Create Bootable USB or DVD with Windows 8 ISO

How to Create a Bootable USB or DVD with a Windows 8 or 8.1 ISO


This tutorial will show you how to create either a Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 bootable USB flash drive or DVD to use to install the Windows 8 or 8.1 with.

Windows 8 and 8.1 System Requirements
Windows 8 works great on the same hardware that powers Windows 7.

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster

RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)

Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

Graphics card: MicrosoftDirectX 9 graphics device or higher

Additional requirements to use certain features:

• To use touch, you need a tablet or a monitor that supports multitouch.
• To access the Windows Store and to download and run apps, you need an active Internet connection and a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768.
• To snap apps, you need a screen resolution of at least 1366 x 768.

This will not work to install Windows 8 or 8.1 for UEFI. For that, see this tutorial below instead.

UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

OPTION ONE

Create Bootable DVD using "Burn Disc Image" Context Menu Item

1. For how, see:

How to Burn a "ISO" or "IMG" Disc Image file to a CD/DVD in Windows 7 and Windows 8

OPTION TWO

Create Bootable DVD/USB with "Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

1. If you have not already, you will need to download a 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8 or 8.1 ISO file, and save it to your desktop.

2. If you have not already, download and install the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool.

(At sites)





3. Run the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, and click/tap on the Browse button. (see screenshot below)




4. Select the downloaded ISO file (step 1), and click/tap on Open. (see screenshot below)




5. Click/tap on Next, and do either step 6 or step 7 below. (see screenshot below)




6. Create Bootable Windows 8 or 8.1 Installation USB Flash Drive


A) Connect a USB thumb drive, and click/tap on the USB device button. (see screenshot below)




B) Select the drive letter of the USB thumb, and click/tap on the Begin copying button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If the drive letter is not listed in the drop down menu, then click on the refresh button and try again.




C) If prompted, click/tap on Erase USB Device. (see screenshot below)




D) If prompted, click/tap on Yes. (see screenshot below)




E) When finished, close the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshots below)







7. To Create Bootable Windows 8 or 8.1 Installation DVD
NOTE: If you are in Windows 7, then you could ause the built in Burn disc image feature to burn the ISO to a DVD instead if you like.

A) Insert a blank unformatted DVD into your DVD drive. Once it's recognized, click/tap on the DVD button. (see screenshot below)




B) Click/tap on the Begin burning button. (see screenshot below)




C) When finished, close the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshots below)







8. You are finished, and can now install Windows 8/8.1 with your bootable USB or DVD.

OPTION THREE

To Create a Bootable Windows 8 or 8.1 Installation USB with "Rufus"

1. Download the latest version of Rufus at the link below, and save it's .exe file to your desktop.

Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

   Note

This is a standalone exe file that doesn't install anything to your PC.
For Rufus FAQs, see: FAQ · pbatard/rufus Wiki · GitHub

2. Connect your USB flash drive if you have not already.

3. Run the rufus_v###.exe file, and click/tap on Yes if prompted by UAC.
NOTE: ### = latest version number.

4. Set Rufus with the settings below: (see screenshot below step 5)

• Under Device, select the USB flash drive you want to format and use.
• Under Format Options, check Create a bootable disk using, click/tap on the browse icon to navigate to and select your Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 ISO file.
• Under Partition scheme and target system type, select MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI computers.
• Under File system, select NTFS.
• Under Cluster size, select the (Default) (ex: 16 kilobytes or 4096 bytes) it has listed.
• Under Format Options, check Quick format.
• Under Format Options, check Create extended label and icon files.
• Under New volume label, you can enter any name you like for the USB flash drive, or leave the default name.

5. When ready, click/tap on Start. (see screenshot below)




6. Click/tap on OK to confirm. (see screenshot below)




7. Rufus will now start creating the bootable USB flash drive. (see screenshot below)




8. When Rufus is "DONE", you can close Rufus. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: It could take a little while to finish.




