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Yusufoen's avatar
Yusufoen
Iron Contributor
Mar 03, 2025

The best way to create Windows 11 USB installer?

Hello all! I recently encountered problems when trying to make a Windows 11 installation USB flash drive, and realized that most of the methods found on the internet don't seem to work properly in 2...
deployment
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DylanEdwards's avatar
DylanEdwards
Iron Contributor
Mar 03, 2025

Microsoft does provide a free app for doing this called Windows 11 Media Creation Tool. Now it is the official tool for creating Windows 11 USB installer. However, there are many issues with it when you are trying to make a Windows 11 bootable USB drive. Below are some common issues and fixes.

1. Error during installation (e.g. error code 0x80070002)

Cause: Missing system files, network connection problems or incompatible drivers.

Solution: Run Media Creation Tool as administrator or Turn off your antivirus program and firewall (temporarily disabled).

2. Extremely slow download speed

Reason: Server congestion, network limitations or old client version.

Solution:

  1. Switch to a wired network connection.
  2. Use your browser to visit the Microsoft Download Center to download the ISO directly (you will need to manually create the boot media).
  3. Modify the TCP/IP MTU value (for advanced users).
  4. Change the regional server (option within Tools: Tools > Download Options).

3. Failure to create boot USB flash drive

Reason: Incorrectly formatted USB flash drive, driver conflict or insufficient space.

Solution: Format the USB flash drive as FAT32 (recommended capacity ≥32GB).

diskpart
list disk
select disk X
clean
create partition primary
format fs=fat32 quick
exit

Restart the computer after inserting the USB flash drive and enter BIOS to check if it is recognized as a new device.Update the motherboard and storage device drivers.

4. Boot media cannot boot the computer

Cause: ISO file corruption, USB flash drive writing error or BIOS setup problem.

Solution:

  1. Use another app to recreate the boot disk and select Windows To Go mode.
  2. Enter BIOS to check the boot sequence (make sure the USB flash drive is the first boot device).
  3. Change the USB flash drive interface (e.g. from USB 3.0 to USB 2.0).

If the problem persists, try creating Windows 11 USB installer on another computer to troubleshoot the hardware. Refer to the official Microsoft document: Windows 11 Deployment Guide. Hope the above methods can help you! If you have a specific error code, please provide more details for further troubleshooting.

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