

Also, the Windows 10 flash drive is a guarantee of uninterrupted access to the Internet or important documents, because malfunctions and inability to boot the current operating system may occur at the most inappropriate time.īelow you will find several ways to quickly install and run Windows 10 from a flash drive without a hard drive, so you can always have access to personal information and the Internet in all situations. Running Windows 10 from a flash drive is a convenient tool that allows you to try to restore an existing operating system without reinstalling it or save important data and files stored on the C drive and the desktop.

Create a Windows 10 flash drive with Rufus.Create a Windows 10 flash drive with WinToUSB.Creating a Windows 10 flash drive using third-party software (Rufus and WinToUsb).Booting the operating system from the flash drive.Create a Windows 10 flash drive with built-in tools.Split the Windows image file into smaller files, and put the smaller files onto the USB drive: Dism /Split-Image /ImageFile:D:\sources\install.wim /SWMFile:E:\sources\install.Running Windows 10 from a flash drive will be very useful if you can’t boot Windows or if your hard drive is damaged, which can happen anytime. If your image is larger than the filesize limit:Ĭopy everything except the Windows image file (sources\install.wim) to the USB drive (either drag and drop, or use this command, where D: is the mounted ISO and E: is the USB flash drive.) robocopy D: E: /s /max:3800000000 Windows USB install drives are formatted as FAT32, which has a 4GB filesize limit. Follow the instructions to install Windows. Select the option that boots the PC from the USB flash drive. Turn on the PC and press the key that opens the boot-device selection menu for the computer, such as the Esc/F10/F12 keys. For more information, see Automate Windows Setup. Optional: add an unattend file to automate the installation process. Use File Explorer to copy and paste the entire contents of the Windows product DVD or ISO to the USB flash drive.

Step 2 - Copy Windows Setup to the USB flash drive If Mark Partition as Active isn't available, you can instead use diskpart to select the partition and mark it active.
