Do you need to create a bootable USB memory stick or a bootable DVD with the Windows installation on it? Do you want to use tools that are compatible with any modern Windows version, such as Windows 10, Windows 7 or Windows 8.1? Luckily, Microsoft offers such free tools for all these Windows versions, which are easy to use and work great. Here is how to use them:
How to make a bootable DVD or USB drive with the Windows 10 installation
If you want to create a bootable DVD or USB drive with the latest version of Windows 10, you need to use the Media Creation Tool. This is a small executable file offered by Microsoft that allows you to download the latest version of Windows 10 and create installation media or directly upgrade your computer or device to Windows 10.
You can get the Media Creation Tool from this official Microsoft web page: Download Windows 10. Once you have it on your device, run it and follow all the steps that we have described in this guide: How to create Windows 10 installation media (on a USB stick) or download a free ISO file.
How to make a bootable DVD or USB drive with the setup for Windows 7 or Windows 8.1
There are two steps involved in creating a bootable USB memory stick or DVD with the Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 installation. First of all, download a Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 disc image in the form of a ".iso" file that contains the Windows installation files. One of the most straightforward methods is to use a small program called Windows ISO Downloader. You can get it from here: HeiDoc.net.
Once you download the Windows ISO Downloader tool, run it and use it to download the ISO file for the operating system that you want on your bootable USB memory stick or DVD. The tools are straightforward to use, but if you need help, read this tutorial: Download ISO files and disc images with any version of Windows and Microsoft Office (100% legal).
Once you have the ISO file for the Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 installation that you want, visit this web page: Windows USB/DVD Download Tool. On this web page, you should find another app that can be downloaded, called Windows USB/DVD Download Tool, which you need for writing the ISO file on the USB memory stick or DVD. Select the language that you want to use for the tool and press Download.
Select again the file that you want to download, according to the language you prefer, and click or tap Next. Note that the names of all the available files start with Windows 7. However, this app also works for Windows 8.1, and even for Windows 10 if you want. For example, we chose to use the En-US (English United States) version.
Save the executable file somewhere on your Windows PC and then run it. When you do that, the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool Setup starts. Walk through its steps and install the program on your PC.
When the installation is over, you should have a new icon on your desktop: Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool. Double-click or double-tap on it.
Next comes the last part of the process: when you run the Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool, it opens a small window that hosts the wizard for creating a bootable USB memory stick or DVD with the Windows setup files. The first thing it asks you is to "Choose ISO file." Click or tap on Browse, navigate to the location on your PC where you saved the ISO file for the Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 installation. Then, click or tap Open.
You are then asked to choose the type of media that you want to create. You need an empty USB memory stick or a blank DVD to move forward. Plug in the type of media that you want to use and select it in the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool.
After selecting the media type, select the drive where the selected media type is found and click or tap Begin copying.
If that drive is not empty, you are asked to erase it (this works only for USB memory sticks). Click or tap "Erase USB device" to continue.
The tool informs you that it is going to erase all the contents of the selected device. Click or tap Yes to confirm the operation.
Now the tool copies the Windows installation files to the selected drive. Wait for the process to finish as it can take a while.
When done, the app informs you that the bootable device was created successfully. Close the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool and eject the USB memory stick or DVD from your PC.
You can now use that drive to install Windows on other devices and computers.
Conclusion
As you can see, it is easy to create a bootable USB memory stick or DVD with the Windows Setup. Creating Windows 10 media is by far the fastest and most accessible, as Microsoft offers the Media Creation Tool. Nonetheless, creating a bootable drive with Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 is also relatively easy if you have the right tools. Hopefully, this tutorial has helped you create your own Windows installation media. If you encounter problems or you want to ask a question, use the comments section below.
