How to Use Rufus 2.0 to Format and Make USB Flash Drives Bootable

How to Download and Use Rufus 2.0 to Create Bootable USB Drives

If you want to install a new operating system on your computer, or run a different one without affecting your current system, you might need a bootable USB drive. A bootable USB drive is a flash drive that contains an operating system that can be loaded directly from the USB port, without requiring a hard disk or a CD/DVD drive.

But how do you create a bootable USB drive? One of the easiest and most reliable ways is to use Rufus, a free and open-source application that can format and create bootable USB flash drives in a few clicks. In this article, we will show you how to download and use Rufus 2.0 to create your own bootable USB drives.

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What is Rufus and why do you need it?

Rufus is a free and open-source application that can format and create bootable USB flash drives

Rufus is a small utility that helps you format and create bootable USB flash drives, such as USB keys/pendrives, memory sticks, etc. It can be especially useful for cases where:

• You need to create USB installation media from bootable ISOs (Windows, Linux, UEFI, etc.)

• You need to work on a system that doesn't have an OS installed

• You need to flash a BIOS or other firmware from DOS

• You want to run a low-level utility

Despite its small size, Rufus provides everything you need! It supports a variety of bootable .iso files, including various Linux distributions and Windows installation .iso files, as well as raw disk image files (including compressed ones). If needed, it will install a bootloader such as SYSLINUX or GRUB onto the flash drive to render it bootable.

Rufus can be used to install or run various operating systems, such as Windows, Linux or DOS

With Rufus, you can easily create a bootable USB drive that can be used to install or run different operating systems on your computer. For example, you can use Rufus to:

• Install Windows 10 from a USB drive instead of a DVD

• Try out Linux Mint or Ubuntu without affecting your Windows system

• Boot into DOS mode to run old games or utilities

• Repair your computer if it fails to start normally

Rufus is compatible with most of the popular operating systems, such as Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10, as well as various Linux distributions and DOS variants.

Rufus can also create Windows To Go bootable media, flash BIOS or firmware, and compute checksums

Rufus is not only a tool for creating bootable USB drives, but also a versatile utility that can perform other tasks related to USB drives. For instance, you can use Rufus to:

• Create Windows To Go bootable media, which allows you to run Windows from a USB drive on any computer

• Flash a BIOS or other firmware from DOS, which can be useful for updating or repairing your hardware

• Compute MD5, SHA-1 or SHA-256 checksums of the selected image file, which can help you verify the integrity and authenticity of the file

Rufus has many advanced features and options that you can customize according to your needs. You can also save your settings as presets for future use.

How to download Rufus 2.0 from the official website?

Visit the Rufus website and choose the version that suits your needs

The first step to use Rufus is to download it from its official website:

On the website, you will see two versions of Rufus: the latest version (currently 3.17) and the previous version (2.0). The latest version has more features and supports more languages, but it requires Windows 7 or later. The previous version is simpler and works with Windows XP or later.

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If you want to download Rufus 2.0, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the link that says "Previous versions here". You will be redirected to a page where you can download Rufus 2.0 as an executable file (.exe) or a portable file (.pbat). The executable file will install Rufus on your computer, while the portable file will run Rufus without installation.

Rufus 2.0 is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10

Rufus 2.0 is a lightweight and fast application that can run on any Windows system from XP to 10. It does not require any installation or administrator privileges. You can simply download it and run it from any folder or USB drive.

Rufus 2.0 does not contain any adware or malware, and it does not modify your system registry or files. It is safe and secure to use.

Rufus 2.0 supports multiple languages and file systems

Rufus 2.0 is available in 38 languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and more. You can change the language of Rufus by clicking on the drop-down menu at the bottom of the main window.

Rufus 2.0 also supports various file systems, such as FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, UDF and ReFS. You can choose the file system that matches your target system type and bootable image file. How to use Rufus 2.0 to create a bootable USB drive?

Launch Rufus and select your USB drive from the device list

After downloading Rufus 2.0, you can launch it by double-clicking on the file. You will see the main window of Rufus, which looks like this:

The first thing you need to do is to select your USB drive from the device list at the top of the window. Make sure you have inserted your USB drive into your computer and that it has enough space for the bootable image file. Rufus will automatically detect your USB drive and display its name, size and current file system.

