Windows USB/DVD Download Tool

Overview

When you download Windows from Microsoft Store, you have two options: You can download a collection of compressed files, or you can download an ISO file. An ISO file combines all the Windows installation files into a single uncompressed file.

If you choose to download an ISO file so you can create a bootable file from a DVD or USB drive, copy the Windows ISO file onto your drive and then run the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool. Then simply install Windows onto your computer directly from your USB or DVD drive.

When you download the ISO file, you must copy it onto a USB or DVD. When you’re ready to install Windows, insert the USB drive or DVD with the ISO file on it and then run Setup.exe from the root folder on the drive.

This allows you to install Windows onto your machine without having to first run an existing operating system. If you change the boot order of drives in your computer’s BIOS, you can run the Windows installation directly from your USB drive or DVD when you first turn on your computer. Please see the documentation for your computer for information about how to change the BIOS boot order of drives.

Making copies

To install the software, you can make one copy of the ISO file on a disc, USB flash drive, or other media.

After you’ve installed the software and accepted the license terms that accompany the software, those license terms apply to your use of the software. The license terms for Windows permit you to make one copy of the software as a back-up copy for re-installation on the licensed computer. If you do not delete your copy of the ISO file after installing the Windows software, the copy of the ISO file counts as your one back-up copy.

If you need to download the software again, you can go to your Download Purchase History in your Microsoft Store account and access the download there.

Installation

To install the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool:

2. Click Download then Run.

3. Follow the steps in the setup dialogs. You’ll have the option to specify where to install the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool.

You must be an administrator on the computer on which you are installing the Windows USB/DVD Download tool. It requires the Microsoft .NET Framework version 2.0 or higher.

System requirements

Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit)

Pentium 233-megahertz (MHz) processor or faster (300MHz is recommended)

50MB of free space on your hard drive

DVD-R drive or 4GB removable USB drive

For Windows XP users

The following applications must be installed prior to installing the tool:

Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 must be installed. It can be downloaded here.

Microsoft Image Mastering API v2 must be installed. It can be downloaded here.

Using the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool

Before you run the Download Tool, make sure you have purchased the Windows ISO download from Microsoft Store and downloaded the Windows ISO file to your drive. If you have purchased Windows but have not yet downloaded the ISO file, you can download the ISO file from your Microsoft Store Account.

To make a copy of your Windows ISO file:

1. Click the Windows START button, and click WINDOWS USB/DVD DOWNLOAD TOOL in the ALL PROGRAMS list to open the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool.

2. In the SOURCE FILE box, type the name and path of your Windows ISO file, or click BROWSE and select the file from the OPEN dialog box. Click NEXT.

3. Select USB DEVICE to create a copy on a USB flash drive or select DVD disk to create a copy on a DVD disk.

4. If you are copying the file to a USB flash drive, select your USB device in the drop-down list and click BEGIN COPYING. If you are copying the file up to a DVD, click BEGIN BURNING.

When your Windows ISO file is copied to your drive, install Windows by moving to the root folder of your DVD or USB drive, and then double-click Setup.exe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I download .NET framework 2.0?

The .NET framework can be downloaded here.

Where can I download Image Mastering API 2.0?

The Image Mastering API can be downloaded here.

What size USB drive is required?

You need a USB drive with a minimum of 4GB of free space.

Can I use my newly created USB drive to install Windows on someone else’s computer?

No. The Windows ISO file on the USB drive is only intended to be used to install Windows on the licensed user’s own computer.

Can I back up to a CD-ROM?

No. The Windows ISO file is too large to fit on a CD.

Can I back up to a Blu-ray Disc?

Yes, as long as your DVD drive can write to a Blu-ray Disc.

IfI have other files on the USB drive will the Windows USB/DVD download tool delete them?

This tool requires the USB drive to be completely blank before the Windows files are copied. This helps ensure that the device is bootable after the copying has completed.

Can I backup to an external hard drive or other device with enough free disk space?

Yes, but this is not recommended. The device must be formatted in order for the device to be bootable. A dedicated USB flash drive would be a better option.

Can I use the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool to back up other files?

No. This tool is only for use with the Windows ISO file purchased from Microsoft Store.

Does the tool support dual-layer DVD discs for burning?

