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

 

[theog]

How do I check whether I correctly installed Windows 8 in UEFI or not? Is it from Disk Management or other way?

By the way, look at my partition. Are there problems?

View attachment 18869

Disk 0 has Windows 8 installed in UEFI mode.

 

[mekkelek9999]

HI,

can everybody help me?

my story:
1. I download a win 8 pro install disk from MSDN.
2. I create UEFI installer USB drive.
3. I disabled in BIOS: Fast Boot, Secure Boot.
4. Install Win 8 Pro on my SSD, clean install.
5. Win 8 pro installed, BIOS automatically changed boot:Windows boot manager.
6. My computer restarting, booting, again restarting-booting, few times again,
7. win 8 fail, say: check my UEFI-settings in bios.
8. Checking BIOS: Boot sequence: 1.windows boot manager. 2. my ssd.

what's wrong? my windows not logged in, in safe mode restarting.

thank you.

 

[Hopachi]

HI,

can everybody help me?

my story:
1. I download a win 8 pro install disk from MSDN.
2. I create UEFI installer USB drive.
3. I disabled in BIOS: Fast Boot, Secure Boot.
4. Install Win 8 Pro on my SSD, clean install.
5. Win 8 pro installed, BIOS automatically changed boot:Windows boot manager.
6. My computer restarting, booting, again restarting-booting, few times again,
7. win 8 fail, say: check my UEFI-settings in bios.
8. Checking BIOS: Boot sequence: 1.windows boot manager. 2. my ssd.

what's wrong? my windows not logged in, in safe mode restarting.

thank you.

Checking BIOS...
Why would you disable secure boot and fast boot at step 3?
Try with both enabled, then with each one and see the difference.

Welcome to the forums!

 

[mekkelek9999]

HI,

can everybody help me?

my story:
1. I download a win 8 pro install disk from MSDN.
2. I create UEFI installer USB drive.
3. I disabled in BIOS: Fast Boot, Secure Boot.
4. Install Win 8 Pro on my SSD, clean install.
5. Win 8 pro installed, BIOS automatically changed boot:Windows boot manager.
6. My computer restarting, booting, again restarting-booting, few times again,
7. win 8 fail, say: check my UEFI-settings in bios.
8. Checking BIOS: Boot sequence: 1.windows boot manager. 2. my ssd.

what's wrong? my windows not logged in, in safe mode restarting.

thank you.

Checking BIOS...
Why would you disable secure boot and fast boot at step 3?
Try with both enabled, then with each one and see the difference.

Welcome to the forums!

Hi,

why disable? see post #52 in this topic

i try with enabled, tomorrow write my experience...

 

[theog]

HI,

can everybody help me?

my story:
1. I download a win 8 pro install disk from MSDN.
2. I create UEFI installer USB drive.
3. I disabled in BIOS: Fast Boot, Secure Boot.
4. Install Win 8 Pro on my SSD, clean install.
5. Win 8 pro installed, BIOS automatically changed boot:Windows boot manager.
6. My computer restarting, booting, again restarting-booting, few times again,
7. win 8 fail, say: check my UEFI-settings in bios.
8. Checking BIOS: Boot sequence: 1.windows boot manager. 2. my ssd.

what's wrong? my windows not logged in, in safe mode restarting.

thank you.

Checking BIOS...
Why would you disable secure boot and fast boot at step 3?
Try with both enabled, then with each one and see the difference.

Welcome to the forums!

Hi,

why disable? see post #52 in this topic

i try with enabled, tomorrow write my experience...

Bad download or USB Pen Drive.

 

[gregrocker]

I followed the steps to create the UEFI Win7 flash stick installer and am getting a black screen Windows Boot Manager when I select it for UEFI boot, saying that \EFI\Microsoft\Boot|BCD has "An error while attempting to read the boot config data."

Am I to delete the file from install.wim which is renamed and copied to EFI\Boot?

Is it even known for sure that Win7 can be installed in UEFI to a Dual Boot with preinstalled UEFI Win8? I have disabled Secure Boot and enabled CSM.

 

[Brink]

Hey Greg,

Go ahead and post a screenshot of your Disk Management window to see how it's laid out.

If you're installing to the same hard drive Windows 8 is on, then it must be to a primary partition that was shrunk from the Windows 8 primary partition to be able to.

If it's to a separate hard drive, then it will need to be an unallocated MBR basic disk or partition.

 

[gregrocker]

Thanks, Shawn. Was using Unallocated Space. Trying again now:



Still getting the black screen error saying it can't read the EFI\Microsoft\Boot file which is one of the one's modified to create the stick, correct? Downloading another iSO to try again. If I was to use DVD are any mods needed?

