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Bootable Usb

💾 Bootable USB Drive (How-To)

Booting a system using a USB bootable drive involves creating the drive and then configuring the target system to boot from it.

Step 1: Create a Bootable USB Drive

Using Windows

  1. Download a bootable ISO file:
    • Windows: Download the ISO from Microsoft’s official website.
    • Linux: Download the ISO from the respective distribution’s website.
  2. Download and Install Rufus:
    • Download Rufus from https://rufus.ie/.
    • Install and run Rufus.
  3. Create the Bootable USB Drive:
    • Insert a USB drive (at least $8\text{GB}$).
    • Open Rufus and select the USB drive under “Device”.
    • Click on SELECT and choose the downloaded ISO file.
    • Leave other settings as default and click START.
    • Wait for Rufus to complete the process.

Using macOS (Terminal)

  1. Download the bootable ISO file.
  2. Open Terminal.
  3. Create the Bootable USB Drive:
    • Insert a USB drive.
    • Use the command diskutil list to find the USB drive’s identifier (e.g., disk2).
    • Format the USB drive: 
        diskutil eraseDisk MS-DOS "BOOTABLE" MBR <USBIdentifier>
    • Create the bootable drive using dd: 
        sudo dd if=/path/to/iso of=/dev/r<USBIdentifier> bs=1m
    • (Note: Use r<USBIdentifier> for raw access, e.g., /dev/rdisk2, for faster writing. Use bs=1m for the block size.)

Using Linux (Terminal)

  1. Download the bootable ISO file.
  2. Open Terminal.
  3. Create the Bootable USB Drive:
    • Insert a USB drive.
    • Use the command lsblk to find the USB drive’s identifier (e.g., sdb).
    • Create the bootable drive using dd: 
        sudo dd if=/path/to/iso of=/dev/<USBIdentifier> bs=4M status=progress
  sync
    • (Note: Use bs=4M for the block size and include status=progress to monitor the operation.)

Step 2: Configure the Target System to Boot from USB

  1. Insert the Bootable USB Drive:
    • Insert the USB drive into a USB port on the system you want to boot.
  2. Access BIOS/UEFI Settings:
    • Restart the computer.
    • During the boot process, press the key to enter BIOS/UEFI setup. This key varies but is commonly F2, F12, Del, Esc, or F10. The key is usually displayed briefly during startup.
  3. Change Boot Order:
    • Navigate to the Boot menu within the BIOS/UEFI.
    • Set the USB drive as the first boot device.
    • Save the changes and exit the settings (usually F10).

Step 3: Boot from the USB Drive

  1. Restart the Computer:
    • The system should now boot from the USB drive.
    • If prompted (e.g., “Press any key to boot from USB…”), press a key.
  2. Follow Installation Instructions:
    • The system will boot into the installation or live environment for the operating system.
    • Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed.

Troubleshooting

USB Drive Not Recognized

  • Ensure the USB drive is properly inserted and recognized by the BIOS/UEFI.
  • Try using a different USB port.

Boot Option Not Available

  • Ensure the USB drive was correctly created as a bootable drive (Step 1).
  • Check the BIOS/UEFI settings for any options related to Secure Boot or Legacy Boot modes, as these can interfere with booting from a USB.