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

If you're encountering issues while booting your Windows operating system, there could be numerous reasons for the boot failure. It's recommended that you create a bootable USB drive to ensure your computer keeps functioning. Often, boot-up failures result in panic situations. However, there are several methods to create a bootable USB drive with the Windows OS. Two popular tools for this purpose are the Windows Media Creation Tool and Rufus. Both tools are widely favored due to their user-friendly interfaces, straightforward processes, and technical support. If you're unsure which tool to choose for creating a bootable USB drive, continue reading the article for a comprehensive guide on both utilities.

What is the Windows Media Creation Tool?

In layman's terms, the Windows Media Creation Tool enables users to download a version of the Windows operating system onto a USB drive. This USB drive can be utilized in the event of startup issues to reinstall Windows on the computer. It's recommended that Windows users should have a physical copy of their operating system for emergency purposes. To employ the Windows Media Creation Tool, you will need the following items:

• Blank USB Flash Drive: You must have a formatted USB drive on which you want to create a Windows bootable USB.
• Computer with Internet Access: The utility tool will be challenging to use without an internet connection. To create a bootable USB drive, you need a functioning computer system and an active internet connection.
• Windows Product Key: You must possess the product key provided when you purchased Windows. This key will enable you to create a copy of your Windows operating system on the USB flash drive.

Once you have all the necessary components to create a Windows installation media on the USB drive, follow the steps outlined below:

Step 1. Visit the Microsoft website and download the Windows Media Creation Tool file.

Step 2. After downloading the utility tool, you'll see two options. Select the second one, which says Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC, and then click Next.

Step 3. Choose the language, Windows edition, and architecture you want to use for creating the installation media. You can also opt for the recommended options that correspond to your computer's settings.

Step 4. Select the USB flash drive storage option in the following section and click Next.

Step 5. Choose the desired USB drive that you want to use for the installation process.

Step 6. Once you choose the USB drive, the Microsoft Media Creation Tool will begin downloading the latest Windows operating system files onto your computer system.

Step 7. Once the download is complete, the Windows OS media creation process will begin.

Step 8. Click 'Finish,' and you'll be able to use the USB drive to boot up the computer system and install the Windows operating system.

What is Rufus?

is an open-source application widely utilized for creating USB installation media from bootable files of Windows. The Rufus bootable USB function aids users in creating USB installation media for various operating systems such as Linux, UEFI, and more. To create a Windows USB drive using Rufus, you'll need a USB flash drive with at least 8GB of space and a downloaded ISO file of Windows. Please note that if your USB flash drive contains data, it will be completely erased during the process. To create a bootable USB with Rufus, follow these steps:

Step 1. Download the Rufus utility on your computer system.

Step 2. After downloading the software, choose your USB flash drive under the Device option, and then click the Select button to choose the corresponding Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 installation media.

Step 3. If you want to format the drive, select the volume label and leave the file system as default.

Step 4. Click 'Start' and wait for the process to complete.

Rufus vs Windows Media Creation Tool: What's the Difference?

Upon closely examining both tools, there aren't significant disparities in their processes. However, there are slight differences that are worth noting. The primary distinctions between Rufus and the Windows Media Creation Tool are:

What Other Tools Can You Use to Create a Bootable USB Drive?

Sometimes, the main reason for creating a bootable USB drive is to have a portable version of the operating system instead of a Windows installation. The utility called OS2Go enables users to create a bootable Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 USB drive. This software can efficiently clone the OS to an external USB, making it usable on any system. OS2Go is simple to download and use. After downloading the software, you can easily follow the steps to create a portable Windows USB drive. For this entire process, you'll need a USB drive and a computer system. The user-friendly interface of OS2Go simplifies the procedure for users.

Step 1. Install OS2Go on your Windows computer. It will show the used space on your system drive. Insert a USB drive with a capacity larger than the used space on the 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 requirements. Check the option if you're using a Solid State Drive as the Windows boot drive. Then, click Proceed.

Step 4. Then OS2Go will begin creating the portable USB drive. This process may take a while, 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 turn on 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 from it.

Conclusion

The standard process for creating a Windows USB drive is virtually the same in Rufus, the Windows Media Creation Tool, and OS2Go software. Depending on your preference and flexibility, you can choose any of these methods to create a portable version of your Windows operating system on a flash drive. All you need for the entire process is an empty flash drive, a computer system, and an internet connection.