Create Windows Installation Usb

Creating a Bootable Windows Installation USB

Date Published: September 7, 2024

This guide explains how to create a bootable USB drive for installing Windows. It includes instructions for obtaining the ISO, preparing the USB drive, and enabling edition selection. Enhancements include automation tips and error handling for common issues.

1. Obtain a Windows ISO

Use the Microsoft Windows Media Creation Tool to download the retail version of the Windows installation ISO.

Best Practices:

  • International Version: Choose the international version to include English (British) language support.
  • Volume Licensing: Retail versions can later be converted to volume-licensed Windows versions.

2. Preparing the USB Drive

Step 1: Mount the Windows ISO

Mount the Windows ISO file:

  • Double-click the ISO file in modern Windows versions.
  • Note the drive letter assigned to the mounted ISO.

Step 2: Partition the USB Drive

While 8GB is sufficient for basic installations, using a 32GB or 64GB USB stick allows room for multiple WIM files for better management.

Commands for Disk Partitioning:

DISKPART
list disk
select disk X
clean
create partition primary
list partition
active
format fs=ntfs label="BootableUSB" QUICK OVERRIDE

Instructions:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Run the above commands in sequence:
    • Replace X with the USB drive’s disk number.
  3. After formatting, the USB is ready for the next steps.

Step 3: Copy Boot Sector and Files

To make the USB bootable:

  1. Mount the ISO and plug in the USB stick.
  2. Note the drive letters of the ISO (E:) and USB (D:).
  3. Run the following commands in Command Prompt (Admin): 
    REM Set variables for ISO and USB drives
SET ISO=E:
SET USB=D:

REM Create boot sector and copy files
%ISO%
cd boot
bootsect /nt60 %USB%
xcopy %ISO%\*.* %USB%\ /E /F /H

3. Enable Edition Selection

Windows installation media can contain multiple editions (e.g., Home, Pro, Enterprise). On OEM hardware, the edition selection menu may be skipped.

Configure Edition Selection:

  1. Create a file called ei.cfg in the sources folder on the USB.
  2. Add the following contents: 
    [Channel]
Retail
[VL]
0

This ensures the edition selection menu appears during installation.

Enhancements

Automating USB Creation

Use a PowerShell script to automate the above steps:

$ISO = "E:"
$USB = "D:"

# Prepare the USB
diskpart /s @"
select disk X
clean
create partition primary
active
format fs=ntfs label="BootableUSB" QUICK
"@

# Copy boot sector and files
Start-Process -FilePath "$ISO\boot\bootsect.exe" -ArgumentList "/nt60 $USB" -Wait
Copy-Item -Path "$ISO\*" -Destination "$USB\" -Recurse -Force

Error Handling

  • USB Not Recognized:
    • Ensure the USB is properly connected before running DISKPART.
  • File Copy Fails:
    • Check if the ISO drive is correctly mounted and accessible.
  • Boot Sector Errors:
    • Verify that the bootsect.exe file exists in the ISO’s boot folder.

Best Practices

  1. Label the USB Drive:
    • Use meaningful labels like BootableUSB for easy identification.
  2. Test Bootability:
    • Test the USB on a non-production machine before deploying.
  3. Use Modern USB Sticks:
    • Prefer USB 3.0 or 3.1 sticks for faster file transfers and installations.