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Short Bytes: In this article, we have created a list of the top 5 bootable USB tools for Windows operating system. You can create ISO files for different Windows operating systems, Linux distros, and also make Linux Live USB drives. All these bootable USB tools have their advantages and disadvantages. One of the most common methods of installing an operating system on a computer is to create a bootable media. We can also install an OS using the inbuilt features, for instance, the Reset option present in Microsoft Windows 8 and later.
Underneath USBBootSupportedModels. You will see the declared versions of MAC computers (i.e. MacbookPro7,2, iMac12,2 etc) that support Creating bootable USB drives. The word (i.e. MacbookPro) indicates the Model of the computer and the number (i.e. 7,2) the version.
For that, an already running operating system on your machine is a pre-requisite. On the other hand, that’s not the case with the bootable media, you can use it even if your computer doesn’t have any operating system installed at all. Primarily, we create a bootable media using a CD/DVD or a USB drive. However, the former one has become obsolete because it is technologically backward than the USB drive-based bootable media. Now, there are many tools available to create these bootable USB drives using the ISO image file of the desired operating system.
Top 5 bootable USB tools for Windows operating system: Rufus is a tiny bootable media creator. Yet, it is multilingual and packs many features which can make your bootable USB flash drive creation process more effective. You can create your bootable USB media for both MBR and GPT partition schemes. Rufus facilitates options to install your desired operating system on a UEFI firmware enabled machine. You can install Windows XP in UEFI mode due to OS limitations. It doesn’t matter what ISO you’re using.
It can be Windows 7, 8, 10, any Linux distro, or ISO file of any other operating system. You can choose whether to use the FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, or UDF file systems for the bootable USB media. One thing that helps Rufus stand out in the crowd is that it takes less time to create the bootable USB drive. You might have thought, we forgot to add spaces in the title of WinSetupFromUSB, but it is written like this because its makers chose to do so. The biggest advantage of using WinSetupFromUSB is that you can put and create a multiboot USB. This will allow you to have a choice of more than one operating system at the time of installation. Just like Rufus, it has many features and allows you to create a bootable USB media for different types of operating system.
This simple to use tool, not equipped with many options, can create a bootable USB drive easily. The main reason for its existence is that it can be used to create Live USB drives for Linux distros. It offers inbuilt support for many of the popular Linux distros and other open source operating systems like FreeBSD. After connecting your USB drive, you need to select your desired (supported) distribution or antivirus rescue disk and UNetbootin will automatically download the ISO file from the internet and make the Live USB for you. In the case of bootable USB or an unsupported Linux distro, you’ll have to supply the ISO file. It is a good tool for creating bootable USB drive. Just like UNetBootin, it is used to make Live USB for Linux distros.
It supports a few extra ISOs but it doesn’t offer an automatic download option. Instead, it gives you the link to the download page of the distro. But we don’t think that would cause much trouble. This bootable USB drive creation tool is made by Microsoft. Although it is known as Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, it works for other versions of Windows also. As far as its usability is concerned, it should be at the top position. If you have the USB drive and the ISO file, you only need to make a few clicks and you’re done.
Also, it is a Microsoft product so it only supports ISO files of Microsoft products like Windows, Visual Studio, etc. Microsoft has stopped its development because with the launch of Windows 8 their new Media Creation Tool was also released. Pros, Cons, and Conclusion All these bootable USB tools have their own pros and cons. One may have less or almost nil features, like Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool. Another may have a plethora of options. More features are advantageous but they would make the bootable USB tool more complex for novice users.
The type of USB flash drives you’re using to create the bootable USB also has some contribution. For instance, the bootable USB tool would take less time to create bootable media on a USB 3.0 pen drive in comparison to USB 2.0 pen drive. So, we would recommend you to try these bootable USB tools and decide which one is the best for you. If you have something to add, tell us in the comments below.
How to create a bootable Windows 10 USB on Mac 09 June 2017 on, The last release of Mac OS doesn't have the option to create a bootable USB from Bootcamp like previous versions, and it is a problem because that require uses other tools. I am updating this post today Dec 12, 2018. The reason is that I was only using to create the bootable USB, I will leave guide as a second method since it still working, and I will explain to you how you can create the bootable Windows USB without extra software. The first step for both methods requires to format your USB device to ExFAT. Format USB to ExFAT In order to boot from the USB, you need to format the USB to ExFAT, you can do it using Disk Utility (it comes with MacOS). This step is the same for both methods.
You need to show all the devices in Disk Utility' before to start the process. Select your USB device in the list (not the partition), right click and then click on the Erase option: In the next screen make sure you select these two options:.
Format: ExFAT. Scheme: Master Boot Record Click the Erase button. If for some reason it fails, probably is because MacOS still using the USB, just repeat the steps, but if you see a screen similar to above screen is because the operation is successful. Format USB with the terminal You also can format the USB from the terminal, but you have to take care to use the correct device because, if you use the wrong name you will lose everything. With this command you can list the device on MacOS: diskutil list This is an example, my USB is the disk2: This command is to format the USB, the last parameter is the the USB: diskutil eraseDisk ExFAT 'WINDOWS10' MBRFormat disk2 Copy Windows files to USB - Method 1 This process is very easy doesn't require to install other software, and they are just a few steps: Open Windows ISO Just double click on the ISO image, MacOS mount the image automatically.
Copy files Now you only need to copy the files and paste them to the USB. Command + A Select all files. Command + C Copy files. Go to your USB Command + V paste the files. This process could fail if you are using a USB with FAT32 because the file install.win is over 4GB, if this is the case try to open the terminal and copy paste the files from there (no always works.
Try to follow the instructions to format the USB in ExFAT, NTFS works for some BIOS). This is the command to copy the files from the ISO to the USB: cp -rp /Volumes/CCCOMAX64FREEN-USDV9/. /Volumes/WINDOWS10/ And that is all, now you can try boot from the USB. UNetbootin - Method 2 I will show you how you can use to create a bootable USB, it can be used no only for Mac but for Windows and Linux distributions too.
Is free software and it is also available for Windows and Linux. Check the path name of your USB Disk. Always in Disk Utility, select the new partition that we created in the previous step, and click on the information button, it will give you the information about the new partition.
You also can use the terminal and the command diskutil to see the list of drives: diskutil list Download UNetbootin:. Download the dmg directly from the. And copy the app to the /Application folder. I prefer to use homebrew to install applications, you can check this article for more information:: brew cask install -appdir='/Applications' unetbootin Makes the USB booteable Open UNetbootin and you only need select 3 options:.
Diskimage and ISO. Now we need open the ISO Windows image that is on our computer. Select your USB device on UNetbootin. Click on the OK, button and wait to the process end it will take a time. NOTES:. I tested other tools like dd and Etcher but they are not working because Windows requires extra steps, for the moment this is the only easy tool that I know that works if you are on Windows try.
Some users reported that UNetbootin is not working, if after to format the USB drive and change the block size is not working for you try another Drive with enough space. Share this post.