Can I add folders to a bootable USB drive

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  1. Posts : 4,201
    Windows 10 Pro x64 Latest RP
       #21

    Nisko said:
    So, ... ... ... Does anyone recommend any other portable apps that would be helpful as repair tools? Does anyone know if Kaspersky Internet Protection has a portable app? ... ... ... I'd just like to make sure I have on them whatever apps you folks consider important. Thank you.
    You may find PortableApps.com - Portable software for USB, portable, and cloud drives A good place to visit for a vast selection of apps for the exact use you are considering. Also check out Sysinternals from Microsoft and Nirsoft

    warning   Warning
    some of the tools in both Sysinternals and Nirsoft are very powerful and can be dangerous if used incorrectly. Some of the tools in Nirsoft can be flagged as dangerous due to the nature of their purpose (password recovery Etc], I have never had an actual issue with them in many years of use
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  2. Posts : 1,033
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #22

    1. How do I determine which version of UEFI firmware I have?
    2. What is pescreenshots.exe?
    3. I assume I have to determine the drive letter of the flash drive IF I want to access folders and not install Windows?
    4. Why did you highlight a folder and two files in your screenshot?
    I'm having fun on this thread because I'm learning!!!

    topgundcp said:
    Some information in this thread is not completely correct!!! NTFS can be used if the UEFI Firmware version is 2.0 or later.
    My PC is 6yr old and has no problem booting with NTFS.

    The only reason that we advice people to format the bootable drive to be FAT32 so that it will be compatible with the UEFI Firmware version prior to 2.0
    so it can boot with UEFI Mode.

    For UEFI Firmware version later than 2.0. The restriction of FAT32 is no longer required.

    Below is the screen shot of a 64GB Lexar USB initialized as MBR disk. From Disk management, it shows as drive I: formatted with NTFS and set as Active. Support both MBR and UEFI.
    The content is Windows Installation with 12699.334 Cumulative Updates added so the install.wim is around 4.5GB exceeding file size limit for FAT32.
    One folder and 2 executable files added.
    Attachment 183967

    When booting the Windows installation, one needs to find out what drive letter the USB is assigned to, in this case it's F: to access files and folders. Note that I ran pescreenshots.exe to take a screen shot below:
    Attachment 183969
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  3. Posts : 2,799
    Linux Mint 20.1 Win10Prox64
       #23

    1. How do I determine which version of UEFI firmware I have?
    Win+R->msinfo32 and look for SmBIOS
    2. What is pescreenshots.exe?
    A portable program when run will allow user to use PrintScreen Key from the Keyboard to take a Screen Shot of what on the screen under WinPE.
    3. I assume I have to determine the drive letter of the flash drive IF I want to access folders and not install Windows?
    Yes. That's what you asked in this thread, when connected in Windows it's assigned letter I: but under WinPE it's assigned different Letter ie. F:
    4. Why did you highlight a folder and two files in your screenshot?
    Again, your question was: Can I add Folders to a bootable USB drive ? The answer is yes,, highlighted those files and folder that are not part of Windows Files.


    NOTE:: I would not advice to create extra partition(s). Even though you can create them but not guarantee they will be recognized if connect to an older PC.
    Just create one single partition, format as NTFS, set Active then create any extra Folder(s) to store the portable program(s) or portable Tool(s).

    Bottom line: my answer is exactly what you asked!!!
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  4. Posts : 1,033
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #24

    Thanks for all the help - all of you. I now understand what I was asking about!
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  5. Posts : 1,033
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #25

    Oops!! I just thought of one more question: When using the MCT, I'm told that it automatically reformats the thumb drive as FAT32. However, if a file or folder is larger than 4GB, FAT32 won't handle it. That is my understanding. If so, how can I put the update on a flash drive that has been formatted as FAt32? I'm just not clear on this item Thank you.
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  6. Posts : 10,929
    Win10 x64
       #26

    The MCT does not use any files over 4GB. That is why. I have used my USB flash drive in Fat32 the whole time. I read on this subject and NTFS will cause more read/writes and wear it out faster. They last so long in my opinion it would not matter. I just use FAT32 and let the MCT do its thing. Hope that helps.
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  7. Posts : 13,896
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #27

    I use a 16GB Thumb drive, let the MCT process format and create the bootable as needed. I save the Build updates on the same drive as they are seldom over about 1GB to 1.5GB in size for the 64-bit, smaller for the 32-bit Offline Installer downloads. For the updates I let them go to the Downloads Folder then copy later to the Thumb drive.
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  8. Posts : 1,033
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #28

    Thank you. Do you know on what day of the month Microsoft releases its' latest version of Windows 10 with updates via the MCT?
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #29

    Nisko said:
    Thank you. Do you know on what day of the month Microsoft releases its' latest version of Windows 10 with updates via the MCT?
    There is no apparent fixed day of the month for a new version of Windows and its MCT to be released, it's 'whenever it's ready'. For 1709 that was on 17th Oct, a week after 'Patch Tuesday'. There are strong rumours that 1803 will be release on 10th April. The Anniversary Update 1607 was out on 2nd August. The only common factor is that they were all Tuesdays - and even that isn't set in stone, 1511 was released on Thursday November 12, 2015.
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  10. Posts : 1,033
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #30

    Thanks! In a previous post (last year), a reader told me updates were released on a certain Tuesday of each month and that was what I was referring to. Unfortunately, I forgot what that reader told me.
      My Computer


 

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