USB Installer UEFI or Not?

Wow, that's a great answer topgundcp! I didn't know that, I always thought the Medium had to be created as UEFI for UEFI Install.

If using Boot Menu for one time boot, select UEFI-USBXXX for GPT, USBXXX for MBR.

But will the USB show up as UEFI when NOT CREATED as UEFI? I assume so as you are telling me that, just want to be clear in my mind. I understand it needs to be set that way in the BIOS, but the above question would still be interesting to me.

Thanks, FM

Is the USB flash drive partitioned as MBR or GPT. If it is MBR it is possible to boot both legacy BIOS and UEFI. If it is GPT then it is UEFI only.

Is the partition on the USB FAT32 or NTFS? If FAT32, it is possible to boot both legacy BIOS and UEFI. If NTFS, likely to boot in only legacy BIOS.

Is the partition marked as active? If the partition is not marked as active, then it will not not boot in legacy BIOS.

What you want for a universal USB flash drive is MBR partitioned with a Fat32 partition that is marked as active.

Wow, this is getting even more interesting Navy!

It is GPT, and it is FAT32, so that explains a lot. Because I tried to boot it on a few legacy BIOS Machines, and of course it would not boot, and I was suspicious at the time it was just what we are discussing here.

It doesn't look to be Marked as Active, is that because it was formatted as GPT?

What you want for a universal USB flash drive is MBR partitioned with a Fat32 partition that is marked as active.

Okay, I generally use Rufus, so just make those choices during the install choices right, all fairly obvious right?

When ever I run into an issue like this and I can't solve it I'll break out the DVD LOL, but that don't allow me to learn now does it LOL.

Thanks man, this is some cool stuff!

You can't set partitions as active with GPT type partitioning. I can't remember the exact settings in RUFUS because I don't use it. It is something like MBR partitions for legacy BIOS and UEFI. And then make sure FAT32 is selected. Then before hitting the OK button go back and look at the settings again and make sure none of them have changed.

The way I make a Windows installation flash drive is with diskpart. With the USB flash drive inserted, open a command prompt or powershell window and run:

diskpart <-answer the administrator prompt if you get one.
list disk
select disk # <-replace # with the actual number of the USB flash drive
clean <-this will erase the drive selected above, make sure it is the USB flash drive!
create part pri
format fs=fat32 quick
active
assign
exit
exit

Then mount the Windows ISO file and copy all the files and folders from the mounted ISO file to the newly formatted USB flash drive. Windows 8 and Windows 10 will both mount ISO files from file explorer. Windows 7 requires a separate program to mount ISO files such as WinCDEmu:
WinCDEmu - the easiest way to mount an ISO. And more....

Once you've done it enough times to memorize the commands you can have the flash drive ready to go in less time than it takes you to load RUFUS.

Or - if you don't have an ISO file saved, just let Microsoft's Media Creation Tool create the flash drive for you:
Download Windows 10 Disc Image (ISO File)

Thanks for those nice little commands, I'll try it!

Or - if you don't have an ISO file saved, just let Microsoft's Media Creation Tool create the flash drive for you:

I never do it that way, so I really appreciate the instructions using cmd! I always download iso's and keep them around. I think I have all since 1511, and most of the Windows Lineup, I'm a Hoarder LOL.

I've found when you use MCT the Installer actually has some negative effects, to me at least.

Thanks Bree!!!

I finally found this: Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10, so will do it this way and test it out. Hybrid saves me another USB Drive, and I'm getting crazy with so many drives around LOL.

I kept all the info on how to do this manually and will try that later also.

Thanks

@NavyLCDR and Bree, thanks for the suggestions. I did use the commands Navy, had a few hiccups but all went well eventually. I used them to create a Hybrid Linux USB also.

Thanks