Position : Tips - Create bootable USB flash disk

Create bootable USB flash disk

The reason why we need to boot computer from a USB flash disk is that sometimes booting from USB is necessary and convenient. For example, when the Windows gets damaged and it can't be logged in; meanwhile there is important data in the partition C so data will lose if you reinstall system; then it'll be a good decision if you boot the computer from a USB flash disk and copy data to another partition.

Booting from USB flash disk requires the computer support booting from USB devices (which is supported by most of the motherboards now). Operation steps are as follows: insert the USB flash disk to the USB slot ahead of powering on the computer; then press the key "Del" and enter the BIOS setup; enter Advanced BOIS Features and set first boot device as USB-ZIP or USB-HDD; save and set the BIOS setup and the computer will boot from the USB flash disk.

The USB flash disk, however, must be a bootable USB flash disk, otherwise the boot can't realize. How to make a bootable USB flash disk? It is easy for DiskGenius to make a bootable USB flash disk.

USB-HDD USB-ZIP and USB-FDD

You might be confused by the three bootable USB flash disk formats, USB-HDD, USB-ZIP and USB-FDD, which will be discussed in detail in another article. Now what you should know is in the following:
1. PartitionGurru can create three types of bootable USB flask disk;
2. Not all computer mainboard support USB-FDD format;
3. The USB flash disk will be virtualized as diskette "A" if it is USB-ZIP format or USB-FDD format;
4. The USB flash disk will be virtualized as partition C if it is USB-HDD format;
5. The USB-ZIP format is suggested if you want to create a bootable USB flash disk.

Create bootable USB flash disk by using DiskGenius

Step 1
Start DiskGenius and insert the USB flash disk; on the main interface select the USB flash disk on the partition and folder tree, as follows:

boot from usb

Step 2
Right click the selected USB flash disk and on the popup context menu select the item "Convert to USB-ZIP Bootable Mode"(also you can see items "Convert to USB-FDD Bootable Mode " and "Convert to HDD Mode").

boot from usb

Step 3
DiskGenius will pop up the following warning message:

boot from usb

Step 4
You can just follow the default settings, but you must check the checkbox "Create DOS System" if you want to create a bootable USB flash disk.

boot from usb

Step 5
A Copy File window will appear,showing the conversion progress, and it will disappear when the conversion is finished.

boot from usb

Step 6
The dos version of DiskGenius is added to the USB flash disk, so that when you boot from the USB flash disk you can use the dos version to carry out partition operations.

boot from usb