Forum Discussion
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...
Possible Reasons and Solutions for Rufus cannot make USB Bootable:
1.Check USB Drive Compatibility
- Make sure the USB drive is properly formatted and not corrupted. Sometimes old USB sticks can be a bit temperamental.
- Try reformatting the USB drive before using Rufus. You can do this via File Explorer:
- Right-click on the USB drive, select Format, choose FAT32 or NTFS, and then click Start.
Once reformatted, try using Rufus again.
2. Rufus Settings
When setting up Rufus if Rufus cannot make USB bootable, ensure you have the correct settings:
- Device: Select the correct USB drive.
- Boot Selection: Select Disk or ISO image (Please select) and then choose your Windows 10 ISO file.
- Partition Scheme: If your BIOS is set to Legacy, choose MBR. If it's set to UEFI, go with GPT.
- File System: If you're using UEFI, FAT32 usually works better.
3. Run Rufus as Administrator
- Right-click the Rufus executable and select Run as administrator. This can help it have the permissions needed to create a bootable drive.
4. Switch USB Ports
- If you're using a USB 3.0 port, try switching to a USB 2.0 port, especially on older PCs. Sometimes, booting issues can stem from using the wrong type of USB port.
5. Download a Fresh Windows 10 ISO
- If Rufus is still giving you grief, it might be worth downloading a fresh copy of the Windows 10 ISO directly from Microsoft. Sometimes the file you’re using can get corrupted. Visit the Windows 10 Downl0ad page and grab the ISO again.