9. You are finished, and can now install Windows 8/8.1 with your bootable USB.



That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Boot from a USB Drive within Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Boot from a USB Drive on Surface
• Enable or Disable Always Automatically Boot PC from USB Drive in Windows To Go Startup Options
• How to Create a Windows To Go Startup Options Shortcut in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Do a Clean Install of Windows 8 or Windows 8.1
• How to Upgrade from Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, or XP to Windows 8 or 8.1
• How to Download and Run the "Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant"
• How to Create or Download a Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 ISO
• How to Do a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Create a Windows 8 VHD at Boot to Dual Boot with Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Create a Recovery USB Flash Drive in Windows 8
• How to Setup "Windows 8 To Go" on a USB Flash Drive or USB Disk
• Create a Bootable UEFI USB Flash Drive for Installing Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Open Device Manager During Installation of Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[ICit2lol]

Well my two cents worth if the board supports 3.0 surely it doesn't matter what OS one sticks on it the ports are not dictated to by the OS but I stand to be corrected and there are 3.0 ports on that board SABERTOOTH 990FX - Motherboards - ASUS

It would be a bit like saying the OS will not support say a CPU of a certain type or bit rate 6Gbs SATA ports for example?? I could of course lost the plot here but.....
Install USB 3.0 and other USB devices

 

[Phone Man]

Well my two cents worth if the board supports 3.0 surely it doesn't matter what OS one sticks on it the ports are not dictated to by the OS but I stand to be corrected and there are 3.0 ports on that board SABERTOOTH 990FX - Motherboards - ASUS

It would be a bit like saying the OS will not support say a CPU of a certain type or bit rate 6Gbs SATA ports for example?? I could of course lost the plot here but.....
Install USB 3.0 and other USB devices

Support for USB3 does depend on the OS because of the drivers supplied. That board uses the ASMedia controller (same as mine)and that driver is not included with Windows 7 but is included with Windows 8. Its like all hardware, the driver is needed and some OS supply them and others you have to add the driver.

Jim

 

[ICit2lol]

I stand corrected Jim I thought the drivers were based on the board manufacturers specs and seems rather obtuse that an OS should dictate to the board people what drivers can be used for what they put on their product.

Suppose to me it seems that if I own a Ford car coloured blue that the engine maker says that I cannot use alloy wheels on it because to do that it has to be red - because!!

Plus it does seem a tad thoughtless / pedantic of Microsoft for whatever reason as surely they would have the technology to make it compatible with anything

 

[Phone Man]

I stand corrected Jim I thought the drivers were based on the board manufacturers specs and seems rather obtuse that an OS should dictate to the board people what drivers can be used for what they put on their product.

Suppose to me it seems that if I own a Ford car coloured blue that the engine maker says that I cannot use alloy wheels on it because to do that it has to be red - because!!

Plus it does seem a tad thoughtless / pedantic of Microsoft for whatever reason as surely they would have the technology to make it compatible with anything

MS does not write the drivers. For a driver to be included with the OS, the hardware manufactures must summit the driver to MS for testing. Then MS certifies the driver and gives it the WHQL certification and then will include the driver with the OS or as an update through Windows Update. If the manufactures do not want to go through the WHQL certification they can offer their drivers through their web site or a CD with the equipment. When I bought my MB the Windows 7 driver for the ASMedia controller came on a CD. Then when Windows 8 was released that driver was included with the OS.

Jim

 

[ICit2lol]

Still sounds a bit stand over to me Jim but if that is the way of the world then well one has to accept it eh?
Personally say for example if I made a component for a board manufacturer because that is what they wanted and the software people turn round and say they are not going to let board device I made work with their software I would be pretty ticked off.

Just for example again like a car maker making the body so a larger or differently fueled engine cannot be fitted even though you can one you want.

 

[Phone Man]

Still sounds a bit stand over to me Jim but if that is the way of the world then well one has to accept it eh?
Personally say for example if I made a component for a board manufacturer because that is what they wanted and the software people turn round and say they are not going to let board device I made work with their software I would be pretty ticked off.

Just for example again like a car maker making the body so a larger or differently fueled engine cannot be fitted even though you can one you want.

In the OS there are API's (Application Interface) and these are how a 3rd party driver or software interacts with the OS. MS gives this information to developers so they can write their drivers to work with the API. If you develop a board device you have to write the driver to conform to the API for it to work properly. The MS certification will test your device driver to make sure it works properly. This is protection for the OS so a badly written driver will not affect the system.
If you have a car and you want to use a different water pump it has to match up to the engine. So if you design your own water pump you get the information from the manufacture so your pump will work on their engine. You don't want to go to a parts store and buy a pump that wont fit on your car.

