Using a Windows* Host to Create a Bootable Device
These steps outline the process for creating a bootable storage device on a Windows* based workstation.
Intended usage
A bootable storage device can hold a live operating system that runs entirely from the storage device. Or, it can hold an installer package that will, upon booting by the platform, install an Operating System image onto the platform.
Creating the Bootable Device with Win32 Disk Imager
The steps below use Win32 Disk Imager. Instructions for doing the same task with Rufus follow this section.
- Download the installer for Win32 Disk Imager: https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/files/latest/download.
- Right-click the installer file, then selectRun as Administrator. Follow the onscreen prompts to install and open Win32 Disk Imager.
- Click the blue folder icon, then browse to the location of the Reference Operating System for IoT image. Select*.*as the file type, then select the .wic image.
- From theDevicedrop-down list, select the drive of your device.Warning:Be sure to select the correct drive. Selecting the wrong drive to write to could result in data loss. Check the name of your device in File Explorer if you're not sure which is correct.
- Once you have the correct drive selected, clickWrite. When prompted, selectYesto start writing the image to your device. This process can take up to 5 minutes for a USB 3.0 drive or microSD card. When finished, disconnect the device from your computer.
Congratulations, you've created a bootable device with the latest version of Reference Operating System for IoT on it!
Creating the Bootable Device with Rufus
- Download the latest version of Rufus from the official site: https://rufus.akeo.ie/
- Start Rufus.
- Connect your USB flash drive or microSD card to your host computer.
- From theDevicedrop-down list, select the drive you just connected to your host.
- Under Format Options, select theCreate a bootable disk usingcheck box. From the drop-down list, selectDD image,and choose the media file to download.

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oading an OS image, or an Installer Package, on the Bootable Device
Click the CD icon next to the drop-down list and navigate to the disk image or bootable installer file to be loaded onto the bootable device. See Acquire Target OS File to Install for instructions.
Connect the bootable device to the platform and configure it as the target boot device, reboot and run or install the operating system from the bootable device.