How to Download and Install Windows 10 from USB Stick

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Posted by Geeks Callout London

@geekscallout

5 Dec, 2020

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When installing Windows 10 from scratch, we typically use a USB stick minimum 16GB for this purpose. There are other options for it as well, and you can use them without any hassle.

But many people are confused about the process, and they especially don’t like terms like BIOS and UEFI. If your computer is based on UEFI (newer version) than BIOS, it is important to use the appropriate method and media for the installation. There are multiple methods to create bootable media to install Windows 10 on the UEFI based computer or laptop.

You can use a tool called Microsoft Media Creation Tool (Developed by Microsoft) to download and create the bootable USB stick. However, if you are not comfortable with the Media Creation Tool, other options are available in the market, including Rufus.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the process of creating the USB stick with UEFI and then installing it on a computer.

Let’s get started…

Creation of UEFI Boot Media Using the Media Creation Tool

If you are looking to perform a clean install on UEFI based devices, Media Creation Tool is the best way to do it. Microsoft has availed the Media Creation Tool through their website.

Now, let’s shift our focus to creating the bootable USB stick using the steps given here.
Download Media Creation Tool

  1. Go ahead and open a web browser on any computer and then enter the Microsoft.com in the URL and hit enter.
  2. Now, you need to search for the Windows 10 download page and open it.
  3. Now, look for the ‘Download Tool Now’ button located under the ‘Create Windows 10 Installation Media’ section from the download page.
  4. Click on the ‘Download Tool Now’ button to get the exe file on your computer.
  5. Open the File Explorer and then navigate to the default Downloads folder and then double click on the recently downloaded Media Creation Tool exe file to launch it.

With these steps, you will be able to download and launch the Media Creation Tool on your computer.

Create a USB Stick with Media Creation Tool

You can now use the Media Creation Tool to create the bootable USB stick by following the next few steps.

  1. Launch the Media Creation Tool and click on the Accept button to agree to Microsoft’s service terms.
  2. Now, select the ‘Create installation media (USB Flash Drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC’ option and click on the Next button from the bottom.
  3. Now, you need to select the language, architecture, and edition of Windows, and you can keep it default if you want. For that, check the ‘Use the recommended option for this PC’ checkbox located right below the options.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Now, select the ‘USB flash drive’ option from the next page and click Next.
  6. Select the USB drive from the list (click on the Refresh drive list, if you don’t see the drive) of options and click Next.
  7. Finally, click on the Finish button to start the process of bootable media creation.

The tool will automatically download and create bootable media once these steps are completed. It will make a bootable flash drive that will support both platforms, UEFI, and BIOS.

Create Bootable Media Using Rufus

If you don’t want to use the Media Creation Tool, you can easily use a third-party tool like Rufus. Rufus is one of the greatest tools for creating a bootable media device with UEFI and BIOS support.

rufus

Create USB with Rufus

Keep a USB stick ready to create a bootable device using an existing Windows 10 ISO file.

  1. Go ahead and open a web browser and then enter the Rufus.ie in the URL bar.
  2. Click on the latest release and download rufus setup on your device from the Download section.
  3. Open the File Explorer and then navigate to the default Downloads folder and then double click on the recently downloaded Rufus exe file to launch the tool.
  4. Now, select the USB stick from the Drive section.
  5. Now, move to the Boot Selection section and then click on the Select button to browse the Windows 10 ISO 32 bit or 64 bit file from the location.
  6. Select the GPT option from the ‘Partition Scheme’ option and then choose the UEFI (Non-CSM) option for Target System.
  7. Ensure that ‘Quick Format’ and ‘Create extended label and icon files’ checkboxes are checked.
  8. Once all of the options are correct, click on the Start button to process.
  9. Then press the OK button to confirm the start.

After completing the steps given here, the tool will create a bootable windows 10 USB stick according to the specifications mentioned in the settings.

Conclusion

These are the two of the most popular methods of creating the bootable USB stick for both UEFI and standard BIOS. Now, all you need to do is plug in the USB in the computer you want to install and then follow the simple Windows 10 installation instructions.

 

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