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How to Make a USB Pendrive Bootable with Your Existing Windows OS

May 13, 2025Technology4858
How to Make a USB Pendrive Bootable with Your Existing Windows OS Are

How to Make a USB Pendrive Bootable with Your Existing Windows OS

Are you looking to create a bootable USB pendrive with the Windows operating system already installed on your computer? This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to convert a standard USB drive into a bootable device, enabling you to start your computer from it. Let’s dive right in!

Identifying Your Windows Version

Before proceeding, it is essential to know your current version of Windows. This is crucial because different versions may have varying methods and tools for creating a bootable USB. To find out your Windows version, you can run the Winver command. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator, type winver, and press Enter. This will display your Windows version in the dialog box that appears.

Creating a Bootable USB Pendrive

The process for creating a bootable USB depends on the version of Windows you’re using. If you’re running a version that supports Windows to go, the steps are a bit simpler. However, if not, you’ll need to use a tool to create a bootable USB from the Windows installation files.

Step 1: Downloading Windows ISO

To start, you’ll need to download the Windows ISO file. Fortunately, Microsoft offers a free download from its software download page. Follow these steps:

Visit Microsoft’s Software Download Page. Click on the appropriate link for your Windows version and start the download. Once the download is complete, extract the ISO file if necessary.

Step 2: Creating the Bootable USB

Now that you have the ISO file, you need to create a bootable USB pendrive. Here are the steps:

Insert your USB drive into an available USB port. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator. Open the Disk Management utility by typing into the search bar and pressing Enter. Identify the USB drive (it will be labeled as drive X:) in Disk Management and delete the existing partition (if any) to free up the space. Initialize the USB drive if it’s not already initialized. This step is necessary for newer USB drives. Format the USB drive as FAT32, which is compatible with all versions of Windows. To format the USB drive, type format X: /FS:FAT32 /Q (replacing X with your USB drive letter) in the Command Prompt. Download and install the Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool. Run the Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool and follow the on-screen instructions to create a bootable USB pendrive. Select the USB drive and the Windows 7 ISO file you’ve downloaded.

Alternative Methods

If your version of Windows does not support Windows to go, you can still create a bootable USB pendrive by manually burning the Windows installation files to the USB drive. However, this requires more steps and attention to detail, including ensuring the right file system is used.

Creating a Recovery Drive

Another way to create a bootable USB is by creating a recovery drive. This is useful for newer versions of Windows. Here’s how:

Go to Settings Update Security Recovery. Click on Create a recovery drive and follow the on-screen instructions.

Remember, this method is only useful if you have one of the versions of Windows that support it.

Conclusion

Creating a bootable USB pendrive with your existing Windows OS is a straightforward process once you understand the steps involved. Whether you use the Windows to go feature, the Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool, or creating a recovery drive, you can ensure that you have a backup solution that allows you to start your computer in case of issues.

Do you have specific questions or face any persistent issues during the process? Feel free to comment or reach out with your questions!