USB flash drives are an excellent storage medium that, although today they may seem obsolete, actually they are very useful. Since, it also has the ability to be used as an operating system installer, that is, they allow you to take an operating system with you to use it on other computers.
Likewise, these devices give you the facility to test alternative systems on yours and even run some necessary applications such as antivirus, system tools, rescue applications and other things, before operating system load. Taking into account that, they are fast and safe.
Now, in this post we want to focus on what what is a bootable usb and the ways that exist to create it, being self-executable from ISO images for be able to install operating systems. This, from free programs and applications that simplify this process.
What is a bootable or bootable USB and what utilities does it have?
In computer terms, the word “boots” it means “start”, which is why a bootable USB can also be called as a “bootable usb” and from there, the Spanishization of the word boot, when making use of the term “bootable” to refer to it. Basically, these types of devices have the ability to run on a computer, automatically, without the prior requirement of having an operating system installed mandatory.
So, once you decide to create a bootable USB, you need to have three essential things for it. The first of all and the most important, is an iso image which, in general, refers to the files that are used to be able to save an exact copy of a file system of an optical drive.
That is to say that, therefore, one of these images is required to have a copy of the CD or DVD of a specific operating system Or, from an application. With which, later it can be installed on the USB flash drive to start it directly from there.
In addition to this, also the USB executable itself is needed. For this, you must verify that you have enough space to store the ISO image, which means that you must have at least 4 GB capacity. Fortunately, at present, the storage capacity of such devices is not a problem. But, apart from that, you must also take care that the unit has the highest possible speedthis may be USB 3.0, instead of USB 2.0.
Now, thirdly, a program or application is required that is designed to create a bootable usb, once the ISO image is installed on the USB you want to use for this. Today, there are many tools for this on the market and it is necessary that you make use of the ones that reveal the best performance. Indeed, we will introduce you 12 of the most optimal programs and apps to create a bootable USB both in Windows, as well as in Mac OS and GNU/Linux.
But is NTFS or FAT32 better for bootable USB?
In most cases, when creating a bootable USB, the most relevant question is the type of format to use for it and, although it is a somewhat complex question, it is opportune to know what each thing is about and from that, make a decision depending on your requirements.
Comparison table
In this way, below, we indicate what NTFS and FAT32 are:
- NTFS: This consists of a file system used by Windows, which makes use of a master file table in which metadata is stored and therefore allows faster data access speed. Because it is so sophisticated, it is the most common today. Taking into account that, it also allows you to manipulate files up to 4GB and partitions equal to 2TB.
- FAT32: Is about a universal file system, so any operating system can read it and this is your main advantage. Although it was widely used by Windows before, it is now replaced by NTFS, due to the fact that it has limitations with file sizes and partitions, in addition to the fact that it tends to corrupt files.
Top 12 Software and Tools to Create a Bootable ISO or USB on Windows, MacOS, and Linux
As we indicated, one of the main requirements to create a bootable USB in any operating system, is to have a specific program or application to do it. That is why, here we provide you a detailed list with the 12 best programs and tools that you can use for itfree of charge.
Taking into account that some are compatible with Windows, Mac OS and Linux, but others only support one of these systems:
Rufus
To begin with, we will refer to the most used software to create a bootable USB, thus, one of the main references in the sector. Which is a free program, very easy to use and is compatible with both Windows and GNU/Linux. Added to this, it is translated into Spanish and thanks to It is portable, it does not need installation.
In this sense, Rufus It comes as a small installer that has excellent options for the partition scheme, cluster size, file system, and also in reference to the type of boot to be created. This also works for create a bootable USB where the changes are saved for the following sessionss. It is worth noting that Rufus is highly recommended when you are going to install any operating system on machines with BIOS or UEFI.
Now, when you decide to run this program on your computer, you must choose the flash drive where you are going to install the ISO image. Subsequently, you have to select said ISO that has been previously downloadedthen you can give the flash drive a name (volume label) and, finally, click on the CD reader icon located at the top, to do so start loading the ISO image.
UNetbootin
It refers to another of the best solutions to create a bootable USB on computers Windows, Mac OS and Linux. In such a way, it is a free program that, despite the fact that it has been operating for a long time, its quality remains intact and thanks to this, it is used by millions of users.
Thus, it has the ability to create a bootable Live USB from your computer, making use of the distributions at download CD image files to you or through the use of a ISO image that you have obtained yourselfpreviously.
Which means that UNetbootin has a long list of sources for the same tool download ISO automatically, before being placed on the USB. It is necessary to note that, among these sources, is Ubuntu. Added to this, it stands out for being a program very easy to use.
In reference to the process to follow, first you have to choose the ISO file or a distribution to download, and then select the destination disk that will be “USB Memory”in this case and once the process is finished, restart the computer.
Now, the situation may arise that your USB device is not shown and then, you must format it to FAT32 and boot from the USB disk (in Windows and Linux, you have to press “F12” after turning on the computer and on Mac, hold down the “ keyOption” before the system boots).
Yumi
In case you want or need create a USB with multiple ISO images inside it from different operating systemss, Yumi is the main app for this. Therefore, it is estimated as another of the best options to carry out said processes and well, it is the benchmark in terms of specialization to create units. usb multiboot. In other words, with this program, you will be able to install several operating systems on the same storage unit. In this way, it is easy to select which of these you want to use at any given time.
In this way, through Yumi you can introduce different GNU/Linux distributions and, in addition, combine them with Windows to start them and use them on any PC. Also, you can have bootable operating systems like Ubuntu at the same time. But for this, you must verify that the USB device have enough space to save all these files, without any limitation.
Thus, it is worth noting that Yumi is only compatible with Windows and Linux. Where, in addition to the creation of a bootable USB, it also allows you to obtain antivirus utilities, diagnostic tools and many more.
Except for some distributions, all files are stored inside multiboot foldergiving you a fully organized multiboot portable USB drive that can be used for other purposes as well.
etcher
It is another of the most complete solutions to create a bootable USB in Windows, Mac OS and GNU/Linux. Which is available in installable and portable versions, as well as in 32-bit and 64-bit versions (in the case of Windows computers).
Thus, it is characterized by being a free and open source application that makes it easy to burn ISO images, as well as IMG and other compressed formats directly to USB sticks and memory cards, with complete security. As for its interface, it offers a very clean, simple and attractive design.
It has validation systems to achieve prevent the creation of corrupted memories and it makes it easy to choose the destination USB drive so that you never go wrong and erase a hard drive by mistake. It also allows record multiple memories simultaneously and it is written in JS, HTML, Node.js and Electron, completely.
Now, detailing the copying process; it only consists of threes very easy steps to perform. The first one is to select the or any compatible format to load it into the program. Then, choose the destination drive to record the selected image and finally, click on “Flash!” to start recording.
ISO to USB
It is considered another ideal alternative to create a bootable USB Windows only, because it is not compatible with Mac OS or Linux. In view of the fact that it is a small program and so far little known. But well, its main peculiarity is that it has the ability to save the ISO image file to USB drives In a direct way.
Which can be USB flash drives, memory cards and a variety of other USB storage devices that have a good capacity. For its part, this free software does not have any portable version and that means that you must install it.
However, the installation process is very quick and easy. Among other details, it has a completely simple interface which, fortunately, any user can handle without any complications. Now, to proceed to burn the ISO file of interest, you simply have to select it within the platform, as well as the destination USB drive.
Then click on the button “Engrave” and in just seconds, a USB will be created that adds all the data contained in the ISO image. Although in some cases it has left the USB of some users unused, the problem is easy to…
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