If you have more than one USB drive connected to your computer, you can use the drop-down menu to choose the one you want to use. Be careful not to select the wrong drive, as Rufus will erase all the data on it before creating the bootable USB drive.

Choose the partition scheme and target system type

The next step is to choose the partition scheme and target system type for your bootable USB drive. These options will determine how your USB drive will be formatted and how it will boot on different computers.

The partition scheme is the way your USB drive is divided into logical sections, called partitions. There are two main types of partition schemes: MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table). MBR is the older and more compatible scheme, while GPT is the newer and more advanced scheme.

The target system type is the type of computer that will boot from your USB drive. There are three main types of target system types: BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) and UEFI (CSM) (Compatibility Support Module). BIOS is the older and more common system, while UEFI is the newer and more secure system. UEFI (CSM) is a hybrid mode that allows UEFI systems to boot from MBR partitions.

You can choose the partition scheme and target system type that match your target computer by using the drop-down menu next to "Partition scheme and target system type". If you are not sure what to choose, you can leave it as "MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI" or "GPT partition scheme for UEFI", depending on your bootable image file.

Select the bootable image file (.iso or .img) or the DOS system type

The most important step is to select the bootable image file that contains the operating system or utility that you want to install or run from your USB drive. A bootable image file is a file that has a .iso or .img extension, such as windows10.iso or ubuntu.img.

You can select the bootable image file by clicking on the button next to "Create a bootable disk using". A file browser window will open, where you can navigate to the folder where you have saved your bootable image file. Select the file and click on Open.

Rufus will automatically detect the type of bootable image file and adjust the settings accordingly. For example, if you select a Windows installation .iso file, Rufus will change the file system to NTFS and enable "Quick format" and "Create extended label and icon files".

If you don't have a bootable image file, but you want to create a DOS bootable USB drive, you can choose "FreeDOS" or "MS-DOS" from the drop-down menu next to "Create a bootable disk using". Rufus will download the necessary files from the internet and create a DOS bootable USB drive for you. Adjust the volume label, cluster size and other options if needed

The next step is to adjust the volume label, cluster size and other options for your bootable USB drive. These options will affect the performance and appearance of your USB drive.

The volume label is the name of your USB drive that will be displayed in Windows Explorer or other file managers. You can change the volume label by typing a new name in the box next to "New volume label". You can use any name you like, as long as it is not longer than 11 characters.

The cluster size is the smallest unit of disk space that can be allocated to a file on your USB drive. The larger the cluster size, the more space is wasted, but the faster the access speed. The smaller the cluster size, the less space is wasted, but the slower the access speed. You can choose the cluster size from the drop-down menu next to "Cluster size". If you are not sure what to choose, you can leave it as "Default".

There are also some other options that you can enable or disable by checking or unchecking the boxes below "Format Options". These options are:

• Quick format: This option will format your USB drive faster, but it will not erase the data completely. If you want to securely wipe your USB drive, you should uncheck this option.

• Create a bootable disk using: This option will create a bootable USB drive using the selected bootable image file or DOS system type. You should always check this option.

• Create extended label and icon files: This option will create additional files on your USB drive that will display a custom label and icon in Windows Explorer. This option is only available for Windows installation .iso files.

• Check device for bad blocks: This option will scan your USB drive for any physical errors or defects that might affect its functionality. This option will take longer, but it will ensure that your USB drive is in good condition.

Click on Start and wait for the process to finish

The final step is to click on the Start button at the bottom of the Rufus window and wait for the process to finish. Rufus will warn you that all the data on your USB drive will be destroyed. Make sure you have backed up any important files before proceeding. Click on OK to confirm.

Rufus will then format your USB drive and copy the bootable image file or DOS system files onto it. You will see a progress bar and a log window that shows you the details of the process. Depending on the size of your USB drive and bootable image file, this process may take several minutes or hours.

When Rufus is done, you will see a message that says "READY" and a green check mark next to it. You can then close Rufus and safely remove your USB drive from your computer. Congratulations, you have successfully created a bootable USB drive using Rufus 2.0!

How to test your bootable USB drive?

Restart your computer and enter the BIOS or boot menu

Now that you have created a bootable USB drive using Rufus 2.0, you might want to test it and see if it works as expected. To do that, you need to restart your computer and enter the BIOS or boot menu.

The BIOS or boot menu is a special screen that allows you to change some settings of your computer, such as the boot order, which determines which device will be loaded first when you turn on your computer.

