Ask a new question

Difference between bootable USB from media creation tool vs ISO file

I have seen guides online for creating a bootable USB drive for Windows 10 from an ISO file, e.g. by using Rufus, or just dragging the relevant files onto the USB (like here: [https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-tip-use-an-iso-file-to-create-a-bootable-usb-flash-drive/](https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-tip-use-an-iso-file-to-create-a-bootable-usb-flash-drive/))


The question is: what is the difference, if any, between a bootable USB drive created via these methods versus a bootable USB drive created through Microsoft's media creation tool?


Is there a heirarchy of these methods in terms of reliability? Which method for creating the bootable USB drive, besides using the media creation tool, is most reliable? Which methods, besides the media creation tool, are endorsed/advised by Microsoft?

Hi OYRC

If you are not using the Media Creation Tool and already have the WIndows 10 ISO, this is the method recommended by Microsoft

Click this link to download a tool from Microsoft which you can use to create the bootable installation media from that ISO - the tool is named Windows 7, but it works for Windows 7, 8 and 10

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/detail...
___________________________________________________________________

Power to the Developer!

MSI GV72 - 17.3", i7-8750H (Hex Core), 32GB DDR4, 4GB GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, 256GB NVMe M2, 2TB HDD

5 people found this reply helpful

·

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Reply In reply to deleted message

Firstly, it’s OYRC, not ORYC.

Secondly, what has your reply got to do with my questions?

47 people found this reply helpful

·

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Oops. My Apologies for both. I have deleted the post-back to your thread.

Microsoft recommends Media creation tool. Now why a tool like Rufus is recommended is because of the fact that MCT would create the partition scheme according to the current System. If your device is based on MBR partition scheme for Legacy BIOS, the USB drive would be created for that order and cannot be used on a computer that uses GPT partition scheme for UEFI(which is used by Most of the devices)
Rufus gives us flexibility of choosing what partition scheme you want from:

MBR for BIOS
MBR for UEFI
GPT for UEFI
Sumit

Working on IST
Always include PC Specifications with the problem. Additionally, ensure all the latest quality updates have been installed.

37 people found this reply helpful

·

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Hi,

The Media Creation Tool may or may not do what you need it to do as far as creating a Installation USB Flash Drive goes..

For instance... It can create media for the machine that it was run on, and not specifically for the machine that the media is intended for, and may not be compatible...

I have encountered a number of threads in which the Flash Drive created by the Media Creation process would not work with a UEFI Bios machine... And other times it does.

If you use the Media Creation Tool to simply download a ISO, the ISO can be put on media specifically for the intended machine using RUFUS for instance... And is therefore usable for any machine simply by reburning it to media..

At one time this was not a problem, but with the emergence of UEFI Bios machines, there was a bit of a wrench thrown into the works...

Legacy Bios machines require the HDD\SSD to be MBR type, and NTFS File structure...

The same applies to a Installation Flash Drive...

UEFI Bios machines require the HDD\SSD to be GPT type, and NTFS File structure...

A wrinkle for the installation media on a Flash Drive is that the Flash Drive needs to be GPT type... same as the HDD\SSD, but needs to use FAT32 File type...

If these criterial are not met, the installation will fail...

In addition... The installation process in UEFI machines can vary due to different Bios requirements as to how the Installation media is loaded... Some automatically detect the UEFI installation based on the GPT\FAT32 Flash Drive, and others require it to be determined by a "Boot Options " selection..

BTW... Just dragging the relevant files onto a Flash Drive may or may not work..

I have had mixed success with this as far as the media being bootable is concerned..

Also... The Windows 7 Tool mentioned in another reply will in fact create a flash drive for Windows 10, but only for Legacy Bios machines... It does not have an option for selecting MBR\GPT\FAT32, etc... Strictly MBR\NTFS only...

97 people found this reply helpful

·

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

 
 

Question Info

Last updated March 12, 2025 Views 53,602 Applies to: