Prepare flash drive data backups well
No matter what happens, you are supposed to prepare flash drive data backups well before you do start to create a bootable USB.
2). Download any needed software from safe site.
No matter whether you will need a bootable flash drive tool or HP USB Disk Format Tool, you are supposed to download them all from safe and authorized sites to avoid any unwanted virus infection problems.
3). Close all flash drive files and apps in advance.
If you do have opened or used some files and apps stored inside the flash drive that will be created as bootable one, you are supposed to completely close them all in case of any failures.
4). Use a computer that is capable of booting from a USB flash drive. 
In these days, not all computers are capable of booting from a USB flash drive. If you unluckily get one, do not worry. Also plunge this flash drive to another computer to make it bootable.

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Last updated on Nov 28, 2023

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