Is copying windows 10 files over to usb enough to make it bootable?

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by sgalalalalsksdoaksd, Nov 30, 2021.

  1. sgalalalalsksdoaksd

    sgalalalalsksdoaksd MDL Novice

    Aug 6, 2020
    31
    8
    0
    #1 sgalalalalsksdoaksd, Nov 30, 2021
    Basically is copying win10 ISO files to usb enough to make the pendrive bootable?
    i did it few times in the past but i dont remember if this is how i did it
     
  2. freddie-o

    freddie-o MDL Expert

    Jul 29, 2009
    1,570
    2,614
    60
    #2 freddie-o, Nov 30, 2021
    Check if it is MBR partition scheme
    Format it as FAT32
    Mark partition as Active
    Install.wim should not be over 4GB
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  3. pm67310

    pm67310 MDL Guru

    Sep 6, 2011
    3,363
    2,536
    120
    #3 pm67310, Nov 30, 2021
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  4. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

    Oct 30, 2009
    49,747
    103,825
    450
    #4 Enthousiast, Dec 1, 2021
    Yeah, ventoy is so much easier to use then simply format usb fat32 and extract ISO to it:rolleyes:
     
  5. Espionage724

    Espionage724 MDL Expert

    Nov 7, 2009
    1,079
    398
    60
    #5 Espionage724, Dec 2, 2021
    It is if you're booting with UEFI. No need to mark it active/bootable or anything special; can take any USB drive, format it FAT32, and copy/paste the Windows iso files right over to it.

    Only exception in that case is if install.wim is larger than 4GB, in which case you'd need another solution to handle that (Rufus or WoeUSB for UEFI-NTFS, Ventoy, split the install.wim image, etc).

    For Legacy/CSM boot, that requires the partition to be marked bootable.
     
  6. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
    6,384
    2,037
    210
    #6 sebus, Dec 4, 2021
    Still diskpart to make 2 partitions & file copy, all that is needed