How to Run/Boot Windows 11/10 from a USB Drive

Why do you need a bootable USB drive?

As numerous users have encountered, the Windows system can sometimes become corrupted and subsequently crash, rendering it non-functional due to various reasons. Consequently, the computer fails to boot up, and the data on the hard drive becomes inaccessible. This issue can drive users who urgently need to use their PC or access important data insane!

If you have a Windows bootable USB drive, great! Just enter BIOS, change the boot order, and then you can boot Windows 10 from USB.

* You might be interested in what is a bootable USB drive

Here are the things you need to pay attention to:

• Use an external hard drive to create a bootable USB drive. USB flash drives and pen drives will not be sufficient.
• Only the first partition of the USB flash drive or pen drive can be recognized by Windows, while subsequent partition drive letters cannot be assigned.
• Nearly 99% of Windows systems consist of two partitions: the system partition and the boot partition. If you clone Windows 10/8/7 to a USB flash drive or pen drive, only the first partition will be accessible, making it impossible to boot. Hence, you must use an external hard drive!
• Additionally, the USB hard drive must have sufficient free space, larger than the system drive's space!

Major benefits of running or starting up Windows 11/10 from a USB drive include: 1. Portability: You can effortlessly take your operating system with you wherever you go, enabling you to work on various computers without needing a local installation. 2. Swift setup: Booting from a USB drive is typically faster than using a regular hard disk drive, providing a speedier startup and shutdown process. 3. Disk space conservation: If your computer has limited storage, running Windows from a USB drive lets you avoid taking up precious space on your internal drive. 4. Multiboot capabilities: You can have multiple versions of Windows (or other operating systems) on the same USB drive, letting you choose which one to boot into as needed. 5. Testing and troubleshooting: A USB-bootable Windows is handy for testing new builds, updates, or troubleshooting issues on a computer without affecting its existing OS. 6. Disaster recovery: In case of a system crash or malware infection, having Windows on a USB drive can be a game-changer, allowing you to promptly recover and access crucial files. 7. Privacy: Using a portable Windows installation ensures that your personal settings, files, and apps remain private, as they stay contained within the USB drive. 8. Temporary use: If you need to use a familiar environment on a friend's or public computer, Windows on USB lets you have your personalized OS at hand anytime, anywhere. 9. Low-resource demands: Some older computers might not support newer Windows versions due to hardware restrictions, but booting from a USB drive can bypass these limitations, potentially letting you run the latest OS on an older machine. 10. Seamless updates: Updating Windows on a USB drive is simple, and you can keep your system current without concerning about the impact on your primary hard drive.

Searching online, we can see that there are always some users asking for help on how to run Windows 10 from a USB hard drive, as they can reap numerous significant benefits from this operation, such as:

• Successfully boot their PC from the bootable USB hard drive even when Windows cannot be accessed from the internal hard drive due to certain issues.
• Install large applications on the USB hard drive to conserve internal disk space or to utilize these programs on any other computer.

Are you one of those users searching for methods to boot Windows 10 from an external device? Continue reading, and you'll find a detailed step-by-step guide explaining how to accomplish this task using Windows 10 USB bootable software.

The useful tool you need is "a translation tool".

Although Microsoft provides users with a Windows Media Creation Tool that allows them to create Windows ISO image files on a USB or DVD to handle the task, it can still be too challenging for those with "computer illiteracy" to operate. In this case, you require a third-party Windows system creator software that can simplify the process.

Firstly, OS2Go is user-friendly and straightforward to operate. Simply launch the software, select the target USB drive, and adjust the disk layout as desired. The process is both easy and efficient.

Second, it can create a bootable Windows 11/10 USB hard drive that contains not only the operating system but also some pre-installed applications or even some personal data, ensuring that you can work on a computer directly without additional setup after booting from the external device.

Download this system clone software and boot Windows 11/10 from the USB.

Guide to Run or Boot Windows 11/10 from a USB Hard Drive

Step 1. Install OS2Go on your Windows computer, which will display the used space on your system drive. Insert a USB drive with a capacity larger than the system drive's used space. Select the target USB drive and click Next to proceed.

Step 2. OS2Go will warn you that the following operation will delete all data on your drive. Make sure you've backed up all important data. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 3. Adjust disk layout. The default disk layout on the target drive will be identical to the source drive. You can also edit the layout to suit your requirements. Check the option if you're using a Solid State Drive as the Windows boot drive. Then, click Proceed.

Step 4. OS2Go will then begin creating the portable USB drive. This process may take some time, depending on your operating system and network conditions. Once the progress reaches 100%, the USB drive should be bootable.

Step 5. Insert the portable Windows USB and start your computer. Press the necessary key (F2, DEL, F10, etc.) to enter BIOS. Select to boot from the USB drive.

Note: Please ensure that the boot mode (UEFI or Legacy) of the portable USB and your target computer are identical, or else you may not be able to boot successfully.

Once you've created the bootable USB drive, you can use it to run Windows 10 on a PC whenever you like. Just remember to set the USB hard drive or external device as the first boot device in the BIOS first.

Connect your bootable USB drive to your computer and press F2 when you start the PC. In the BIOS interface, select the bootable device as your first boot option.

Then you can run Windows from your USB.

Install Windows 11 on an Unsupported Computer

Discover how to install the latest Windows 11 on a computer that doesn't officially support it in this article!