Jim

 

[ICit2lol]

Ok mate I accept what you are saying because I am just a simple sort who thinks that when I build a machine I would like to have the board of my choice, and that it will work regardless of any OS.
So I had better check with the retailers before I buy a board for example that all the devices will work with any version of an OS and if they don't that means I have to look for one that will and that begins to minimise ones choice as to what board one can use. To me it sort of means the OS manufacturers are holding the big stick and that doesn't sit well with me.
With technology at the point it is now I would have thought anything would have been compatible with anything, and this sounds awfully like a dollar making exercise. Plus it doesn't make Windows 8 that appealing anymore because of the pedantic rules.

 

[Coram Daes]

Sorry if repeating something but just to clarify in fewer words
- if USB3 drivers exists in the OS you are trying to install and you have a USB3 capable Motherboard, you can use USB3.
- If USB3 drivers do not exist in the OS and you have a USB3 capable motherboard you must use USB2.

Please note the usage of "can" and "must".

Now, there are exceptions to these general rules. If your USB3 support is on an AddOn Card (via PCI-Express) on the Motherboard, you may be toast regardless since you may need the generic drivers for that specific AddOn Card. Hence use USB2.

 

[chun96]

Will creating a bootable Windows USB and installing Windows with it makes the USB spoil faster?

Is this Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool slower or faster as compared to other burning applications (like ImgBurn)?

 

[Brink]

Hello Chun,

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "USB spoil faster". If you mean that it will reduce the life span, then no more than using the USB for anything else.

I'd say that the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool is about the same speed as any other image burning program. You just will not be able to create a bootable UEFI USB with this tool though.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[chun96]

Hello Chun,

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "USB spoil faster". If you mean that it will reduce the life span, then no more than using the USB for anything else.

I'd say that the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool is about the same speed as any other image burning program. You just will not be able to create a bootable UEFI USB with this tool though.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

So, I should only use the USB for installing Windows?

 

[Brink]

If you want to use UEFI and the other tutorial you posted at instead.

 

[chun96]

Thanks Brink, great tutorial. I have successfully created my bootable Windows 8.1 USB.
Can I copy other files to this USB?

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

Yes, you could continue using the USB as usual so long as you don't delete the installation files.

 

[aksalaymeh]

Hi
I appreciate all the tutorials that presented in "THE FORUM" showing:
1 - Easy step by step
2 - Marked snapshots
3 - Downloads required
4 - Comments
Thanks an many thanks

 

[Newbie01776]

Hello. I've read all twelve pages of this thread, but I have a very simple question. It may have been previously answered but just using technical words that I'm not familiar with... I'm not too keen on the computer lingo :-}.

Anyways, my question is this:
My husband wants to build a computer. He is going to have all brand new components. Will this tutorial work to download windows 8 onto his old computer, make the USB, and use it to install on the new hard drive? Want to do this because buying windows 8 DVD is approx $100 where as buying a download of it is $50...

Thanks in advance for your help.

fyi his old computer is running windows vista.

 

[Brink]

Hello Newbie, and welcome to Eight Forums.

If he wanted to create a bootable USB/DVD without UEFI, then yes.

If he wanted to use UEFI, then he would want to use the tutorial below to create the bootable USB with instead.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Newbie01776]

Thank you for such a quick response! Your knowledge is much appreciated.

I looked up the difference between the uefi and bios, but like I said I don't know the computer lingo. Is there anyway you can explain the difference in dumbed down terms? I greatly appreciate it.

 

[Brink]

You can use the USB created for BIOS on all motherboards.

You would only be able to use UEFI with motherboards that have UEFI firmware, and if the requirements mentioned in the tutorial are met. You can check the specifications of the motherboard to see if it supports UEFI or not. If not, then you'll use BIOS.

Here's some good reading with more details to help compare them:

• What is UEFI? - Microsoft Windows Help
• UEFI vs. BIOs in Windows 8 for desktop startup
• UEFI BIOS explained | Analysis | Features | PC Pro

 

[Newbie01776]

Wow thanks again! Really appreciate the info and your willingness to help! He will have to look into the motherboard and choose which one he needs. Then we will be off and running with his new computer!

Thanks again!