Windows 10: Install Windows 10 using a USB as the main drive

Discus and support Install Windows 10 using a USB as the main drive in Windows 10 Ask Insider to solve the problem; I want to install Windows on a laptop, but instead of using the main disk I want to use a usb drive. I have my bootable usb, but it does not give me... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Ask Insider' started by /u/amikelop, Dec 17, 2020.

  1. /U/AMIKELOP
    /u/amikelop Win User

    Install Windows 10 using a USB as the main drive


    I want to install Windows on a laptop, but instead of using the main disk I want to use a usb drive.

    I have my bootable usb, but it does not give me the option to install on anything else other than the main drive.

    I undertand that windows does not recognize removable drives as hard disks, but is there any way I coud change that?

    I'm using a 128G USB formated as NTFS

    submitted by /u/amikelop
    [link] [comments]

    :)
     
    /u/amikelop, Dec 17, 2020
    #1
  2. DELTA6326
    Delta6326 Win User
    Delta6326, Dec 17, 2020
    #2
  3. THRAXED
    thraxed Win User
    Installing windows off of a USB stick

    Step By Step from vista:
    From admin cmd prompt

    1. diskpart
    1a. list disk
    2. select disk 1 (replace 1 with your usb drive)
    3. clean
    4. create partition primary
    5. select partition 1 (replace 1 with your usb drive)
    6. active
    7. format fs=fat32
    8. assign
    9. exit

    Copy Windows Vista's DVD ROM content to the Flash Drive

    xcopy d:\*.* /s/e/f e:\ (d being your vista cd and e being your usb stick)

    And that's it, boot off your usb disk
     
    thraxed, Dec 17, 2020
    #3
  4. TRUELOVE95
    TRUELOVE95 Win User

    Install Windows 10 using a USB as the main drive

    Windows 10 USB boot

    Hi there, am not a windows 10 expert. I have a pc in the bedroom on windows 10, I messed up the bootloader trying to fix the xp on that system.

    System wont boot, trying to repair via win 10 usb installer.

    Downloaded the media creation tool to install windows 10 installer on usb stick. Not compatible with a host of usb sticks I have. Tried the usb sticks that others use, but I think they use rufus; as the media creation tool by win 10 does not detect the usb stick.

    So quick question, the win10 machine i am trying to repair the bootloader is a win7 upgraded to win10.
    If i were to use the usb win10 installer to "repair installation" does the version of the iso downloaded via the media creation tool matter?

    There is three options:
    Windows 10
    Windows 10 Home
    Windows 10 N

    Also is there a step by step instead of using rufus as I want to try an alternative method of creating a usb win 10 installer. Preferably with more compatibility.

    System is a asus sabertooth 990 (r2?) with AMD phenom X 6.

    Also is there any other software I can load onto the usb that can repair the bootloader easily?
    That would be the ideal alternative. Thanks
     
    TRUELOVE95, Dec 17, 2020
    #4
Thema:

Install Windows 10 using a USB as the main drive

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