Creating a multiboot flash drive windows 10 winsetupfromusb. WinSetupFromUSB: how to use? Create a bootable USB flash drive using WinSetupFromUSB. How UEFI differs from BIOS

Good day... Free program WinSetupFromUSB designed to create a bootable flash drive. After you have burned the image of the Windows Vista/XP/7/8.1/10 operating system using this program. You can later use it to install the operating system.

Program works on all versions of the Windows operating system. It has an English interface. But to understand it will not be difficult. DownloadWinSetupFromUSB is available from the developer's website this link. Installation of the program is not required. Unpack the archive and run the program.

Creating a bootable USB flash drive in WinSetupFromUSB

Insert the flash drive into the USB port of your computer or laptop. Then run the program. In the main window, select your flash drive. On which the image of the operating system will be written. Then check the box "AutoFormat it with Finest". The flash drive will be automatically formatted and will be ready to burn the image. Then select the file system in which you want to format the USB drive.

Now you need to specify the path to the image of the Windows operating system. For example, I will create a bootable Windows 10 flash drive. To the left of the “Windows Vista / 7/8/10 / Server 2000/2012 based ISO” item, check the box. Then select the image of the operating system. To do this, click the button with the ellipsis to the right of the field. We press "GO".

In the next window, click on the "Yes" button. Then click "Yes" again. The flash drive will be automatically formatted. After that, you need to click on the “OK” button. The process of creating a bootable flash drive is started.

After the process is completed, click on the "Exit" button. At this stage, the creation of a bootable USB flash drive is completed. Using the free WinSetupFromUSB program, you can create a bootable USB flash drive of any operating systems for further installation on your computer.

WinSetupFromUSB- a free, simple, but functional utility with which you can create bootable flash drives with the ability to install all versions of Windows and other operating systems. There is no better tool for writing a bootable flash drive, but most often our users ignore the program due to the lack of Russian-language support. On the software forums, you can find comments that the English language does not allow you to understand the functionality.
But it will not take much time to master the functionality, but you can enjoy all the benefits of this utility.
If you used to be afraid of an unfriendly interface, and you used simpler utilities, after this article you will switch to WinSetupFromUSB. In this detailed guide, we will teach you how to use the most common feature of the utility.

Where to download WinSetupFromUSB

The program is present on many resources with software, but we do not recommend downloading it from there. It is highly probable that along with the distribution kit of the utility, you will also receive third-party applications in the load. And it's good if it is ordinary "garbage", but what if it's malware?

The best option is to download WinSetupFromUSB from the official source, the developer's site: . Currently, an updated release is available for download on a computer, not a beta version. At the moment (December 2016), version 1.6 can already be downloaded.

The utility does not need to be installed. There are two versions in the downloaded archive - for Windows x32 and x64. Run the one you need and follow the instructions.

How to make a bootable USB flash drive using WinSetupFromUSB

The functionality of this utility allows you to not only create bootable flash drives. There are also four useful tools in the WinSetupFromUSB set that help you work with flash drives. But this option, creating a bootable flash drive, is the main one, so that's where we'll stop. After familiarizing yourself with the principles of the utility, you can easily, simply and very quickly be able to create regular and multiboot disks.

First step When you start the utility, the main window with options will open. At the top, press the button to select the USB flash drive to record. If there is information on the flash drive, it will be erased. In order for your flash drive to turn into a bootable drive, it needs to be formatted. You can also do this yourself, using third-party programs, such as Bootice. But our guide is for unprepared users. Therefore, we enable the AutoFormat it with FBinst option in the WinSetupFromUSB utility.

Only new flash drives are subject to formatting, on which images of operating systems have not yet been recorded. And if you are already using a bootable drive and you just need to add another OS, do not use the AutoFormat it with FBinst option. In this case, formatting is not necessary.

