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For Windows 7, Microsoft released the "Microsoft Store - Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool". What is the equivalent to this for Windows 8.0 and 8.1? Is there some third-party software I can use to make it bootable from a USB flash drive?

I have prepared the ISO file for 8.1 but I'm not sure what tool to use. I would normally have used ImgBurn and burned that ISO to a blank DVD disc. But this is a laptop and it has no ODD.

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  • How To Install Windows 8 or 8.1 From a USB Device ? Is that what you are looking for ?
    – Kedarnath
    Mar 25, 2014 at 10:09
  • Yes and no. I was on that same page before I posted her. I have tried the Microsoft USB tool for Windows 7 and it didn't work. I am looking for an alternative tool. What other tool is there?
    – Samir
    Mar 25, 2014 at 10:23
  • Didn't Microsoft create a new tool for Windows 8?
    – Samir
    Mar 25, 2014 at 10:24
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    Nope, and the current tool works with windows 8 as well. Mar 25, 2014 at 11:21
  • Try Rufus - filehorse.com/download-rufus Nov 18, 2014 at 2:43

2 Answers 2

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First time I've seen someone refer to a USB drive/flash drive/thumb drive as a UFD - The USB download tool you mentioned will work for windows 8 (and presumably for 8.1, which isn't generally offered as an ISO) with the same constraints as windows 7 (you can't create a x64 boot disk on a x86 system in my experience).

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Actually you don't require any software to make USB bootable for Windows 7, 8, 8.1 . You have to just extract the OS's ISO file to your USB (Do not extract it to any subfolder). Make that USB volume Active in Disk Management. To do this, follow below steps.

  1. Run diskmgmt.msc. (Run short-cut: Win+r)
  2. Right click on the USB in the volume list
  3. Click `Mark Partition as Active`

Make sure in your BIOS, it's set to boot from USB.

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