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How to Install Windows 10 from ISO File on USB?

Published in Windows Installation 5 mins read

To install Windows 10 from an ISO file on a USB drive, you'll need to prepare the USB drive and then boot from it to begin the installation. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Prerequisites:

  • A Windows 10 ISO file (downloaded from Microsoft's website)
  • A USB drive with at least 8GB of storage
  • A computer to format the USB drive and copy the ISO files

Steps:

1. Prepare the USB Drive

This involves formatting the USB drive and making it bootable. You can do this manually using diskpart in the command prompt or using a third-party tool. We'll cover both methods.

Method 1: Using diskpart (Command Prompt)

This method is more technical but ensures a clean and bootable USB drive.

  1. Connect the USB drive to your computer.
  2. Open Command Prompt as an administrator: Search for "cmd" in the Start menu, right-click, and select "Run as administrator".
  3. Type diskpart and press Enter.
  4. List available disks: Type list disk and press Enter. Identify the disk number corresponding to your USB drive (be absolutely sure you select the correct disk!).
  5. Select the USB drive: Type select disk X (replace X with the actual disk number of your USB drive) and press Enter. Warning: Choosing the wrong disk can result in data loss on another drive!
  6. Clean the disk: Type clean and press Enter. This will erase all data on the USB drive.
  7. Create a primary partition: Type create partition primary and press Enter.
  8. Select the newly created partition: Type select partition 1 and press Enter.
  9. Mark the partition as active: Type active and press Enter.
  10. Format the partition with the FAT32 file system: Type format fs=fat32 quick and press Enter. Note: FAT32 is required for booting in some older UEFI and BIOS systems. If you encounter problems booting, you may need to use NTFS instead.
  11. Assign a drive letter: Type assign and press Enter. This will automatically assign a drive letter to the USB drive.
  12. Exit diskpart: Type exit and press Enter.

Method 2: Using a Third-Party Tool (Recommended for Beginners)

Several tools can automate the process of creating a bootable USB drive. Rufus is a popular and free option.

  1. Download Rufus: Get it from Rufus Official Website.
  2. Open Rufus and select your USB drive from the "Device" dropdown menu.
  3. Select the Windows 10 ISO file: Click the "SELECT" button and browse to your downloaded ISO file.
  4. Choose Partition scheme: GPT is recommended for modern UEFI-based systems; MBR is generally for older BIOS-based systems. Rufus often detects the best choice automatically.
  5. Click "START" and confirm the warning message about data loss. Rufus will format the drive and copy the ISO files to the USB drive.
  6. Wait for the process to complete.

2. Copy Windows Installation Files

If you used Rufus in Method 2 above, this step is already completed. If you used diskpart, continue here.

  1. Mount the Windows 10 ISO file: Double-click the ISO file in File Explorer. This will mount it as a virtual drive.
  2. Copy all files and folders from the mounted ISO drive to your formatted USB drive. You can simply drag and drop them.

3. Boot from the USB Drive

  1. Insert the USB drive into the computer where you want to install Windows 10.
  2. Restart the computer.
  3. Enter the BIOS/UEFI settings: As the computer starts, press the key that allows you to enter the BIOS/UEFI setup. This key varies depending on the manufacturer but is often Del, F2, F12, Esc, or F10. The startup screen usually displays the key to press.
  4. Change the boot order: In the BIOS/UEFI settings, find the "Boot" section. Change the boot order so that the USB drive is listed before your hard drive. This ensures that the computer boots from the USB drive first.
  5. Save the changes and exit BIOS/UEFI: Follow the on-screen instructions to save your changes and exit the BIOS/UEFI setup. The computer will restart.
  6. The Windows Setup will start: The computer will now boot from the USB drive and the Windows 10 installation process will begin. Follow the on-screen prompts to install Windows 10.

Troubleshooting:

  • USB drive not recognized: Try a different USB port. Ensure the USB drive is properly formatted.
  • Cannot boot from USB: Double-check the boot order in BIOS/UEFI settings. Verify the USB drive is bootable. Consider trying a different USB creation tool or formatting method.
  • Compatibility issues: Ensure your hardware meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 10.

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