Self-creation multi-boot USB flash drive

Having a bootable USB flash drive is very useful. Not only can it come in handy when reinstalling the operating system, it can also become your small private system, which only you will have access to.

And there is no need to talk about the need for a bootable flash drive for those who often install and reinstall operating systems. Previously, a CD or DVD was used for this purpose. However, such a disk, first, can be scratched. And secondly, DVD, CD-drives are not everywhere. For example, they are not available in netbooks. Therefore, creating a multi-boot flash drive is often the only option. Consider creating a USB flash drive for Windows 7.

Let's start with the choice of the flash drive. It can be any. The main thing is that its volume should be at least 4 GB. You can also take any other flash drive, for example, a flash card. Further on the carrier it will be necessary to transfer the operating system itself. You can use the Windows 7 USB DVD Tool to transfer the installation disk from Windows 7. This application, although an English-language, but quite understandable interface.

Creating a disk image

You can create this image yourself. This is done using the program. It can be Alcohol 120%, imgBurn, Nero, Daemon Tools or any other, intended for this purpose.

Creating a multi-boot USB flash drive with Windows 7 USB DVD Tool

In the "Creating a bootable flash drive" window, start by specifying the path to the image. Then click "Next". The program will offer two options for further action - creating a DVD, CD or creating a bootable flash drive. Choose the second option "USB device".

In the next window of the program we find our flash drive in the drop-down list and click on "Begin copying". The USB flash drive must be clean. If any important data was stored on it, first transfer it to another location. The fact is that all previously recorded and stored information on the storage media at this stage will be deleted.

Before you will be a window in which you will see the creation of a multi-boot flash drive in the process. It will be necessary to wait a little. As soon as the indicator strip reaches the end, this will mean that the task is completed and the boot drive is ready.

Possible problems

The only problem can be the disk image itself. Sometimes the program just does not accept it, announcing "The selected ....". In this case, you need to create a new image by selecting for it some other, alternative way.

How to use flash drive

So, the creation of a multi-boot flash drive is completed. How should she use it? In order to start the installation of the operating system, you must first write the bootable USB flash drive as the first bootable device in the BIOS. It is not difficult. After turning on the computer, you need to go to the BIOS, the "Boot" section. Here we select the USB flash drive as the first boot device. That is, we put it in front of the hard drive and the DVD drive. Do not forget to click on "Save".

On modern computers, you can do without the above actions. Right on the motherboard they have a "Boot" menu. It is called by pressing the key "F12" or "F8".

As you already knew, creating a multi-boot flash drive is quite easy. Do it as soon as possible. It can save you a lot of time and nerves in the future.