Second step Here you need to tell the program what will be written to this USB drive. If you want to record the installation of several operating systems, such a flash drive will be called multiboot. Check the box for the required item and be sure to specify the path to the files that you want to write to the program. Enter the path by clicking on the button with ellipsis:

• Win 2000, XP or 2003. If you need to write one of these older versions of the Windows operating system to a flash drive, select this option. Now you need to tell the program the path to the files: I386 (or I386 / AMD64). This can be done in three ways:
  1. insert the disk with the operating system and specify the location;
  2. create an image of an optical disk with an operating system and select a virtual drive;
  3. use the archiver to open the optical disc image and extract all the files to a new folder, and then tell the utility the path to it.
  If you are creating a bootable Win XP USB drive, specify the drive letter where the installer is located.
• Win Vista, 7, 8, Server 2008 or 2012. If you need to burn one of these operating systems to a flash drive, specify where the optical disk image with it is located. In version 1.6, there were changes that were intended to make the WinSetupFromUSB program even easier.
• UBCD4, WinBuilder, Win FLPC, Bart PE. If you need to write one of these operating systems to a USB drive, do the same as in the case of older versions of OS Windows (specify the path to I386).
• LinuxISO, Other Grub4dos compatible ISO. If you need to write a Linux operating system or an installer of any useful programs to a flash drive, select this item. On a flash drive, you can write a set of software tools for restoring the operating system or special utilities that check your computer for viruses and remove them safely, for example, Rescue Disk from Kaspersky Lab. You can also burn Hirens BootCD - a very useful software for "resuscitation" of the computer after any failure. A set of utilities allows you to restore, test and optimize the operating system. Programs of this kind are created on the universal Grub4dos bootloader, which is used on Linux-like operating systems.
• SysLinux bootsector. If you need to write a Linux operating system that runs on the SYSLINUX bootloader to a flash drive, select this item. Tell the program the location of the SYSLINUX folder. This item is unlikely to be useful for beginners, and experienced users know how to use the functionality of the WinSetupFromUSB program.

After adding all the files for installing the operating system, start the process with the "GO" button. Before you start recording, answer the program's warnings and prepare to wait.

If you are recording with WinSetupFromUSB to a Windows flash drive (seven or eight), be patient and do not interrupt the process. While writing windows.wim, you will notice that the program hangs. In fact, the process continues, it's just that the utility needs more time to copy it.

In version 1.6, the developers expanded the functionality and enabled users to burn large volume optical discs (from 4 Gb) to a FAT32 USB drive in EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) mode.

The WinSetupFrom USB program is a universal program for turning a regular flash drive into a bootable device.

Difficulties for beginners may arise at the stage of managing this program, when, faced with a completely English interface, the user simply closes it and goes in search of a Russified, but weaker program.

In this article, an understandable manual for the program is disclosed.

Program installation

Before you start working with the utility, you need to download WinSetupFrom USB. The problem is that it is so popular that many resources offer to download it from them, adding a bunch of Trojans and suspicious programs.

This article provides WinSetupFrom USB instructions for its latest version, that is, 1.0.

How to open Control Panel in Windows 10

What's good - no installer is required, just unzip the program and select the bit system that suits your computer. Available in 32 and 64 bit.

In general, this program is universal when working with flash drives, since in addition to creating a bootable and multiboot device, there are three more possible actions. But here the emphasis will be on the first.

Partition an HDD or SSD Disk in Windows 10

1. A window will open in front of you, in which you can select the desired flash drive. In this case, the flash card will need to be formatted using AutoFormat it with FBinst , if you are recording images for the first time (do not forget to check this option), which will destroy all data on it.

This is a necessary measure to create a multi-boot device from a USB stick.

If the flash drive has already been used in WinSetupFromUSB to create a bootable device, then this step can be skipped.

2. Now you need to add the required installation software to the flash drive. If you download several distributions, then the flash drive will turn into a multi-boot device, which will significantly increase its functionality. This must also be specified in the options and the address to the required folders and files must be written in the line.

The line is opened by pressing the button with «…» on the right side.

Below are the options for different operating systems:

• Grub4dos is needed when installing a program from a Linux ISO (or other compatible ISO) or programs in order to restore the system, such as antiviruses such as Kaspersky or RBCD. Then Grub4dos will be needed here.

