How To Usb Flash Drive To Install Windows 10

Download Article

This wikiHow teaches you how to utilise a USB flash drive to install a version of the Windows operating system onto a Windows figurer. Using a USB wink drive is useful when your computer doesn't take a CD bulldoze or when you don't accept an operating organization installation disc.

1
Check the computer's architecture number . Before you download an installation tool for your preferred operating system, you lot'll need to know whether the reckoner on which you desire to install Windows runs a 32-bit system or a 64-bit system.
- Brand sure that you do this on the computer on which you're going to install Windows.
2
Make sure that you have at least a 4-gigabyte wink drive. Windows needs at to the lowest degree four gigabytes of infinite for its installation file.
- Flash drives are adequately cheap; you lot tin get a 16-gigabyte flash bulldoze—4 times the space you need—for less than $10.
Advertisement
3

Plug the flash drive into your computer. The flash drive should fit into one of your calculator'south rectangular USB ports.
4
Format the wink drive to FAT32 or exFAT. When formatting your flash drive, click the File organisation drop-down box, then click FAT32 or exFAT in the drib-downwardly menu.
- Formatting your wink drive volition erase everything on it.
5

Download the Windows installation tool. Open the Windows x download page, so click Download tool at present at the bottom of the folio.
half-dozen
Run the installation tool. Double-click the "MediaCreationTool" EXE file, click Yes when prompted, have whatsoever terms, and fill out whatever on-screen sections until you go to the installation section.
- Every bit part of the installation tool, you'll be prompted to select a linguistic communication, an edition of Windows, and an architecture for the setup process. Brand sure to use the aforementioned architecture here as you found in step two of this role.
7

Create your bootable flash drive. Once the installation section of the Media Creation Tool window opens, click the "Create installation media" checkbox, click Next, select your computer's linguistic communication, edition, and architecture, click Next, click the flash bulldoze's name, and click Next.
8

Await for the wink drive setup to complete. This may take several minutes. Once all of the setup files have downloaded (or pasted) into the wink drive, you tin can proceed with changing your figurer'south boot order.

Advertisement

ane
Check the computer'due south compages number . Before you download an installation tool for your preferred operating system, y'all'll need to know whether the figurer on which you want to install Windows runs a 32-bit system or a 64-scrap system.
- Make sure that you lot do this on the computer on which you're going to install Windows.
ii
Make certain that you have at to the lowest degree a 4-gigabyte flash drive. Windows needs at least 4 gigabytes of infinite for its installation file.
- Flash drives are fairly cheap; you tin can get a 16-gigabyte wink drive—four times the space you lot demand—for less than $10.
3

Plug the flash drive into your calculator. The flash drive should fit into one of your computer's rectangular USB ports.
four
Format the wink drive to FAT32 or exFAT. When formatting your flash bulldoze, click the File system drib-downward box, then click FAT32 or exFAT in the drop-downwardly menu.
- Formatting your flash bulldoze will erase everything on information technology.
5

Download the Windows deejay paradigm. Open the Windows 8.ane download page, scroll down and select a version of Windows 8.ane, click Confirm, select a language and click Confirm, and click either 32-Bit Download or 64-Bit Download in the middle of the page. This will prompt the deejay paradigm (ISO) file to download.
6

Brand the flash drive bootable . If you're installing Windows 8.1, y'all'll need to employ Command Prompt or another bootable USB method to ensure that your computer will recognize your USB flash drive as a software installation location.
7

Add the ISO to the flash drive. Re-create the downloaded ISO file by selecting it and pressing Ctrl+C , then open up your formatted, bootable flash drive and press Ctrl+Five . The ISO file volition appear on the flash drive after a few minutes, after which point you can proceed with changing your computer's kicking social club.

