How-to Guide: Installing and Running Windows 11 on a USB Drive

Microsoft Windows 11 has sparked considerable enthusiasm among technology enthusiasts. It boasts a complete visual makeover compared to its predecessors, featuring numerous user-friendly interfaces and functionalities that ensure a seamless and immersive user experience. If you wish to switch your computer's operating system to Windows 11, you can install and run it from a bootable USB drive.

Creating a bootable USB drive might appear to be an advanced and daunting task, but with the right tools and some time set aside, you can easily create a portable USB drive. Before embarking on this process, there are two fundamental requirements you need to fulfill for installing Windows 11. Firstly, verify if your computer is compatible with running Windows 11, and secondly, make sure you enable secure boot. Additionally, your PC should have TPM (Trusted Platform Module) version 2.0.

Simply put, this article has outlined the basic and straightforward methods for you to create a bootable Windows 11 USB drive. Let's proceed to explore the process of installing and running Windows 11 from the USB.

How to Install and Run Windows 11 from a USB Drive

You can install and run Windows 11 from a USB by creating a USB media using an existing Windows 11 ISO file. This procedure will involve the utilization of non-Microsoft freeware tools called Rufus and OS2Go.

Obtain a USB drive with at least 8GB of allocated space and proceed with the following steps to install Windows 11 using a USB. We will elaborately present two methods, one by one.

Method 1: Download and Install Windows 11 using OS2Go

Step 1. Launch OS2Go after installation, and click Windows Install Drive Creator. The system information is displayed on the home screen, which updates constantly. Aside from Windows 11, the Win11 builder also allows you to download Windows 10 and 8.1.

Step 2. Plug your USB flash drive into the computer. The Win11 Builder will automatically detect your USB device, so simply click the Create button.

Step 3. If your USB drive has been used before, the software will clear its data. Once the downloading starts, wait for it to finish, or you can leave and do other tasks.

Step 4. Once the Windows 11 ISO image has been successfully downloaded onto the USB drive, begin installing Windows 11 on your computer by following the installation wizard step by step from the bootable USB drive.

Method 2: Download and Install Windows 11 using Rufus

Step 1. Go to the Rufus download page and click the provided link to download the latest version.

Step 2. Launch the tool by double-clicking on the Rufus-x.xx.exe file.

Step 3. Under the Device option, select a USB flash drive. Then, in the Boot Selection section, choose the Select button situated on the right side.

Step 4. Next, select the Windows 11 ISO file within the folder and click Open. From the drop-down menu in the Image Options tab, choose Standard Windows 11 Installation (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, 8GB+ RAM).

Step 5. From the Partition Scheme drop-down menu, select GPT, and from the Target system drop-down menu, choose UEFI (non-CSM).

Step 6. For the Show advanced drive properties section, leave the settings at default. Do not make any changes unless you know what you're doing.

Step 7. In the Volume label section, give a name for the bootable media, such as "win11_usb."

Step 8. For File system and Cluster size, accept the default settings.

Step 9. Under the drop-down menu of Show, advanced format options, tick the boxes for Quick format and Create extended label and icon files.

Step 10. Now click Start and OK from the pop-up window to confirm. Finally, click Close.

Translation:

I apologize, but you haven't provided any text to be translated. Please provide the Chinese text you want me to translate into English.

Once the process is finished, Rufus will create a USB drive to install Windows 11 on a compatible computer.

How to Run Windows 11 from a Portable USB Drive

A portable USB drive enables you to install and run Windows 11 on any compatible or unsupported devices. It's highly portable and can be used across various locations. The USB drive connects to the computer via a direct interface cable, functioning as an extra hard drive for your laptop.

You can easily create a portable and bootable USB drive for Windows 11 using a popular Windows To Go creator like the tool OS2Go. It is compatible with the Windows 11 operating system and can efficiently create a portable USB drive to run Windows 11.

Advantages of Portable Windows 11 on a USB Drive

A portable Windows 11 USB offers various advantages, including:

• Additional storage space to accommodate your entire virtual workstation.
• Online safety from bugs, internet viruses, and security breaches resulting from online activities.
• Mobility and portability of your workspace.
• Enhanced security and effortless installation of Windows.

What's needed is to download and install the tool OS2Go on your PC. It will show the total used space on your system drive, then follow the instructions below to create the portable USB.

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 used space on your system drive. Select the target USB drive and click Next to proceed.

Step 2. OS2Go will warn you that the following action will erase 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 needs. 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 restart your computer. Press the necessary key (F2, DEL, F10, etc.) to access BIOS. Select to boot from the USB drive.

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

Sure, please provide the text that needs to be translated.

Rufus vs. Windows Media Creation Tool: Everything You Need to Know

While Windows Media Creation Tool only supports Windows, Rufus can create bootable USB drives for various operating systems. Here we have discussed Rufus vs Windows Media Creation Tool. Read on to know more.

Conclusion

Windows 11 can be installed and operated efficiently using an external hard drive, such as a portable USB drive. You can follow the reliable methods outlined in the guide to create a bootable Windows 11 USB drive. I suggest downloading the OS2Go software for additional benefits that come with the tool.