• Bart PE (Win Builder or WindowsFLPC or UBCD4Win) - needed if the folder address includes I386. Their purpose is disks based on Win PE. The option is not for beginners.

• Setup2003 is used for Windows XP or Windows 2000 to add folders from these operating systems. Also specify the folder name if the address includes I386 (or I386/AMD). Here you need to create a virtual disk image and set the path to the virtual drive. Or open the ISO image with an archive unpacker, extract the files to a separate directory and specify its name in the WinSetupFrom USB window (specify the name of the disk containing the distribution kit when creating an installation disk from a flash drive).

• Server 2008(2012) for Windows Vista 7 and 8. You also need to register the address of the virtual image with the operating system.

• SysLinux BootSector , applicable if syslinux was used, is the file loader on a Linux system. Here you need to enter the path to the SYSLINUX folder.

Turn off Update in Windows 10

Having entered all the necessary paths to the desired files, you can click the Go button, we go further along the algorithm and in a few minutes you will have a ready-made bootable USB drive.

• A small correction for those who have the 7th or 8th Windows - WinSetupFrom USB can slow down on copying windows.wim. It's okay, it's a minute lag.

In addition, the WinSetupFrom USB program supports writing a virtual image weighing more than 4 gigabytes to a flash drive, but already in FAT32 UEFI format.

You can install Windows 10 from any media that has a Windows installer on it. The media can be a USB flash drive that fits the parameters described below in the article. You can turn a regular USB flash drive into an installation one using third-party programs or an official application from Microsoft.

Preparation and characteristics of a flash drive

The flash drive you use must be completely empty and work in a certain format, we will achieve this by formatting it. The minimum size for creating a bootable flash drive is 4 GB. You can use the created installation media as many times as you like, that is, you can install Windows 10 on several computers from one flash drive. Of course, you will need a separate license key for each of them.

Preparing a flash drive

The flash drive you have chosen must be formatted before you can start placing the installation software on it:

The second way to format

There is another way to format a USB flash drive - through the command line. Expand the command prompt using administrator rights, and then run the following commands:

1. Enter in turn: diskpart and list disk to see all the disks available on the PC.
2. To select a disk, write: select disk #, where # is the number of the disk listed.
3. clean.
4. create partition primary.
5. select partition 1.
6. active.
7. format fs=FAT32 QUICK.
8. assign.
9. exit.

Obtaining an ISO image of the operating system

There are several ways to create the installation media, some of which will require an ISO image of the system. You can download the hacked assembly at your own risk on one of the sites that distribute Windows 10 for free, or get the official version of the OS from the Microsoft website:

1. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10).
2. Select OS language, version and bitness. The version should be chosen based on your needs. If you are an average user who does not work with Windows at a professional or corporate level, then install the home version, it makes no sense to take more fancy options. The bit depth is set to what is supported by your processor. If it is dual-core, then choose the 64x format, if it is single-core, then 32x.
3. When prompted to select media, check the "ISO file" option.
4. Specify where to save the system image. Done, the flash drive is ready, the image is created, you can start creating the installation media.

Create installation media from a USB flash drive

The easiest way can be used if your computer supports UEFI mode - a newer version of the BIOS. Usually, if the BIOS opens as a decorated menu, then it supports UEFI. Also, whether your motherboard supports this mode or not, you can find out on the website of the company that made it.

1. Insert the flash drive into the computer and only after that start rebooting it.
2. As soon as the computer turns off and the power-on process begins, you need to enter the BIOS. Most often, the Delete key is used for this, but other options are possible, depending on the model of the motherboard installed on your PC. When it's time to enter the BIOS, a hotkey prompt will appear at the bottom of the screen.
3. Change the boot order: by default, the computer will start from the hard drive if it finds an OS on it, but you must install your UEFI-signed flash drive: USB in the first place. If the flash drive is displayed, but there is no UEFI signature, then this mode is not supported by your computer, this installation method is not suitable.
4. Save your BIOS changes and start your computer. If everything is done correctly, the OS installation process will begin.

If it turned out that your board is not suitable for installation through UEFI mode, then we use one of the methods below to create a universal installation media.

