Testing a Win10 Bootable USB media created with Rufus?

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  1. Posts : 812
    Win10
       #1

    Testing a Win10 Bootable USB media created with Rufus?


    I had downloaded the latest Media Creation Tool which is the Windows 10 AU update and downloaded the ISO file. Then, I used Rufus to create a bootable USB flash drive whenever I need to perform a clean re-install of Windows 10 AU.

    I do not want to install the AU update yet, but just need to find out the integrity of my newly created bootable USB media with the Windows 10 AU setup files on it.

    In order to test if it boots up to the setup screen, can I test that on my own machine and then exit out of it without wiping my current Windows 10 (1511) installation?

    I just need to test the bootable USB media created with Rufus to ensure if it boots up to the Windows 10 setup screen.
    In other words, I just want to test the integrity of the USB bootable flash drive created with Rufus.
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  2. Posts : 226
    Many
       #2

    The Windows install media will only wipe out your computer if you proceed with the install. Booting into the media will not do that. So yes you can test it on your working computer without any risk.
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  3. Posts : 812
    Win10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    So I just need to test it if it boots up to where it ask me to select the Location, Language, and Keyboard layout, then I can exit out of that?
    Am I correct?

    I just do not want to reinstall Windows 10 again just to test the newly created bootable USB flash drive created with Rufus...That would be really insane...

    And I do not have an extra machine either.
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  4. Posts : 226
    Many
       #4

    You are correct. As long as it gets to the Windows setup it should be good to go.
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  5. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #5

    Neemobeer said:
    You are correct. As long as it gets to the Windows setup it should be good to go.
    Not completely correct. I've seen USB flash drives that would boot to the blue initial Windows setup screen, but as soon as you tried to go further into the custom install where you would delete partitions to perform a clean install Windows setup has stopped and asked for disk controller drivers to continue.

    @win10freak, you can boot the computer from the USB flash drive, click the install now button, skip entering product key if asked, pick which Windows version to install, if asked, then select the Custom Install option. You should be presented a list of hard drives and partitions. When you see that list, you can be 99% certain the USB flash drive is good and you can just pull the USB flash drive out at that point and reboot your computer and nothing will have been affected on it.

    As a side note - I would never use Rufus to create the Windows 10 USB flash drive. I've read too many posts about people who have checked the wrong box and gotten a USB flash drive that wouldn't boot. There are much more reliable ways to create Windows 10 installation flash drives that will boot both on legacy BIOS computers and UEFI computers.
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  6. Posts : 2,832
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       #6

    Hi,

    As a side note - I would never use Rufus to create the Windows 10 USB flash drive. I've read too many posts about people who have checked the wrong box and gotten a USB flash drive that wouldn't boot.
    Somehow I do not think it is the users that check the wrong box but Rufus insisting on checking the box it thinks is the right one though.

    Cheers,
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 812
    Win10
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Here is why I resorted to Rufus because the MCT had issues creating bootable USB media.
    My USB is formatted to exFAT and I had formatted it before using the MCT.
    What can be wrong?
    I don't even security policies that would block writing to USB drives
    And looks like I am not the only one facing the issue.
    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...a-f45e608c4337
    I think Rufus might be more reliable when just using the default settings.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Testing a Win10 Bootable USB media created with Rufus?-capture.png  
    Last edited by win10freak; 07 Nov 2016 at 02:36.
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  8. Posts : 15,444
    Windows10
       #8

    Best way to test the tool is to create a virtual hard driven and install OS to the vhd. You will get a boot entry added so you can boot to your normal windows or to the vhd. This method does not affect your current install in any way, apart from adding one file and adding a boot entry.

    To do this:

    Boot from usb installation drive, and when at the "install now" screen, press shift+f10 to jump to a command prompt.

    Then type following commands (can change path, names, files size (set at 50,000 MB in example)):

    c:
    cd\
    md vhd
    diskpart
    create vdisk file=c:\vhd\win10.vhd maximum=50000 type=fixed
    select vdisk file=c:\vhd\win10.vhd
    attach vdisk
    exit
    exit

    Then press install now and install OS to the newly created virtual disk unallocated space (usually last in disk list). Skip key entry.

    Then reboot pc and select vhd, and you will boot to the freshly installed Windows.

    To delete virtual disk, simply delete file, and remove boot entry by running msconfig, selecting boot tab, and deleting boot entry.
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  9. Posts : 812
    Win10
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Why am I getting the create iso media errors though?
    This never happened when I created a bootable iso for my current installation and being the same USB stick.

    Is the MCT corrupt or something?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 15,444
    Windows10
       #10

    win10freak said:
    Why am I getting the create iso media errors though?
    This never happened when I created a bootable iso for my current installation and being the same USB stick.

    Is the MCT corrupt or something?
    Redownload and recreate.
      My Computer


 

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