Booting from a bootable USB device can be incredibly useful for various tasks, such as installing a new operating system, running diagnostic tools, recovering data, or trying out a live Linux distribution. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of booting from a USB drive on Windows 10 PCs, including how to prepare your USB drive, change BIOS settings, and troubleshoot common issues.
Understanding USB Booting
Before we dive into the steps, it’s important to understand what booting from a USB device means and why you might want to do it.
WHAT IS USB BOOTING?
Booting from USB refers to the process of starting your computer using software or an operating system stored on a USB drive instead of your computer’s main hard drive. This allows you to run different operating systems, recovery tools, or installation programs from a USB flash drive without affecting the data on your main drive.
WHY BOOT FROM USB?
There are several reasons you might want to boot from a USB drive:
- Installing a new operating system
- Running a live version of Linux without installation
- Using diagnostic and repair tools
- Recovering data from a non-booting system
- Updating BIOS or firmware
- Testing hardware components
- To install Windows using bootable media
Now that we understand the basics, let’s move on to preparing your USB drive.
Preparing Your USB Drive
Before you can boot from a flash drive, you need to prepare it properly. This involves choosing the right USB drive and creating bootable media.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT USB DRIVE
When selecting a USB drive for booting, consider the following:
- Capacity: Choose a USB drive with at least 16GB of storage (32GB is recommended for most use cases).
- Speed: USB 3.0 or higher drives offer faster data transfer rates, which can be beneficial for bootable media.
- Reliability: Opt for a reputable brand to ensure the drive’s longevity and performance.
CREATING A BOOTABLE USB DRIVE
To create bootable media, you’ll need to use specific tools depending on your purpose:
- For Windows 10 installation:
- Use the official Windows Media Creation Tool from Microsoft
- Download it from the Microsoft website, select the ‘Create installation media’ option, and follow the on-screen instructions to choose the type of media (USB, DVD, or ISO) you want to use for installing Windows 10 on another PC