Creating a bootable USB drive using the Command Prompt (CMD) in Windows involves several steps. Follow these instructions carefully:


Requirements

  • A USB drive (minimum 8GB recommended).
  • A bootable ISO file for the operating system.
  • Administrative privileges on your Windows system.

Steps to Create a Bootable USB Using CMD

  1. Insert the USB Drive
    Plug in your USB drive. Back up any data, as this process will format the drive.

  2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator

    • Press Windows + S, type cmd, then right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as Administrator.

  3. Launch DiskPart
    Type the following command and press Enter:

    cmd
    diskpart

  4. List All Disks
    To see the list of connected storage devices, type:

    cmd
    list disk

  5. Select Your USB Drive
    Identify your USB drive from the list (e.g., Disk 1) and select it:

    cmd
    select disk 1

    (Replace 1 with the actual number of your USB drive.)

  6. Clean the USB Drive
    This will remove all data and partitions:

    cmd
    clean

  7. Create a Primary Partition

    cmd
    create partition primary

  8. Format the USB Drive

    • Format the drive as FAT32 (most compatible) or NTFS:
      cmd
      format fs=fat32 quick

  9. Assign a Drive Letter

    cmd
    assign

  10. Make the Partition Active

    cmd
    active

  11. Exit DiskPart

    cmd
    exit

Copy Bootable Files to the USB Drive

Use the xcopy command to transfer files from the ISO or your system to the USB drive:

  1. Mount the ISO file (right-click the ISO and select Mount) or insert your installation disc.
  2. Note the drive letter of the mounted ISO (e.g., D:) and the USB drive (e.g., E:).
  3. Use the following command:
    cmd
    xcopy D:\* E:\ /E /F /H

Test the Bootable USB

Restart your system and configure the BIOS/UEFI to boot from the USB drive.

Your bootable USB drive is now ready!