Formatting a computer is often necessary to improve system performance or recover a crashed operating system. However, to format, you first need to prepare a bootable USB drive. In this guide, we explain how to prepare a USB drive for Windows or Linux installation, step by step, with visual support.

Requirements:

A USB drive with a minimum capacity of 8 GB (preferably 3.0)
Format ISO file (Windows ISO or Linux ISO)
Software such as Rufus, BalenaEtcher, or Media Creation Tool

Method 1: Creating a Windows Installation USB with Rufus

Rufus is one of the fastest and most trouble-free USB preparation tools.

➤ Steps:

Download Rufus from https://rufus.ie (portable version is also available)
Plug in the USB drive
Open Rufus
Device: Your USB drive will appear automatically
Boot selection: Select "Disk or ISO image" and add the Windows ISO file
Target System:
- "BIOS (or UEFI-CSM)" → For older systems
- "UEFI (non-CSM)" → For newer systems
File System: FAT32 (for UEFI), NTFS (for BIOS)
Click the Start button

Once the installation is complete, the USB drive becomes bootable.

Method 2: Preparing a Windows USB with Microsoft Media Creation Tool

You can prepare a USB with the latest Windows installation using Microsoft's official tool.

➤ Steps:

Download the tool from https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows10
Run the tool
Select "Create installation media for another PC"
Select the language, edition, and architecture (32/64-bit)
Select the "USB flash drive" option
Select the USB and proceed → The installation starts automatically

Method 3: Preparing a Bootable USB with Linux ISO (BalenaEtcher)

This is the recommended method for Linux distributions (Ubuntu, Mint, Debian, etc.).

➤ Steps:

Download Balena Etcher from https://www.balena.io/etcher
Open the application
Select the ISO file
Select the USB drive
Click the "Flash!" button

The installation may take a few minutes. EFI support for Linux comes ready.

Booting from USB via BIOS/UEFI

Restart the computer
Press keys like DEL, F2, ESC to enter the BIOS/UEFI menu (varies depending on the motherboard)
Enter the "Boot Menu" or "Boot Order" section
Set the USB drive to the first order
Save the changes and exit (F10 + Enter)

Now you can boot from the USB.

⚠️ Things to Consider

All data on your USB drive will be deleted → Back up beforehand
Use a compatible ISO file (UEFI-supported ISO is required for Windows)
TPM 2.0 + Secure Boot must be enabled for Windows 11 installation
Make sure you format the correct disk during installation!

✅ Conclusion

Creating a bootable USB is a fundamental process that everyone who wants to format, repair a system, or install a new operating system should know. With tools like Rufus or Media Creation Tool, this process can be completed in minutes. In this way, your USB becomes a recovery key for both Windows and Linux systems.