Reinstalling Windows 10 From a USB Flash Drive

Windows

Computer malfunctions are not uncommon. Either the antivirus will miss, and the viruses will settle in the system, the program will install incorrectly and start sending spam in the form of error messages, then after the next update Windows will resign. Anyway, one of the solutions to the problems is still reinstalling windows. It seems to be simple: we swam, we know, we used the installation disk more than once. Only now this tricky trick does not always work now. Netbooks are without DVD drives. So the question comes to mind, but how to reinstall Windows from a flash drive on a PC? Actually very simple.

Step # 1: Preparing the Computer

Let’s start with a banal action. by copying data from the local drive C. For some, it may turn out to be news that after reinstalling Windows all the information on the hard drive will be deleted. But we all know this well and therefore do not forget to take care in advance of backing up important documents and files from the C drive.

Step # 2: Create a Bootable Flash Drive

It’s no secret that you can make an installation flash drive from an ordinary flash drive in a variety of ways. One way or another, all source data on it will be deleted regardless of the method used. At the same time, to write a bootable Windows image to a USB drive, methods such as:

  • configuration through the command line;
  • processing in the Rufus utility;
  • writing an iso-image to a USB flash drive through DAEMON Tools;
  • recording in the UltraISO program;
  • preparation using the Windows 7 USB / DVD Download Tool;

Each of these methods, of course, has its own advantages. However, the easiest way, perhaps, is to use utilities such as Rufus and DAEMON Tools to record a bootable USB flash drive. If you want to try other methods, read here.

Option # 1: DAEMON Tools Ultra

You can download the program directly from the official site. Actually, it’s paid, but the developers give users the opportunity to test it for free for 20 days. Agree, during this time, not just one, but a whole ton of flash drives can be prepared.

How to work with DAEMON Tools Ultra? Simple enough. Open the program, go to the “Tools” menu and select the option “Burn boot image.” in it:

Reinstalling Windows 10 From a USB Flash Drive

After that, insert the USB flash drive with a memory capacity of 8 Gb into the computer and, in turn, perform the following actions in the program:

  1. choose a USB drive;
  2. we prescribe the access path to the boot image of windows;
  3. set the MBR parameter for recording;
  4. put a tick in front of the item “Format”;
  5. select the file system. For those who do not know what the difference between FAT32 and NTFS is and which one to give preference to, we will explain. The first type of file system is suitable for computers with a standard BIOS. UEFI devices with NTFS are often not readable. But FAT32 can be used in both BIOS versions;
  6. if necessary, register the volume label (rename the USB flash drive);
  7. we check the availability of free space on the USB-drive and press the “Start” button.

This process looks something like this:

In principle, this is all that is needed, so after clicking on “Start” the Windows image will begin to be written to the USB flash drive in automatic mode:

It remains only to wait for the completion of recording Windows on a USB flash drive, and then click the “Finish” button:

Simple as that, right?

Option number 2: Rufus

It is equally convenient to create a USB drive with a Windows iso image through Rufus 1.4.12. You can also download it absolutely free from the official website of the developer. The instruction for it looks like this:

  1. open the program and at the same time connect the USB flash drive to the computer;
  2. in the window that appears, prescribe the path to it, select the desired file system and set other settings:
  3. select the Windows image file and click “Start”:
  4. wait for the end of the recording process and close the program.

Step number 3: Configure computer startup

After the installation USB-drive with the Windows image is ready, you can safely take on editing the process of loading the computer. Note that you can set the launch from a flash drive in different ways:

  1. using hotkeys;
  2. through the bios.

In the first case, when loading the PC, it is enough to press a special button, and then select from the proposed options start from a USB drive. As a hint:

In the second case, in order to enter the BIOS, at the time the computer boots up, you will need to press F1 / Del / F2 / F3 / TabF2 / Esc on the keyboard. Key combinations may vary depending on the PC manufacturer, as well as options after opening the program itself. True, the reason for the discrepancy will be different. a different interface in the BIOS versions (Award, AMI, Phoenix-Award, UEFI).

In UEFI, for example, the configuration for loading a PC from a flash drive will be like this:

  1. go to the Boot section;
  2. open the Boot Option 1 tab and call Enter the PC boot menu by pressing Enter;
  3. using the arrows and select the USB-drive prepared by us with the Windows image and press Enter:
  4. press F10 to save the settings and exit the BIOS.

That’s all we need to reinstall Windows on our computer. After setting the launch from the installation flash media, the PC is completely ready to reinstall Windows.

Step number 4: reinstall the operating system

For those who at least once installed Windows independently, reinstalling it on a computer will not be difficult, because you will have to act in the same way:

  1. Boot from the flash drive, and then select the Windows installation language;
  2. in the window that appears, click “Install”;
  3. accept the terms of the license;
  4. click “Full installation”:
  5. format the hard drive:
  6. enter additional data (name, password, activation key, date, time), and then configure the network.

In principle, nothing supernatural. All actions follow from the installer itself. However, if something suddenly does not work out, you forgot a little where, what and how, read this article. It describes and illustrates all the intricacies of the installation process.

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