Create a bootable USB from Windows OS .iso file

2014-12-03


Fewer and fewer users buy a Windows OS CD or DVD disk to install Windows system now. We normally have a .iso file which was downloaded from official website. If we have virtual machines, we can use .iso file directly to install Windows system without any other media like CD, DVD or USB. However, if you install new system onto a physical PC, mostly you will have to convert the .iso file to CD / DVD or USB, or other portable storage but you will have to make sure the storage can be made to a bootable device.

Since USB drive is more convenient than other devices. so here we have a case to use .iso file to make a bootable USB drive and install new system from USB drive.

1: Make sure you have a USB drive with at least 4GB free space available;

(Note: you do NOT need to copy .iso file to your USB, which the Microsoft official site indicated confusingly, what you will do is download iso file and put your existing system folder, later you will use the tool mentioned here to make bootable USB and copy files onto USB drive )

2: Download the tool named Windows USB/DVD Download Tool which Microsoft officially recommended, then install this tool on your running Windows system;

(Windows USB/DVD Download Tool is an open source tool, check here.)

Run the tool, first step is asking select a ISO file:

image 3: Step 2, you have to select USB device image 4: Step 3, the tool find your USB for you, but this tool can not find a USB correctly in Hyper-V VM. We tried Hyper-V VM first, later we had to install this tool on a physical machine: image 5: Click Begin copying, the tool asked if erase USB so that get enough space to copy files image 7: Now formatting target USB: image 8: and then start copying files to make bootable USB device image 9: Later you will see the process completed: image Now you check your USB drive,  my USB 8GB left 3.67GB free space:image Below is all files copied on USB drive. image Now you should be able to use this USB drive to boot a computer to install system.