How to create a bootable installation USB stick

Planning to install or reinstall an operating system on your PC? You will necessarily need a medium containing the new OS on which the computer can start to start the installation.

To create it, you must have a USB key of at least 8 GB that will be fully dedicated to it, as well as the disk image of the operating system you want to install. The manipulation to create the bootable USB key is trivial and only requires a few minutes.

1. Download Rufus

First, download and install the Rufus utility on your Windows PC. Available free of charge, this open source utility allows you to generate bootable media in just a few clicks to reinstall your operating systems.

2. Download the system image

To create the installation USB key for your operating system, you will first need to download the disk image of the operating system. Several disk image formats can be offered, but the most frequently used are .iso and .img.

3. Launch Rufus

Open Rufus on your PC and connect the USB stick you want to use. Normally, the utility detects it and automatically selects it as the Device to use.

Then click on the Select button then in the file explorer window that opens, choose the disk image to use to create your bootable key.

4. Create the bootable USB key

Depending on the disk image you submit to it, Rufus should automatically select all of the other settings without you having to change them.

Simply customize the Volume Name in the Formatting Options and then click the Start button to start creating the device.

Rufus displays an alert explaining that all the data on the USB drive is about to be erased. Click OK to validate and start the process.

Now take your trouble patiently while the utility flash the USB key with the disk image you submitted to it.

Depending on your hardware and the disk image to be flashed on the USB key, the procedure may take more or less time, usually several minutes. Finally click on the Close button when Rufus has finished the procedure.