Bootable USB

I keep reading that to make a bootable flash drive for an ISO one needs either Rufus or the Windows tool.
I told a mod that I swap the files within the ISO to the USB and it boots and he agreed that this works. I looked within the files and boot was there. When I insert the USB and boot from it, it installs the OS.
Why does so many articles say to prepare it to boot with the tool or Rufus when simply dragging will do??

maranna said:

I keep reading that to make a bootable flash drive for an ISO one needs either Rufus or the Windows tool.
I told a mod that I swap the files within the ISO to the USB and it boots and he agreed that this works. I looked within the files and boot was there. When I insert the USB and boot from it, it installs the OS.
Why does so many articles say to prepare it to boot with the tool or Rufus when simply dragging will do??

Probably because, prior to Windows 8, you couldn't mount an ISO file natively.
Some 'cheapie' usb sticks don't work, though.

Thanks - that's it in a nutshell. yes, I get a good stick so there is less chance of failure.
Windows burner is really improving so I don't know why so many want 3rd party. To each his own though.

It is very simple to prepare a bootable USB. To be compatible with both legacy BIOS and UEFI firmware there are only two requirements - the USB flash drive be formatted FAT32, and the FAT32 partition on it be marked as active. Then all you have to do is copy all the files from a bootable ISO file to it.

FAT32 is the requirement for UEFI firmware. Partition marked as active is the requirement for legacy BIOS.

There have been so many threads where people have complained about a USB flash drive not booting in their computer and I have asked, What did you use to make it? The most common answer is Rufus because they picked the wrong settings. For making a bootable USB flash drive of anything Windows based, I cannot recommend Rufus because it is much easier to tell someone, FAT32 - partition marked as active, that's all you need.

NavyLCDR said:

There have been so many threads where people have complained about a USB flash drive not booting in their computer and I have asked, What did you use to make it? The most common answer is Rufus because they picked the wrong settings. For making a bootable USB flash drive of anything Windows based, I cannot recommend Rufus because it is much easier to tell someone, FAT32 - partition marked as active, that's all you need.

>>I sometimes think instead of asking experts about simplicity you should ask a low level user like me because we are the acid test as to relative simplicity.
I was confused by Rufus.
How confusing can it be to drag some files to a drive. I am using FAT 32 as Navy instructed me, and only Windows, without failure. It seems Windows 10 is progressing, not regressing, and not needing 3rd party as much.
KIS.

@Kyhi
Does that mean that my .WIM file cannot utilize all of DISM?
I am way over my head here but I downloaded the .Wim ISO form tech bench when it was available. I then burned it to DVD so I have that at least. I then copied the files to a flash drive.
So if I want to use all of DISM's commands, I can use the DVD but not the stick?