Media Creation Tool

You can also create Windows installation media using the official Media Creation Tool.

1. Go to the official Windows 10 page and download the installer from Microsoft (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10).
2. Run the downloaded program, read and agree to the standard license agreement.
3. Select the option that allows you to create installation media.
4. As described earlier, select the OS language, version and bit depth.
5. When prompted to select a media, indicate that you want to use a USB device.
6. If several flash drives are connected to the computer, select the one that you have prepared in advance.
7. Wait for the program to automatically create installation media from your flash drive. After that, you will need to change the boot method in the BIOS (put the installation flash drive in the first place in the "Download" section) and proceed to install the OS.

With the help of unofficial programs

There are many third party programs that create installation media. They all work according to the same scenario: they write the Windows image that you created in advance to a USB flash drive so that it turns into bootable media. Consider the most popular, free and convenient applications.

Rufus

Rufus is a free program for creating bootable USB drives. It works on Windows OS starting from Windows XP SP2.

1. Download and install the program from the official website of the developer: http://rufus.akeo.ie/?locale.
2. All functions of the program fit in one window. Specify the device on which the image will be written.
3. In the "File system" line, specify the FAT32 format, since it was in it that we formatted the USB flash drive.
4. In the system interface type, set the option for computers with BIOS and UEFI if you are sure that your computer does not support UEFI mode.
5. Specify the location of the pre-created system image and select a standard Windows installation.
6. Click on the "Start" button to start the process of creating the installation media. Done, after the end of the procedure, change the boot method in the BIOS (in the "Download" section, you need to put the flash card in the first place) and proceed to install the OS.

UltraISO

UltraISO is a very versatile program that allows you to create and work with images.

1. Buy or download a trial version, which is enough to complete our task, from the official website of the developer: https://ezbsystems.com/ultraiso/ .
2. From the main menu of the program, open the "File" menu.
3. Select "Open" and specify the location of the pre-created image.
4. Select "Burn Hard Disk Image".
5. Specify which flash drive you want to use.
6. Leave the write method as USB-HDD.
7. Click on the "Record" button and wait for the process to finish. After completing the procedure, change the boot method in the BIOS (put the installation flash drive in the first place in the "Download" section) and proceed to install the OS.

WinSetupFromUSB

WinSetupFromUSB is a utility for creating a bootable USB flash drive with the ability to install Windows, starting from the XP version.

Is it possible to use a microSD instead of a USB flash drive

The answer is yes, you can. The process of creating an installation MicroSD is no different from the same process with a USB flash drive. The only thing you need to make sure that your computer has a port suitable for MicroSD. To create this type of installation media, it is better to use the third-party programs described above in the article, and not the official utility from Microsoft, as it may not recognize the MicroSD.

Errors while creating the installation flash drive

The installation media creation process may be interrupted for the following reasons:

• there is not enough memory on the drive - less than 4 GB. Find a flash drive with more memory and try again,
• flash drive is not formatted or formatted in the wrong format. Go through the formatting process again, carefully following the instructions above,
• The Windows image being written to the flash drive is corrupted. Download another image, it is best to take it from the official Microsoft website,
• If one of the methods described above does not work in your case, then use another option. If none of them fit, then it's a flash drive, it should be replaced.

Video: creating a Windows 10 installation flash drive

Creating the installation media is an easy process, done mostly automatically. If you use a working USB flash drive, a high-quality system image and use the instructions correctly, then everything will work out, and after restarting your computer, you can start installing Windows 10. If after installation you want to save the installation USB flash drive, then do not move any files to it, then it can be used again.

The free program WinSetupFromUSB, designed to create a bootable or multiboot USB flash drive, I have repeatedly touched on in articles on this site. In addition, many other thematic resources can draw your attention to this tool, as one of the most functional in terms of writing bootable USB drives.

