The use of CDs or DVDs for Windows installations is now rare and it is replaced by a Bootable flash drive whether it uses Rufus or another Bootable program. The most common cause is the absence of an optical drive in small laptop devices such as netbooks, ultrabooks, and tablet PCs.
In addition, installing Windows using a DVD is very impractical compared to using a flash or direct installation file. Microsoft also currently provides various files needed for these different installation methods.
One of the most widely used methods today is installation via a USB flash drive or flash drive. With a flash, we can easily install Windows on various devices. We can also save the installation file if we need it again.
There are many ways that we can do to be able to install Windows via flash. One relatively easy way is to use software called Rufus. This program is specially created to install various operating systems via a USB flash drive.
This time, Niceblogger will review how to install the Windows operating system using Rufus. But first, let’s take a closer look at this unique program.
What is Rufus?
Rufus is a program created by Pete Badard of Akeo Consulting. This program has a GNU GPL version 3 license, which can be used for free. You can even modify and sell the modifications.
This program has a tiny size of 459 KB, so it will not consume much of your flash capacity. Interestingly, this program is also portable, so you can use it directly without installing it first.
Rufus is used to create bootable USBs for various types of operating systems. Some popular operating systems it supports like Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8, 10, Linux, Ubuntu, and Fedora.
This program also has a FreeDOS option so that we can boot in DOS mode, aka Disk Operating System. As we know, DOS mode benefits many things, including upgrading the BIOS.
Many people like this Rufus program because of its various exciting features. In addition, this program can work twice as fast as similar programs such as Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, WiNToBootic, Universal USB Installer, Unetbootin, and RMPrepUSB.
How to Use Rufus
After knowing the various features and advantages it offers, now let’s start discussing how to use Rufus. In this example, we will use it to create a Windows 10 bootable USB. Here are the steps:
1. Download Rufus
First of all, please download this program for free here. Once downloaded, please save it on your hard disk or flash drive. But remember, do not save it in the flash that we will use as Windows installation media.
2. Run Rufus
Run Rufus by double-clicking on the program. After opening, please plug the flash drive that will be used as a bootable USB into the computer. Rufus will automatically detect information from the flash, such as capacity, volume label, cluster size, and so on.
If the flash you input is not detected by it, please click the arrow icon next to the text “Format Options”. Some additional options will then appear below it. Please check the option “List fixed (non-flash)” or “unpartitioned USB disks”.
3. Make Settings in Rufus
Next, please change the file system used from FAT32 to NTFS. However, if your flash drive already uses an NTFS file, you don’t need to change it. Don’t forget to check the “Quick Format” option so that the formatting process takes place quickly.
4. Select the Windows installation file
The next step is to select the Windows installation file you want to use. Before deciding, make sure you already have the Windows installation file in the form of an ISO file on your computer. If not, please create the ISO file first.
If the ISO file is ready, please check the option “Create a bootable disk using” and select ISO Images in the drop-down menu. Then click the optical drive icon next to it and select the ISO file that you want to use.
5. Start the bootable USB creation process.
If all the settings are correct, please click the Start button to start the process of creating a bootable USB. Then a warning window will appear saying that all files on your flash disk will be deleted.
If there are still essential files in your flash drive, please click cancel and move the various files first if your flash is empty and ready to use.
Rufus will start the process of creating the bootable USB. First of all, the flash disk will be formatted and emptied. Next, all the installation files will be copied to the flash disk. Click the Close button when finished.
Now your flash drive can be used to install the Windows 7 operating system. Your flash drive is now a bootable USB that functions the same as a CD or DVD usually used to install Windows.
Before installing Windows, make sure you have made the settings in the BIOS so that you can read the flash disk when booting. For a complete installation tutorial.
In addition to the Windows 10 operating system, how to use Rufus above can also be applied to various other operating systems such as Windows XP, Windows 8, and 7.
Windows has been the main OS for most people since it has many features and flexibility and you can read about what antivirus should you use on your windows to secure your data.