UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

How to Create a Bootable UEFI USB Flash Drive for Installing Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1

This tutorial will show you how to create a Windows 7 or Windows 8 or 8.1 installation bootable USB flash drive for UEFIfrom either a Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 installation ISO or DVD.

Requirements:

• At least a 4GB USB flash drive
• 64-bit Windows 7 ISO or DVD (If you want to install Windows 7)
• 64-bit Windows 8 ISO or DVD (If you want to install Windows 8)
• 64-bit Windows 8.1 ISO or DVD (If you want to install Windows 8.1)
• 32-bit is not supported.
• Set the boot mode to use UEFI and not CSM (Compatibility Support Module) in your UEFI firmware settings.
• Temporarily disable Secure Boot in your UEFI firmware settings. Some motherboards will not boot from a USB unless you do this first. When the Windows installation is finished, you can enable secure boot if you like.
• If you have fast boot or ultra-fast boot enabled in your UEFI firmware (if supported), then you may need to temporarily disable it until Windows has finished installing to be able to boot from a USB flash drive at boot.

EXAMPLE: UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive
NOTE: This is it listed in the motherboard's boot menu.

OPTION ONE

To Create a Bootable UEFI USB Flash Drive using Free Program "Rufus"

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

   Note

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

Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way



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 64-bit Windows 7 or Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 ISO file, and then make sure that Standard Windows installation is selected (dotted).
• Under Partition scheme and target system type, select GPT partition scheme for UEFI computer.
• Under File system, select FAT32.
• 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 UEFI 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 now ready to do a clean install of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 using UEFI with your bootable UEFI USB flash drive.

• How to Install Windows 8/8.1 Using "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)
• How to Install Windows 7 Using "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)

OPTION TWO

To Manually Create a Bootable UEFI USB Flash Drive

1. Connect the USB flash drive.

2. Open an elevated command prompt in Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1.

3. In the elevated command prompt, type the commands below one at a time and press Enter after each one. (see screenshot below step 5)

• diskpart
• list disk

4. Make note of the Disk # (ex: Disk 4) for the USB flash drive. (see screenshot below step 5)

It is critical that you use the correct disk #. If you do not, then you could delete the wrong drive below and lose everything on it


5. In the elevated command prompt, type the commands below one at a time and press Enter after each one. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute # in the first command with the actual disk # from step 4 above. For example: select disk 4

• select disk #
• detail disk (this is to verify that you selected the correct disk before using "clean" below)
• clean
• create partition primary
• format fs=fat32 quick
• active
• assign
• list volume
• exit

6. Make note of the volume letter (ex: K) for the USB flash drive in the command prompt. (see screenshot above)

7. Do step 8, step 9, or step 10 below depending on if you are using a Windows 7/8/8.1 ISO or DVD.

   Warning

It has been reported that using the downloaded Windows 8 upgrade ISO does not always give you an UEFI bootable USB option in the boot menu.

If this happens to you, then use the ESD-TO-ISO.exe program created by our member Simon (SIW2) below to create an ISO that will work with UEFI. Afterwards, start this tutorial over using this new ISO instead.

See OPTION TWO here: Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 ISO - Download or Create

8. If Using a Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 ISO File in Windows 8
NOTE: For a Windows 7 ISO or Windows 8/8.1 ISO file.


A) Open File Explorer, navigate to the .iso file, right click or press and hold on the .iso file, then click/tap on Mount. (see screenshot below)






B) The mounted .iso file will now automatically open. Select all files in it, right click or press and hold on the selected files, click/tap on Send to and the Removable Disk for your USB flash drive letter (ex: K) from step 6 above. (see screenshot below)






C) This could take a bit to copy the ISO contents to the USB.

D) When finished, go to step 11 below.

9. If Using a Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 ISO File in Windows 7
NOTE: For a Windows 7 ISO or Windows 8/8.1 ISO file.


A) If you have not already, you will need to download and install the latest alpha version of the free program 7-Zip.
NOTE: You can use any program that performs the same function to extract or mount an ISO, but I just find 7-Zip easier to use.

B) Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the .iso file, right click on the .iso file, then click on 7-Zip and Extract files. (see screenshot below)







C) In the Extract dialog, click on the browse button, select the Removable Disk for your USB flash drive letter (ex: K) from step 6 above, and click on OK, and OK. (see screenshots below)






D) This could take a bit to copy the ISO contents to the USB.

E) When finished, go to step 11 below.

10. If Using a Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 Installation DVD


A) Insert the Windows 7 or Windows 8 installation DVD into the CD/DVD drive.

B) In the Computer window, open the DVD. (see screenshot below)






C) Select all files in it, right click or press and hold on the selected files, click/tap on Send to and the Removable Disk for your USB flash drive letter (ex: K) from step 6 above. (see screenshot below)






D) This could take a bit to copy the DVD contents to the USB.

E) When finished, go to step 11 below.


11. If Using 64-bit Windows 7

   Note

Thanks to theog for this step

You do not need to do this step unless you are creating a 64-bit Windows 7 UEFI USB flash drive.

If you are not, then go to step 12 below instead.

A) On the USB flash drive, "copy" the efi\microsoft\boot folder up one level into the efi folder as efi\boot. (see screenshot below)






B) If you have not already, download and install the latest alpha version of the free program 7-Zip, then run 7-Zip.

C) In 7-Zip, navigate to the sources\install.wim\1\Windows\Boot\EFI\bootmgfw.efi on the USB flash drive, select the bootmgfw.efi file, copy it to your desktop, click/tap on OK, and close 7-Zip. (see screenshot below)







D) Rename the bootmgfw.efi file on your desktop to bootx64.efi.


E) Copy/Move the renamed bootx64.efi file into the efi/boot folder (step 11A) on the USB flash drive.






F) Go to step 12 below.

12. You are now ready to do a clean install of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 using UEFI with your bootable UEFI USB flash drive.

• How to Install Windows 8/8.1 Using "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)
• How to Install Windows 7 Using "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)

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
• Create Bootable USB or DVD with Windows 8 and 8.1 ISO
• How to Create a Bootable Windows 7 Installation USB Flash Drive
• 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 Install Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 using "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)
• How to Install Windows 7 Using "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)
• How to Enable or Disable Secure Boot in UEFI
• How to Create a Recovery USB Flash Drive in Windows 8

 

[alphanumeric]

Note: I did not need to turn off Secure Boot or change anything....

I followed Option 1 using Rufus 1.3.4
Installed on my Surface Pro
Used the install Keys that are out there to install it
Had to do the following to Activate

Command prompt (Admin).
Type slmgr/upk to uninstall the current product key.
Type slmgr/cpky to clear the product key from the registry.
Type slmgr/rearm to reset the Windows 8 license.
Reboot and then you can type in a new Key to activate

Activated without issue.

Win 8.1 running and Activated on Surface Pro.
Also, Latest Drivers and Firmware updated without issue via Windows Update.

Thanks for the tutorial Brink, it saved me a ton of time through trial and error.

Hope this post helps others.

BTW, 8.1 on my Surface Pro works and is really nice. Love the new Outlook Mail.

I used the leaked 8.1 install key on my desktop to install. After that all I did was click activate windows and then clicked "enter a product key". Then I just typed in a Windows 8 key.

Sorry, I failed to mention this in my above post...

Surface Pro has the key embedded in BIOS and I think it thought it was going to use that??,
it did not give me the Enter Key button under Activate Windows, like my Laptop did, which does not have an embedded key.
Even after I entered the proper key and activated, I found that my WIFI was not connected
When I checked again after entering the key, the Enter Key Button again was missing.
Not sure if this is just the way it works on Surface Pro or embedded keys or what.

I did find that I think, under PC and Devices / PC Info, you can click Change Product Key there.
I didn't see this till after I did the above which did work.
Which is what Brink posted that link for.

Ah, OK, I got you now. Some of those settings/options are hard to find and not always where you think they should be. My laptop has the embedded code. When Windows 8.1 wouldn't read it I got impatient and just used one of my 8.1 TechNet keys. It was only after I had done the install that I started reading about how to activate with a Windows 8 code. When I upgraded my desktop I tried a different procedure. It didn't have an embedded code. Either way like Brink said, you got it sorted.

