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Introduction |
| If you are unsure how to write an ISO to a USB flash drive, this guide will show you how to use Rufus. Many modern systems do not include an internal optical drive and require a USB flash drive to boot unless you use a USB optical drive. This is especially common on modern laptops and some desktops where it is an option and not standard. Using a USB drive is often a more practical workaround for these systems. A 16-32GB* USB flash drive is generally easier to set up and use outside of DVD-only applications or situations. | | | ''*An older drive, such as an 8GB USB drive, "works," but you will have limited spare space for files, drivers, and NF firmware your machine may need (E.g., Intel wireless cards, nVidia graphics). You can generally no longer purchase 8GB drives new at retail, but they are sometimes available in multi-packs intended for disposable use cases but as a no-name product. ***IN GENERAL, when purchasing a brand-new drive: The recommended minimum is 32GB. 16GB drives are available, but generally only as rebranded Chinese drives (such as Onn), generics, or from "hole in a wall" companies. I don't recommend using these as they're not much cheaper ($5 or less) and are more prone to not responding well when used as a boot drive. You are better off formatting an old reliable drive if your drive budget is that slim.***'' | | ***TL;DR: When buying new, 32GB+ (USB3 preferred, USB2 "works" but will be slow).[br] | | ''IF YOUR BUDGET IS THIN, FORMAT AN OLD DRIVE YOU CAN ERASE IF YOU ARE CHOOSING BETWEEN NO NAME JUNK OR A KNOWN NAME BRAND!''*** | | ***''NOTE: 64 GB drives are usually only ~$1-2 more (USD assumed). While using a drive this large isn't a hard requirement, it's worth considering.''*** | | ''*Older low-capacity drives, such as an 8GB USB drive, will "work," but you will have limited spare space for files and NF firmware you may need (E.g., Intel wireless cards, nVidia graphics). Generally, 8GB drives are no longer available "new" but are sometimes found in generic bulk packs priced to be disposable ("no name" drives). ***IN GENERAL, the current recommendation for buying a new drive is to purchase a 32GB drive (USB3 preferred, USB2 drives are slow) at the bare minimum, and ~$1-2 USD cheaper than most 64GB drives. While you can still find 16GB drives, they are generally only sold as rebranded Chinese drives (such as Onn), generics, or from "hole in a wall" companies. While these may work, you do not save much (average $5 or less), so they are not recommended. You are generally better off formatting an older name brand 8-16GB USB drive you have over purchasing a generic drive 9/10 times.***'' | | | === ++READ: Important note about legacy operating systems.++ === | ***''Important: OSes without explicit USB boot support are not guaranteed to work. While the risk of a problem is low with the right tools, results outside of Linux and modern Windows releasesI cannot guarantee anything. You areNOT GUARANTEED on your own if there are unforeseen issues with ancient operating systems.''*** | | This guide was initially written exclusively aroundfor Linux. However, it can be used with anyany relatively modern operating system that supports USB boot and is not tied to one specific operating systemreleased in practice. ***''Since these operating systemsthe past ~10-15 years can create unforeseen issues,generally be booted from USB.I cannot quickly figure out how to fix them You are on your own for OSes besides Linux.''*** | | | === ++Guide notes++ === | * ***''If you have a used USB drive, format it outside Rufus before use.''*** | * [link|https://drive.google.com/open?id=1huW_2PpgR-RZzwKQe0wRlb5ZFsovFSZG|This guide is currently on Revision 3. If you are using Rufus 2.x, refer to this archive of the previous version.|new_window=true]***''.''*** | | * ***''Used drives should ideally be erased before formatting in Rufus.''*** | | * [link|https://drive.google.com/open?id=1huW_2PpgR-RZzwKQe0wRlb5ZFsovFSZG|This guide is currently at Revision 3. If you are using Rufus 2.x, refer to this archive of the previous version.|new_window=true] |
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