No. Currently, the tool does not support dual-layer DVD discs.

Troubleshooting

The tool is asking me to install the .NET framework and Image Mastering API before I install the tool

If you’re running Windows XP, you must install the .NET Framework 2.0 and the Image Mastering API 2.0 before installing the tool. You can download .NET framework here and you can download the Image Mastering API here.

A restart may be required after installing the .NET framework and the Image Mastering API.

When creating a bootable USB device, I am getting an error about bootsect

To make the USB drive bootable, you need to run a tool named bootsect.exe. In some cases, this tool needs to be downloaded from your Microsoft Store account. This may happen if you’re trying to create a 64-bit bootable USB device from a 32-bit version of Windows. To download bootsect:

1. Login to your Microsoft Store account to view your purchase history.

2. Look for your Windows purchase.

3. Next to Windows, there is an Additional download options drop-down menu.

4. In the drop-down menu, select 32-bit ISO.

5. Right-click the link, and then save the bootsect.exe file to the location where you installed the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool (e.g. C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Apps\Windows USB DVD Download Tool).

6. Once the file has been saved, go back to the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool to create your bootable USB device.

My USB drive is not in the list of available devices

If you don’t see your USB drive in the list of available devices, please make sure the drive is inserted in the USB port, and then click the Refresh button beside the list of available drives.

I inserted a blank DVD in my DVD-ROM drive, but the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool doesn’t recognize it

If there are multiple drives on the system, the tool will select the first one that is capable of burning DVDs. If you have multiple DVD-R drives, try inserting the blank DVD into another DVD-R drive. If that doesn’t help, please make sure that your disc isn’t damaged and that your DVD-R drive is operational. Contact Product Support if issues continue to arise.

I inserted a blank DVD in my DVD-ROM drive, but the tool won’t let me burn it

Make sure the disc isn’t a dual-layer DVD disc. Currently, dual-layer discs are not supported within the tool.

Create installation media for Windows

You can use installation media (a USB flash drive or DVD) to install a new copy of Windows, perform a clean installation, or reinstall Windows 10.

To create installation media, go to the software download website, where you’ll find step-by-step instructions. On that website, you can select a version of Windows and create your own installation media using either a USB flash drive or a DVD. To go directly to one of the versions, select one of these links:

Windows 10 (Then select Download tool now.)

Important: Back up your files before you install or reinstall Windows on your PC. Learn how for Windows 10 or for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

To create the installation media, here’s what you’ll need:

A PC with a reliable internet connection. The download time will vary, depending on your internet connection.

A USB flash drive or DVD. A blank USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of space, or a blank DVD (and DVD burner). We recommend using a blank USB or blank DVD because any content on it will be deleted. When burning a DVD from an ISO file, if you’re told the disc image file is too large, you’ll need to use dual layer (DL) DVD media.

A product key. Your 25-character product key (not required for digital licenses). For help finding it, go to Find your Windows product key.

After you’ve created the installation media, you can reset or reinstall Windows. To learn more, go to Recovery options in Windows 10.

How to install Windows 10 from USB with UEFI support

Source: Windows Centtral

When installing a clean copy of Windows 10, usually you connect a USB media to the device to launch the «Windows Setup» wizard to continue with the installation process. However, if you have a computer with a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), instead of the legacy Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), it is crucial to use the appropriate media for the system firmware type.

On Windows 10, there are at least two methods to create a USB bootable media. You can use the Microsoft Media Creation Tool to download the files onto a removable storage with support for both firmware types (UEFI and legacy BIOS). Or you can use a third-party tool called «Rufus,» which makes it easy to create a USB to install Windows with support for UEFI.

In this Windows 10 guide, we will walk you through the steps to create a USB flash drive that includes support for UEFI using the Microsoft Media Creation Tool and Rufus.

How to create Windows 10 UEFI boot media with Media Creation Tool

The best way to create a bootable USB media for an in-place upgrade or clean install of Windows 10 is to use the official Media Creation Tool available through the Microsoft support website.

To create a USB install media, connect a flash drive of at least 8GB of space, and then use these steps:

Under the «Create Windows 10 installation media» section, click the Download tool now button to save the file on the device.

Source: Windows Central

Select the Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC option.