To enter the BIOS or boot menu, you need to press a specific key or combination of keys when you see the manufacturer's logo or splash screen during startup. The key or keys vary depending on your computer model and manufacturer, but they are usually one of these: F1, F2, F10, F12, Esc, Del or Enter.

If you are not sure which key or keys to press, you can look for a message on the screen that says something like "Press F12 to enter boot menu" or "Press Del to enter setup". You can also consult your computer's manual or website for more information.

Select your USB drive as the first boot option

Once you enter the BIOS or boot menu, you need to select your USB drive as the first boot option. This means that your computer will try to load from your USB drive before any other device, such as your hard disk or CD/DVD drive.

To select your USB drive as the first boot option, you need to use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the menus and options. Look for a menu or option that says something like "Boot order", "Boot priority" , "Boot sequence" or "Boot device". You will see a list of devices, such as "Hard Disk", "CD-ROM", "USB Device", etc. Use the arrow keys to move your USB drive to the top of the list. You may need to use other keys, such as +, -, Enter or Space, to change the order or select the device.

Once you have selected your USB drive as the first boot option, you need to save your changes and exit the BIOS or boot menu. Look for a menu or option that says something like "Save and Exit", "Exit Saving Changes" or "Exit Setup". You may need to press a specific key, such as F10, Y or Enter, to confirm your choice.

Follow the instructions on the screen to install or run your chosen operating system

After you save your changes and exit the BIOS or boot menu, your computer will restart and try to load from your USB drive. You will see a screen that shows the logo or name of your chosen operating system or utility. Follow the instructions on the screen to install or run it.

For example, if you have created a Windows 10 bootable USB drive, you will see a screen that says "Windows 10 Setup". You will need to choose your language, keyboard layout and time zone, and then click on "Install now". You will then need to enter your product key, accept the license terms, choose a custom or upgrade installation, select a partition to install Windows 10 on, and wait for the installation to complete.

If you have created a Linux Mint or Ubuntu bootable USB drive, you will see a screen that says "Linux Mint" or "Ubuntu" with two options: "Try Linux Mint" or "Try Ubuntu" and "Install Linux Mint" or "Install Ubuntu". You can choose to try the operating system without installing it on your hard disk, or you can choose to install it alongside or instead of your existing system. You will then need to choose your language, keyboard layout, time zone, username and password, and wait for the installation to complete.

If you have created a DOS bootable USB drive, you will see a screen that says "FreeDOS" or "MS-DOS" with a command prompt. You can type commands to run programs or access files on your USB drive or hard disk. For example, you can type "dir" to list the files and folders on your current drive, or you can type "fdisk" to manage your partitions.

Conclusion and FAQs

In this article, we have shown you how to download and use Rufus 2.0 to create bootable USB drives. Rufus is a free and open-source application that can format and create bootable USB flash drives in a few clicks. You can use Rufus to install or run various operating systems, such as Windows, Linux or DOS, on your computer. You can also use Rufus to create Windows To Go bootable media, flash BIOS or firmware, and compute checksums.

We hope you have found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Here are some FAQs that might answer some of your queries:

Q: Can I use Rufus on Mac or Linux?

A: No, Rufus is only available for Windows systems. However, there are other similar tools that you can use on Mac or Linux, such as UNetbootin, Etcher or dd.

Q: Can I use Rufus to create bootable CD/DVDs?

A: No, Rufus can only create bootable USB flash drives. If you want to create bootable CD/DVDs, you can use other tools such as ImgBurn, CDBurnerXP or Nero.

Q: Can I use Rufus to clone my existing system onto a USB drive?

A: No, Rufus can only create bootable USB drives from bootable image files or DOS system files. If you want to clone your existing system onto a USB drive, you can use other tools such as Clonezilla, Macrium Reflect or EaseUS Todo Backup.

Q: Can I use Rufus to create multiboot USB drives?

A: No, Rufus can only create single-boot USB drives. If you want to create multiboot USB drives that can load multiple operating systems from one USB drive, you can use other tools such as YUMI, Easy2Boot or Ventoy.

Q: Can I use Rufus to create persistent USB drives?

A: No, Rufus can only create live USB drives that do not save any changes made on them. If you want to create persistent USB drives that can save any changes made on them, you can use other tools such as Universal USB Installer, Linux Live USB Creator or Rufus 3.0 or later. 44f88ac181