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Cody-Hutson's avatar
Cody-Hutson
Iron Contributor
Jan 09, 2025

Rufus cannot make usb bootable, how to fix?

Hi all, I was gifted an used PC from my friend and unfortunately, there is no OS on it. It is a pretty old device and does not meet the Windows 11 system requirements. So I decided to install Window...
Barbarank's avatar
Barbarank
Iron Contributor
Jan 09, 2025

If Rufus is unable to create a bootable USB drive, it can be frustrating, especially when you need it for installing an operating system or running diagnostic tools. Below are several troubleshooting steps and solutions you can try to resolve the issue:


Check the ISO File: Test the Windows 10/11 ISO file you're using is not corrupted. You can verify its integrity by comparing its checksum (MD5, SHA1, SHA256) with the official checksum provided by the source. If the checksum doesn't match, redownload the ISO from the official website to ensure it's intact.

Use the Latest Version of Rufus: Make sure you're using the latest version of Rufus. Older versions might have bugs or lack support for newer ISO formats.

Run as Administrator: Right-click on the Rufus executable and select "Run as administrator." This ensures Rufus has the necessary permissions to modify the USB drive.

Check the USB Drive: Sometimes, the USB drive itself might be faulty. Try using another USB stick to see if the problem persists. Before using Rufus, format the USB drive to ensure it's clean. You can do this via Windows Explorer or using Rufus’s built-in formatting option.

Adjust Rufus Settings Appropriately: Depending on your target system (BIOS or UEFI), choose the appropriate partition scheme. For modern UEFI systems, GPT is typically preferred, while MBR is suitable for older BIOS systems. For most cases, FAT32 is recommended, but some ISOs might require NTFS or exFAT.

By systematically going through these troubleshooting steps, you should be able to identify and resolve the issue preventing Rufus from creating a bootable USB drive. Start with the simplest solutions, such as verifying the ISO file and updating Rufus, before moving on to more involved steps like adjusting settings or trying alternative software. If Rufus still cannot make usb bootable after trying all the above steps, please provide specific error messages or behaviors you're encountering can help in diagnosing the issue further.

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