Forum Discussion
Help! How can I install Windows 11 using a USB drive without losing data?
I recently installed Windows 11 on an old laptop using a bootable USB created with UUBYT ISO editor. During setup, I chose the option to "Keep files," which safely retained my data. Just double-check your selections and back up important files as a precaution.
I followed this guide:
https://www.appleinsidez.com/install-windows-11-from-usb
First, prepare for a Windows 11 bootable USB for installation. A Windows 11 bootable USB is a USB flash drive that contains a copy of the Windows 11 operating system, which can be used to install or repair Windows 11 on a PC. The drive is formatted in such a way that the PC can boot directly from it, bypassing the system's internal storage, and initiate the installation or troubleshooting process.
To create a Windows 11 bootable USB, you typically need:
- A USB flash drive (at least 8GB in size).
- The official Windows 11 installation files (which can be downloaded from Microsoft).
- A tool like the Windows Media Creation Tool or Rufus to create the bootable USB.
Once created, you can install Windows 11 from USB drive by changing the boot order in the BIOS/UEFI settings of the PC, selecting the USB as the primary boot device.
Thanks for your detailed answer! This is indeed the standard process for installing Windows 11 from USB flash, which is quite useful. I have heard of using Rufus to create a bootable disk before, but Windows Media Creation Tool seems to be easier. Which tool do you recommend? Have you had any special experience?
I also want to ask, have you ever encountered a situation where you can't find the USB drive in the BIOS setup? Do you need to make sure that the USB drive is formatted with the correct file system?