Advertisement

1
Check the reckoner's architecture number . Before you download an installation tool for your preferred operating system, you'll need to know whether the estimator on which you desire to install Windows runs a 32-chip system or a 64-scrap system.
- Make sure that you lot practice this on the computer on which you're going to install Windows.
2
Make certain that you have at least a 4-gigabyte flash bulldoze. Windows needs at least four gigabytes of infinite for its installation file.
- Flash drives are fairly inexpensive; you can go a 16-gigabyte flash drive—4 times the space you need—for less than $10.
iii

Plug the flash drive into your computer. The flash bulldoze should fit into i of your estimator'southward rectangular USB ports.
4
Format the flash bulldoze to FAT32 or exFAT. When formatting your flash drive, click the File arrangement drop-down box, and then click FAT32 or exFAT in the drop-downwards bill of fare.
- Formatting your flash drive volition erase everything on it.
five
Download the Windows 7 deejay paradigm. Open the Windows 7 download page, coil down, enter your Windows 7 product fundamental and click Verify, select a language and click Confirm, and click either 32-Flake Download or 64-Bit Download in the heart of the page.
- If you lot don't have your Windows 7 product key, you'll demand to buy ane earlier you lot can download Windows seven.
six

Open the Windows Download Tool page. This tool allows you lot to install an ISO file, such as your Windows 7 or 8.1 file, onto a USB flash bulldoze and brand the flash drive recognizable to your computer as a software location.
7

Curlicue downwardly and click Download . Information technology's an orange button almost the bottom of the page.
8
Select your preferred language for the download tool. Bank check the box side by side to the version of the download tool you lot want to apply.
- For example, yous would select the tool with a name ending in "EN" for an English language version of the tool.
nine

Click Next . Information technology's at the lesser of the page.
x
Install the tool. Double-click the setup file you merely downloaded, then practise the following to complete the installation:
- Click Next
- Click Install
- Click Finish when prompted.
xi

Run the tool. Double-click the Windows 7 Download Tool app icon on your desktop, and so click Yes when prompted.
12

Select your downloaded ISO file. In the window that opens, click Scan, then click your Windows 7 ISO file and click Open.
thirteen

Click Next . It'south in the bottom-right corner of the window.
14
Select your wink drive. Click USB device, then select your flash drive in the driblet-down box in the middle of the window if you don't run across it listed.
- If you don't see your flash bulldoze appear in the drop-downward carte du jour, make sure it'due south plugged into your reckoner and so click the Refresh push button to the right of the drib-downwardly box.
xv

Click Begin copying . It'due south in the lesser-correct corner of the window. Doing then will prompt your Windows 7 ISO file to begin installing onto the flash drive.
16

Allow the tool to run. Once the progress bar in the eye of the window reaches 100 percent, your USB flash drive has successfully been formatted equally a Windows 7 installation drive, and yous're complimentary to keep with changing your reckoner's kicking order.

Advertisement

1

Become to the figurer on which you want to install Windows. If y'all're but trying to install a new version of Windows on your existing computer, skip this step.
2

Plug in your USB flash drive. Insert the USB flash drive into a USB port on the figurer.
3
Prompt the computer to restart. Click Starting time

, click Power

, and click Restart. Your computer will begin to restart.
- If the computer is off, press its power button to turn it on, then move to the next pace. If the computer turns on when you open its lid or move the mouse, you'll still demand to restart information technology earlier proceeding.
four
Rapidly press the reckoner'south BIOS key. Equally soon as the calculator's startup screen appears (the screen right afterward the computer shuts downwardly and is beginning to restart), begin pressing the BIOS central. Your calculator's BIOS key will vary depending on the manufacturer, merely it will normally be one of the office keys (e.k., F2 ), Esc , or Del .^[1]
- You lot tin can check your computer's BIOS key online or in the manual that came with your computer.
- Many computers will flash a "Press [key] to enter setup" (or similar) message at the bottom of the screen as your computer is starting upwardly. This is the central that you should press.
- If you miss your opportunity and the computer finishes the restart cycle, you'll need to restart it and attempt over again.
5

Find the "Kicking Society" section. This section is usually in the Avant-garde or Avant-garde Options tab, but each BIOS menu is different. The "Kick Social club" section will have a listing of different startup locations, including your difficult drive'due south name and your CD drive.^[2]
6
Select your flash drive'southward name. Using the arrow keys, move the highlight bar downwardly until it's roofing the flash drive'due south name.^[3]
- On some computers, you'll instead select Removable Storage or Removable Drives (or something similarly titled).
7

Move the flash bulldoze to the top of the listing. You'll usually do this by pressing the + key until the flash bulldoze is at the top, but bank check the legend at the lesser or on the side of the BIOS screen to see if your controls are dissimilar.^[4]
viii
Save your changes and get out the BIOS. There'due south ordinarily a key that you lot can press to do this, and so check the legend to see what it is and and then press it.
- You lot may have to press another cardinal to confirm this conclusion.
9

Restart your computer again if necessary. If your reckoner doesn't greet you with a "Printing whatsoever central" screen and instead finishes the restart cycle, restart information technology again to boot from the wink drive. This volition launch the Windows setup process.