 

[Saltgrass]

HI,

can everybody help me?

my story:
1. I download a win 8 pro install disk from MSDN.
2. I create UEFI installer USB drive.
3. I disabled in BIOS: Fast Boot, Secure Boot.
4. Install Win 8 Pro on my SSD, clean install.
5. Win 8 pro installed, BIOS automatically changed boot:Windows boot manager.
6. My computer restarting, booting, again restarting-booting, few times again,
7. win 8 fail, say: check my UEFI-settings in bios.
8. Checking BIOS: Boot sequence: 1.windows boot manager. 2. my ssd.

what's wrong? my windows not logged in, in safe mode restarting.

thank you.

When it tells you to check the UEFI settings, there is probably something related to the type of UEFI configuration you are running. In your case, possibly the GTX video card. Since it probably does not have a UEFI allowed firmware, you may have to set your system in the Compatibility Support Module, or some other setting related, to allow for Legacy OpRoms.

 

[Saltgrass]

I followed the steps to create the UEFI Win7 flash stick installer and am getting a black screen Windows Boot Manager when I select it for UEFI boot, saying that \EFI\Microsoft\Boot|BCD has "An error while attempting to read the boot config data."

The error would not seem to be one generated by something related to Windows 8. If the flash drive was configured correctly, it should at least boot to the Windows 7 logo before it kicked you out.

The comments in the tutorial about moving the EfI\Microsoft\Boot folder up one level is not necessary. All you need is the bootx64.efi file in a folder named Boot (EFI\Boot).

And the bootx64.efi file should be around 657 K in size. If you have an x64 Windows 7 MBR install, and I know you do , the bootmgfw.efi file is located in the Windows\Boot\EFI folder.

 

[gregrocker]

I followed the steps to create the UEFI Win7 flash stick installer and am getting a black screen Windows Boot Manager when I select it for UEFI boot, saying that \EFI\Microsoft\Boot|BCD has "An error while attempting to read the boot config data."

The error would not seem to be one generated by something related to Windows 8. If the flash drive was configured correctly, it should at least boot to the Windows 7 logo before it kicked you out.

The comments in the tutorial about moving the EfI\Microsoft\Boot folder up one level is not necessary. All you need is the bootx64.efi file in a folder named Boot (EFI\Boot).

And the bootx64.efi file should be around 657 K in size. If you have an x64 Windows 7 MBR install, and I know you do , the bootmgfw.efi file is located in the Windows\Boot\EFI folder.

Thanks Saltgrass. I moved the EFI\Boot folder I'd previously moved up one level back to EFI\Microsoft folder, now do I create a Boot folder to place bootx64.efi in, or leave it in EFI\Microsoft\Boot?

Also do I need to delete bootmgfw.efi out of the install.wim folder after it's renamed and copied to EFI/Boot? How?

 

[SIW2]

EFI\Boot\bootx64.efi

EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD

 

[gregrocker]

So I make a new EFI\Boot folder to place bootx64.efi into, then leave Microsoft folder also in EFI\Boot?

With these changes it no longer black screen errors when chosen to UEFI boot, but just skips to start Win8.


Also do I need to delete bootmgfw.efi out of the install.wim folder after it's renamed and copied to EFI/Boot? How?

 

[SIW2]

EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD

Have you got bootmr and bootmgr.efi on the root?

Also do I need to delete bootmgfw.efi out of the install.wim folder after it's renamed and copied to EFI/Boot? How?

no

 

[gregrocker]

Working, in USB 2 port with those mods.

Backing out to do the full-disk Paragon backup first with Pro 12 which just arrived.

Si, what were the recommended settings again to preserve the entire HD in factory condition?

 

[SIW2]

I have never tried that. I always select individual partitions, I suppose just backup the whole thing:

I suggest Tools >Settings Normal compression and untick check archive integrity - that is just for checking the restore against the archive.

 

[SIW2]

You will need to make paragon boot media.

If you are in win7 x64, then d/l the RMB 64 bit from Paragon account.

That should make efi compatible winpe media for usb drive only ( doesn't need WAIK ).

If you want to make iso for cd/dvd , then you need the BMB - and that needs WAIK.

 

[gregrocker]

I downloaded bootable media maker but would like to save the image with installed program now to save time. Is this advisable? Settings?

 

[SIW2]

normal compression.
untick check archive integrity.
unless you want the image split, you can untick that too.

backup entire hd - see screenie in my previous post

it takes a couple of mins preparing - that is normal - it is checking everything first.

 

[gregrocker]

Very weird. When plugged into new machine my 1tb external is viewed as a mirror and won't open.

When plugged into my other laptop it is normal.

There are other bugs on this OEM Win8 which make me want to wipe the HD after doing the Paragon backup, try clean Win7 and Win8 on here.

Backing up HD fine to External with Paragon USB boot media. For Recovery do I select entire Archive (which shows 0 space used) or is there another way to select all 5 partitions? They appear to be copied at their correct size.