 

[xDaemon]

Hello, i`m new here and need a little help. I did like 1st options and everything is good till he gets to the starting windows screen the animation freezes and it just stays here. Will be very thankful if someone help me to fix that. Thank you all in advance.

P.S. Secure boot is disabled UEFI is enabled.

 

[Brink]

Hello Daemon, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Let it sit there for at least 10 minutes or so to see if it may continue afterwards. Sometimes it may take a bit depending on the PC.

In addition, please provide more details about the computer and specs.

 

[xDaemon]

Is about THIS Laptop.
P.S. Legacy too is disabled.


EDIT: i did it again and waiting, but got the same, when Legacy is enabled everything is ok. But i want to install it in UEFI . . .
Any ideas? Thank you.

 

[Brink]

Did it continue after letting it sit for a bit?

Since the laptop came with Windows 8 preinstalled, are you able to do a factory recovery instead if your goal is to reinstall Windows?

Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 8) | HP® Support

 

[xDaemon]

Yes, with Win 8, but i don`t want it! Nwm i installed it in legacy for now and will look for answer . thank you anyway and cheers

 

[NikolayHAOS]

I want to establish windows 7 x64 on the laptop.
DWD isn't present.
I establish with USB flash
everything made as is written
at installation at once mistake.

Help please.

Everything works at the desktop computer normally. And on the laptop doesn't want.
Asus PU500CA laptop

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9026/zzlu.jpg

 

[theog]

Is about THIS Laptop.
P.S. Legacy too is disabled.


EDIT: i did it again and waiting, but got the same, when Legacy is enabled everything is ok. But i want to install it in UEFI . . .
Any ideas? Thank you.

Did it continue after letting it sit for a bit?

Since the laptop came with Windows 8 preinstalled, are you able to do a factory recovery instead if your goal is to reinstall Windows?

Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 8) | HP® Support

Yes, with Win 8, but i don`t want it! Nwm i installed it in legacy for now and will look for answer . thank you anyway and cheers

On most HP PC's with Windows 8 Pre-Installed, to downgrade to Windows 7, you need to install in Legacy mode, also HP only support drivers on Models that have been test for Windodws 7.

Downgrade to Windows 7.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13326-downgrade-windows-8-windows-7-a.html
Warning you must have the UEFI/BIOS firmware setting in Step Three set.

Make sure you read the NOTE at Step three.

 

[Brink]

I want to establish windows 7 x64 on the laptop.
DWD isn't present.
I establish with USB flash
everything made as is written
at installation at once mistake.

Help please.

Everything works at the desktop computer normally. And on the laptop doesn't want.
Asus PU500CA laptop

Hello Nikolay, and welcome to Eight Fourms.

Looking at the specs and manual for your Asus PU500CA laptop at the link below, it doesn't support UEFI. Only BIOS (legacy).

ASUSPRO ESSENTIAL PU500CA - Notebook - ASUS
​

To create a Windows 7 USB key for BIOS only, you could use Option One in the tutorial below instead.

USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create - Windows 7 Help Forums​

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[NikolayHAOS]

Brink
Many thanks.
You calmed me.
Windows is already established.
Simply I wanted to use UEFI and GPT.
MBR is established now.
Once again thanks. You have an excellent forum
And my irreplaceable assistant translate Google

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Nikolay.

 

[upgrade]

I have tried both methods: rufus latest and manually for installing Windows 7 x64 on 2 or 3 laptops (samsung, toshiba and hp) with uefi and secure boot activated. None of them works, it gives me the message that secure boot signature failed.
With Windows 8 x64 everything is fine.
Other ideas?
Thank you.

 

[theog]

I have tried both methods: rufus latest and manually for installing Windows 7 x64 on 2 or 3 laptops (samsung, toshiba and hp) with uefi and secure boot activated. None of them works, it gives me the message that secure boot signature failed.
With Windows 8 x64 everything is fine.
Other ideas?
Thank you.

Only Windows 8 x64 UEFI supports Secure Boot.

 

[upgrade]

But in some laptops enabling UEFI over CSM or Legacy bios, it enables automatically Secure boot. So, it's not possible to install Windows 7 over UEFI in those configurations, right?
I will double check tomorrow with the stick I've created based on this tutorial on a laptop with UEFI.
Thank you for the info.