Where to download WinSetupFromUSB

First of all, I want to draw your attention to the fact that by asking the appropriate query in the search engine, you will most likely stumble upon a site that will have a lot of incomprehensibly leading green Download buttons, and after the desired download link is found , it turns out that when installing WinSetupFromUSB, several more "junk" programs of dubious usefulness were installed on the computer.
To prevent this from happening, just go to the official website of the program http://www.winsetupfromusb.com/downloads/ and download it. A little less than a month ago (October 17, 2013), the final version 1.0 was released, and we will consider it (before that, WinSetupFromUSB 1.0 beta6 and beta8 were the most commonly used).

Update 2015: The current version is 1.4, the work with the program has not changed. Below in the article is a video instruction on using WinSetupFromUSB 1.4.

By the way, the program does not require installation: you need to unpack the archive with it and run the desired version - 32-bit or x64.

How to make a bootable USB flash drive using WinSetupFromUSB

Despite the fact that creating a bootable USB flash drive is not all that can be done using this utility (which actually includes at least 3 additional tools for working with USB drives), this task is still the main one. Therefore, I will demonstrate the fastest and easiest way to do it.
In the main window of the program, in the upper field, select the USB drive to which the recording will be made. Please note that all data on it will be deleted. Also check the AutoFormat it with FBinst box - this will automatically format the flash drive and prepare it to be bootable when you start. In fact, this can be done manually using the Bootice, RMPrepUSB utilities, but, as I said, the instruction is for beginners and we will use the easiest way.

Note: However, you should check the box for automatic formatting only if you are writing images to a USB flash drive for the first time using this program. If you already have a bootable USB flash drive created in WinSetupFromUSB and you need to add, for example, another Windows installation to it, then just follow the steps below without formatting.

The next step is to specify what exactly we want to add to the flash drive. It can be several distributions at once, as a result of which we will get a multi-boot flash drive. So, tick the desired item or several and specify the path to the files needed for WinSetupFromUSB to work (to do this, click the button with the ellipsis to the right of the field):

• Windows 2000/XP/2003 Setup- we use it to place the distribution kit of one of the specified operating systems on a flash drive. As a path, you need to specify the folder in which the I386 / AMD64 folders (or only I386) are located. That is, you either need to mount an ISO image with the OS in the system and specify the path to the virtual disk drive, or insert a Windows disk and, accordingly, specify the path to it. Another option is to open the ISO image with an archiver and extract all the contents to a separate folder: in this case, you will need to specify the path to this folder in WinSetupFromUSB. Those. Usually, when creating a bootable USB flash drive for Windows XP, we just need to specify the drive letter with the distribution.
• Windows Vista/7/8/Server 2008/2012- to install the specified operating systems, you need to specify the path to the ISO image file with it. In general, in previous versions of the program it looked different, but now they have made it easier.
• UBCD4Win/WinBuilder/Windows FLPC/Bart PE- also, as in the first case, you will need the path to the folder that contains I386, intended for various boot disks based on WinPE. A novice user is unlikely to need.
• LinuxISO/Other Grub4dos compatible ISO- required if you want to add an Ubuntu Linux distribution (or another Linux) or any disk with utilities for computer recovery, virus scanning and the like, for example: Kaspersky Rescue Disk, Hiren's Boot CD, RBCD and others. Most of them use Grub4dos.
• SysLinux bootsector- designed to add Linux distributions that use the syslinux bootloader. Most likely not useful. To use, you need to specify the path to the folder in which the SYSLINUX folder is located.

After all the necessary distributions have been added, we simply press the Go button, answer the two warnings in the affirmative and start waiting. I note that if you are making a bootable USB drive that has Windows 7 or Windows 8 installed, when you copy the windows.wim file, it may seem that WinSetupFromUSB is stuck. It's not, be patient and wait.
Update 2015: The latest version of WinSetupFromUSB added the ability to write ISO over 4 GB to a FAT32 UEFI flash drive.

Video instructions for using WinSetupFromUSB

I also recorded a short video that shows in detail how to make a bootable or multiboot flash drive in the described program. Perhaps it will be easier for someone to understand what's what.

Conclusion

This completes the instructions for using WinSetupFromUSB. All that's left for you - put boot from flash drive in BIOS computer and use the newly created drive and boot from it. As I said, these are not all the features of the program, but in the vast majority of cases the described items will be enough.

And suddenly this will be interesting: