How to Make Pendrive Bootable Methods in CMD

Creating a bootable pen drive using Command Prompt (CMD) can be done using built-in Windows utilities. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making a pen drive bootable using CMD:

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

  • Press Windows + X on your keyboard.
  • Select “Command Prompt (Admin)” or “Windows Power Shell (Admin)” from the menu.

Step 2: Identify the Pen Drive:

  • Insert your pen drive into a USB port on your computer.
  • Note the drive letter assigned to your pen drive. You can do this by checking in File Explorer or by using the Diskpart command.

Step 3: Format the Pen Drive:

  • In Command Prompt, type the following command to format the pen drive:
  • Replace <DriveLetter> with the letter assigned to your pen drive (e.g., format G: /FS:FAT32).
  • Press Enter and confirm any prompts to format the drive. This will erase all data on the pen drive.

Step 4: Make the Pen Drive Active:

  • After formatting, you need to make the pen drive active.
  • Type the following command in Command Prompt:
  • Replace <DiskNumber> with the disk number of your pen drive (e.g., select disk 1).
  • Then, type the following command to make the selected disk active.

Step 5: Copy Bootable Files to the Pen Drive

  • Locate the ISO file of the operating system or utility you want to make bootable.
  • Mount the ISO file by double-clicking on it or using a virtual drive software.
  • Copy all the files from the mounted ISO to the root directory of your pen drive. You can do this using File Explorer or Command Prompt.

Step 6: Install Boot Sector (Optional):

  • If your ISO doesn’t contain a boot sector, you may need to install one manually.
  • Type the following command in Command Prompt:

Replace <DriveLetter> with the letter assigned to your pen drive (e.g., bootsect /nt60 G: /mbr).

Step 7: Eject the Pen Drive:

  • Once all the files are copied, safely eject the pen drive from your computer.

Step 8: Test the Bootable Pen Drive:

  • Restart your computer and configure it to boot from the USB drive.
  • If successful, the operating system or utility stored on the pen drive should boot up.

“Using Command Prompt to create a bootable pen drive requires careful attention to detail and precision in executing commands. Ensure you’ve selected the correct drive and follow the steps accurately to avoid any issues”

FAQ's

To create a Bootable USB Drive on Windows using CMD, the following steps should be executed.
  1. Open Command Prompt in Administrative Format.
  2. Insert the USB Drive.
  3. Select the Disk using the Diskpart command & others.
  4. Format the USB Drivers.
  5. Create a Partition if necessary.
  6. Make it activated using Active Command.
bout This Article
  1. Type “diskpart” and press Enter.
  2. Type “list disk” and press Enter.
  3. Type “select disk [Your disk]” and press Enter.
  4. Type “clean” and press Enter.
  5. Type “create partition primary” and press Enter.
  6. Type “format fs=ntfs” and press Enter.
  7. Type “exit” and press Enter.
Create a bootable USB Drive by following the instructions below.
  1. Download the HPUSBFW file provided at the bottom of this page.
  2. Start the HP USB Disk Format tool (HPUSBFW.exe). …
  3. Select your USB Drive in the Device drop-down menu.
  4. The file system should be Fat32.
  5. Check the boxes Quick Format and Create a DOS startup disk.
In the Command Prompt window, type:
  1. Type diskpart and press Enter.
  2. At the DISKPART> prompt, type list disk and press Enter.
  3. Type select disk x, where x is the disk number of your USB storage device. …
  4. Type clean and press Enter.
  5. Type convert gpt and press Enter.
  6. Type create partition primary size=1024 and press Enter.
How to Boot to Command Prompt
  1. Open the Windows Start menu.
  2. Click the Power icon.
  3. Hold down the “Shift” key.
  4. Click “Restart” as you continue holding down Shift.
  5. Release the Shift key when you see a blue screen.
  6. Open the Troubleshoot menu.
  7. View your advanced options.
  8. Access the command prompt.