 

[gregrocker]

Thanks again, Shawn. Does Rufus handle the .efi file mod needed for Win7 x64?

 

[Brink]

Hey Greg,

Yep, Rufus works for Windows 7 UEFI as well.

 

[toerk]

OK, so over here I got a Windows 8 x64 Pro ISO of approx 6,4GB and whenever I want to create a bootable USB Flash Drive (UEFI), rufus tells me that the file size cannot exceed 4GB because of the FAT32 restriction.
What do I do in this case? Formatting the flash drive in NTFS won't do anything since my BIOS doesn't even detect the USB Flash Drive. An answer asap is much appreciated.

 

[alphanumeric]

OK, so over here I got a Windows 8 x64 Pro ISO of approx 6,4GB and whenever I want to create a bootable USB Flash Drive (UEFI), rufus tells me that the file size cannot exceed 4GB because of the FAT32 restriction.
What do I do in this case? Formatting the flash drive in NTFS won't do anything since my BIOS doesn't even detect the USB Flash Drive. An answer asap is much appreciated.

6.4GB sounds way off for a Windows 8 x64 ISO. My TechNet ISO is only about 3.4GB. 3.7GB for 8.1 x64. I have never used Rufus but if you are getting the 4gig max file size warning I'm thinking your doing something wrong. It sounds like you are trying to copy the ISO file to the drive instead of imaging the files in the ISO to it.

 

[toerk]

That's because it's x86 + x64 in one ISO

Any way to seperate them?

 

[Akeo]

Actually, Microsoft did release official Windows 8 ISOs that had a file that was > 4GB, and thus incompatible with USB UEFI boot.
One of the Windows x64 8 developer preview was one of those. Thus it's just not an issue for unofficial ISOs. And I think there exists other MSDN ISOs that have > 4GB wim files, though I may stand corrected on that.

Thus, we've got some choice on who to place the blame on:

1. Microsoft, for designing a filesystem (FAT32) that they should have realized right from the start, would end up being too limiting too quickly, due to its 32 bit nature, even more so as they designed FAT32 to overcome the limitations of the previous FAT filesystem.
2. Intel and the UEFI committee, picking FAT32 as the filesystem of choice for UEFI bootable partitions, despite being acutely aware that UEFI had to work with 64 bit and large files.
   Considering that Intel & co. managed to waive the licensing agreement for the use of FAT32 (see here), it's hard to believe that they had much of a legal incentive for using FAT32, when they probably could have stricken a similar agreement for either exFAT or NTFS, none of which suffer from the 4GB limitation. exFAT was actually begging to be used for that purpose, and Microsoft was also promoting it, so why they didn't go exFAT is a major mystery. Or, if they didn't want to fall into a a Microsoft licensing agreement, they could have settled on using the more open UDF filesystem, which is designed for more than optical media, and works equally well for USB flash drives.
3. Microsoft (again) and others, producing ISOs that they know have no chance to be bootable from USB, due to the presence of a >4GB file. They probably could devise a way to split wim's into <4GB chunks if they wanted to.

Of course, there's also the possibility that Microsoft may have required a more constraining licensing agreement for the use of either exFAT or NTFS in UEFI, maybe because they got annoyed that their extortion scheme for FAT32 licensing got rightfully shot down initially (though, without insider info, it's difficult to do anything but speculate on that).

Anyway, what this all means is:

• There's nothing Rufus can do right now, about a limitation that is purely between an UEFI design decision and a Microsoft filesystem limitation.
• If UEFI ever decide to pay heed to how their decision to go with FAT32 is actually inconveniencing users, they may decide to add support for UDF (or exFAT), alongside FAT32, for bootable partitions. Right now, I am not aware of any steps having been taken in that direction, and even if that was the case, this won't mean squat for current UEFI firmware implementations, as vendors aren't going to spend time retrofitting them for UDF/exFAT support.
• Maybe there is some arcane way to fool an UEFI system into treating an UDF formatted USB Flash drive as optical drive, in which case you could get away with using UDF instead of FAT32. Outside of someone showing a verifiable proof of concept, I wouldn't spend too much time on that though.

All in all, it looks to me like the only way you currently have to boot an EFI ISO with a >4GB file is to burn it, and get your hands on an optical drive...