How to create EFI compatible bootable USB Installer for Windows 8

[+Warwagon MVC]

As you probably noticed using your existing  USB install media on a new Windows 8.1 computer is that it doesn't show up in the boot menu without enabling Legacy support. Why you ask? Well the EFI bios doesn't support NTFS only fat32 and the USB stick also has to be partitioned with a GPT partition not MBR.

 

Luckily there is a tool which does all of this for you. It's Called

 

RUFUS

http://rufus.akeo.ie/ <----- Download link

 

 

Insert your USB stick, for a Windows 8 install stick you will want one about 8GB in size. (it won't fit on a 4GB stick)

 

1) Under Device select your USB drive

2) Under "Partition scheme and target system type and select "GPT partition scheme for UEFI Computer"

3) Under File system select "Fat32"

4) Under Cluster  size use the Defualt

5) Give your USB device a name

6) Check, Quickformat

7) Select your Windows 8  ISO (Not sure about vista) that you wish to use

8) Click Start

 

That's it! It will now create a Bootable EFI a compatible USB drive.

[+Warwagon MVC]

As of a few mins ago I tested my usb stick I made using this method on a Dell Windows 8 machine with a EFI bios. Worked great.

 

I also tried it on my macbook pro. While it booted on that it didn't make it very far into the setup. After clicking "Install windows" ..it bombed out

[jesseinsf]

Here is a more in depth link

http://www.nextofwindows.com/how-to-make-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-to-install-windows-8/

[PGHammer]

As you probably noticed using your existing  USB install media on a new Windows 8.1 computer is that it doesn't show up in the boot menu without enabling Legacy support. Why you ask? Well the EFI bios doesn't support NTFS only fat32 and the USB stick also has to be partitioned with a GPT partition not MBR.

 

Luckily there is a tool which does all of this for you. It's Called

 

RUFUS

http://rufus.akeo.ie/ <----- Download link

 

 

Insert your USB stick, for a Windows 8 install stick you will want one about 8GB in size. (it won't fit on a 4GB stick)

 

1) Under Device select your USB drive

2) Under "Partition scheme and target system type and select "GPT partition scheme for UEFI Computer"

3) Under File system select "Fat32"

4) Under Cluster  size use the Defualt

5) Give your USB device a name

6) Check, Quickformat

7) Select your Windows 8  ISO (Not sure about vista) that you wish to use

8) Click Start

 

That's it! It will now create a Bootable EFI a compatible USB drive.

Rufus will create standard MBR-ready USB sticks, too (this is what I use it for as well) - including ones for Linux distributions and the BSDs (or even UNIX ISOs, such as Oracle Solaris).

[Eric Veteran]

You actually don't need anything like Rufus for 8-8.1.1. The bootx64.efi is now in the proper place in the filesystem so you can just format the install stick as FAT32 and copy the install files onto it. On Win7 you have to extract it from an archive still.

[Noir Angel]

I've never had to use a GPT partitioned USB drive to install from USB, with 8/8.1 you can just copy the files to any FAT32 drive

[StrikedOut]

I have been using this, http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/ and have a drive with Win7, Win8.1, Ubuntu and a few other tools. I have used the Ubuntu and ran from the drive and installed both Win7 and Win8.1 from it with no issues but I cant remember if any of them were UEFI though.