Ad

1

Press any key when prompted. When you see the "Press any key" line of text, press any key on your computer'southward keyboard to go along with the Windows installation.
two
Select a language and region. When the Windows installation window pops up, select a language, region, and any other preferences listed there.
- Y'all may also exist prompted to select keyboard settings here.
- On Windows seven, you'll bank check the "I agree" box here instead, then skip ahead to the "Select a partition" pace.
three

Click Next . Information technology'due south in the lower-right corner of the page.
four
Enter your product key. When prompted, blazon in the product key that came with your calculator or installation disc, so click Next.
- On Windows x, you must outset click Install at present. You lot can also skip the product key entry for now by clicking the Skip option.
- On Windows 7, you won't be asked for your production key until afterwards the installation is complete.
5

Concord to the terms of use. Check the "I agree" box, then click Adjacent.
vi

Select a custom installation. Check the "Custom" box, then click Side by side
7
Select an installation partition. Double-click the partition on which you want to install Windows, and so confirm your selection when prompted. Y'all may also need to select the empty segmentation and click Next to prompt the installation process to begin.
- On Windows seven, you'll select the partition that you lot want to apply, click Delete, ostend the conclusion when prompted, click the empty hard drive, and click Side by side to begin the installation process.
8

Wait for Windows to stop installing. Your calculator may restart several times during this process, and the installation may accept several minutes to over an 60 minutes depending on your calculator's speed.
9
Follow whatever on-screen instructions. After Windows is installed on the reckoner, you'll be asked to set up a few more than preferences (e.g., your language, account name, electronic mail accost, etc.) earlier yous can brainstorm using Windows.
- On Windows 7, you'll be asked to enter your product key here.
Advertising

Add New Question

Question

How practice I change my estimator's boot order?

Luigi Oppido is the Possessor and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general reckoner repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Estimator Human Testify! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Answer

You'll take to modify this in the organisation'due south BIOS. Restart your calculator and earlier it fully boots up, printing the BIOS key, which is one of the role keys on your keyboard's top row. On the BIOS screen, you tin can then go into the settings and change the priority order so that your flash drive loads Windows outset.
Question

I want to install Windows but am being prompted that there is a missing operating system. What at present?

Have you lot put the Os on the drive? If non, install it on there. Yous can also try to install an *.iso file on the bulldoze.
Question

What if I'm putting in a brand new difficult bulldoze?

If you lot are installing from scratch, you will nonetheless need to create the kick media using 1 of the above steps on a working calculator. Once the kick media is created, you lot will use information technology on the computer that has a new hard drive. Just recall that with a new difficult drive and installation, you demand to get a registration code to activate Windows.
Question

Is it prophylactic to delete all current partition drives and create a new one?

But if you don't accept any of import data in your drive and you want to create a new one, only if y'all accept your important data in your commuter you will lose it if you lot delete information technology.
Question

Is it possible to apply Rufus to burn my Windows 7 ISO to a USB bulldoze?

Kelvin Kyalo

Community Answer

Yes. Y'all can utilise Rufus to make your flash disk bootable and install the Windows 7 ISO there.
Question

Tin I utilize the USB drive every bit a transferable drive subsequently installing Windows off the drive?

Kelvin Kyalo

Community Answer

Yes, you lot tin can. You tin can transfer files using the USB drive as it is, or if yous adopt formatting the USB drive, please experience free.
Question

What do I do if I become the message "Nosotros were unable to re-create your files. Please cheque your USB device and the selected ISO file and try once again" and the USB won't work?

AmongUsIsC00l

Community Answer

Endeavor reformatting your USB. If that fails, purchase a new ane. Before reformatting, move any data you wish to keep off it. If reformatting fails, before buying a new one, cheque the size of the ISO. If it is even 1MB larger than your USB, information technology will fail. Some other Idea is to re-download the ISO.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Navigating the BIOS can exist extremely frustrating since no two BIOS pages are identical. To negate this frustration, notice your computer'south manual and look up the BIOS information there.

Advertising