Source: Windows Central

(Optional) Clear the Use the recommended options for this PC option.

Source: Windows Central

Select the correct language, architecture, and edition of Windows 10 (if applicable).

Quick tip: If you plan to install Windows 10 on multiple computers running 32-bit and 64-bit architectures, use the «Architecture» drop-down menu and select the Both option.

Select the USB flash drive option.

Source: Windows Central

Select the flash drive from the list. (If the storage device is not available, click the Refresh drive list option.)

Source: Windows Central

Click the Next button.

Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, the Media Creation Tool will download the files and will create a bootable USB flash drive that you can use to install Windows 10 on devices with support for UEFI and BIOS.

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How to create Windows 10 UEFI boot media with Rufus

Alternatively, you can use Rufus, a free third-party tool that allows you to create an installation media with support for UEFI devices. You can use the tool to create a bootable media using an existing ISO file, or you can use the option to download the files from the Microsoft servers and then create the installation media.

Create install flash drive with Windows 10 ISO

To create a bootable media using an existing Windows 10 ISO file, connect a flash drive of at least 8GB of space, and use these steps:

Under the «Download» section, click the latest release (first link) and save the file on the device.

Source: Windows Central

Use the «Target system» drop-down menu and select the UEFI (non CSM) option.

Source: Windows Central

Under the «Show Advanced drive properties» section do not change the default settings.

Source: Windows Central

Under the «Volume label» field, confirm a name for the drive — for example, «win10_20h2_usb.»

Source: Windows Central

In the «File system» and «Cluster size» options do not change the default settings.

Click the Show advanced format options button.

Check the Quick format option.

Check the Create extended label and icon files option.

Click the Start button.

Click the OK button to confirm.

Click the Close button.

After you complete the steps, Rufus will create a USB flash drive to install Windows 10 on a device using UEFI with a locally available image.

Create boot flash drive downloading Windows 10 ISO

Rufus also includes an option to download the Windows 10 ISO file directly from the Microsoft servers, which you can then use with the tool to create a bootable USB flash drive.

To create an install media of Windows 10 with Rufus, connect a USB flash drive of at least 8GB of space, and then use these steps:

Under the «Download» section, click the latest release (first link) of the tool to save the file onto your computer.

Source: Windows Central

Click the Settings button at the bottom of the page.

Source: Windows Central

Under the «Settings» section, use the «Check for updates» drop-down menu and select the Daily option.

Source: Windows Central

Under the «Boot selection» section, click the arrow button next to the «Select» option and choose the Download option.

Source: Windows Central

Use the «Language» drop-down menu and select your installation language.

Quick note: If you are in the United States, select the «English» option. Otherwise, select the «English International» option.

Use the «Architecture» drop-down menu and select the 32-bit or 64-bit option (recommended).

Quick tip: You can check the architecture of your device on Settings > System > About, under the Device specifications section.

Click the Download button.

Source: Windows Central

Use the «Target system» drop-down menu and select the UEFI (non CSM) option.

Source: Windows Central

Under the «Show Advanced drive properties» section, do not change the default settings.

Under the «Volume label» field, confirm a name for the bootable drive — for example, «win10_20h2_usb.»

Under the «File system» and «Cluster size» sections, do not change the default settings.

Click the Show advanced format options button.

Check the Quick format option.

Check the Create extended label and icon files option.

Click the Start button.

Click the OK button.

Click the Close button.

Once you complete the steps, the tool will run the script and download the Windows 10 ISO file. After the download, you can use that ISO file to create a bootable media to install Windows 10 on a UEFI device.

When you have the USB bootable media with support for UEFI systems, you can use it to start the «Windows Setup» wizard to perform a clean installation of Windows 10 or an in-place upgrade.

However, since the «UEFI:NTFS bootloader» does not include a digital signature for secure boot, you must temporarily disable secure boot on the motherboard firmware before you can boot into the setup wizard. Usually, you would complete this task from within the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface that you can access by hitting one of the function keys (F1, F2, F3, F10, or F12), the ESC, or Delete key as soon as you start the computer.

The only caveat is that these settings will be different per manufacturer and even by computer model. So make sure to check your device manufacturer’s support website for more specific instructions. After the installation of Windows 10, you can enable the feature again.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

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