Creating a bootable pen drive (USB drive) involves formatting the drive and writing a bootable image (such as an ISO file for an operating system) to it.
Here’s a step-by-step guide for Windows, macOS, and Linux:
1. Using Windows
Method 1: With Rufus (Recommended)
1. Download Rufus:
• Download Rufus from its official website.
2. Prepare the ISO file:
• Obtain the ISO file for the operating system (e.g., Windows, Linux, etc.).
3. Insert the USB drive:
• Connect your USB drive (minimum 8 GB recommended).
4. Launch Rufus:
• Open Rufus (no installation required).
5. Configure Rufus:
• Select your USB drive under Device.
• Click Select and choose the ISO file.
• Leave other settings (e.g., Partition Scheme, File System) as default unless specified otherwise.
6. Create Bootable USB:
• Click Start and confirm the warnings about erasing data.
• Wait until the process completes.
7. Eject the Drive:
• Safely eject the USB drive once the process is done.
Method 2: Using Command Prompt (Diskpart)
1. Open Command Prompt:
• Press Win + R, type cmd, and hit Enter.
• Run as Administrator.
2. Run Diskpart:
• Type diskpart and press Enter.
3. Select USB Drive:
• Type list disk and identify your USB drive.
• Select it using select disk X (replace X with the USB drive number).
4. Format the Drive:
• Type the following commands one by one:
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=ntfs quick
assign
exit
5. Copy Boot Files:
• Mount the ISO file and copy all its contents to the USB drive.
2. Using macOS
1. Download the ISO:
• Obtain the OS ISO file.
2. Format the USB Drive:
• Open Disk Utility.
• Select your USB drive, click Erase, and choose:
• Format: MS-DOS (FAT)
• Scheme: GUID Partition Map
3. Create Bootable USB:
• Open Terminal and run:
sudo dd if=/path/to/iso of=/dev/rdiskX bs=1m
Replace /path/to/iso with the ISO file path and /dev/rdiskX with your USB drive’s identifier (use diskutil list to find it).
4. Wait for Completion:
• Wait until the process finishes, then eject the drive.
3. Using Linux
Method 1: Using dd Command
1. Identify USB Drive:
• Run lsblk to list storage devices.
• Note your USB drive (e.g., /dev/sdX).
2. Write the ISO to USB:
• Run:
sudo dd if=/path/to/iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress
Replace /path/to/iso with the ISO path and /dev/sdX with your USB device.
3. Eject the USB:
• After completion, run sudo eject /dev/sdX.
Method 2: Using Etcher
1. Download Etcher:
• Install Etcher.
2. Flash ISO to USB:
• Select the ISO file, USB drive, and click Flash.
3. Eject the USB:
• Once completed, safely eject the USB.
Tips
• Backup Data: Formatting the USB drive will erase all its contents.
• Use Reliable Software: Tools like Rufus, Etcher, or UNetbootin are safe and user-friendly.
• Check Boot Settings: Ensure the target computer is configured to boot from USB in BIOS/UEFI.