Windows 10 Won’t Install from USB? Here’s How to Fix It

Why unable to install Windows 10 from USB?

If you’re struggling to install Windows 10 from a USB drive, several factors could be causing the issue.

🎯Insufficient System Requirements: Your PC must meet the minimum system requirements for Windows 10. If your hardware is outdated, installation may fail.

🎯Faulty USB Ports or Drive: If your computer doesn’t detect the USB stick or freezes during installation, a malfunctioning USB port or drive might be the problem.

🎯BIOS/UEFI Configuration Issues: Incorrect boot order, secure boot enabled or UEFI/Legacy mode mismatch can cause the issue.

🎯Corrupt or Incorrect Installation Media: If the installation media is not properly created, your system may fail to recognize or boot from it.

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Quick fixes to “PC won’t install Windows 10 from USB”

If your PC won’t install Windows 10 from a USB drive, don’t worry—there are quick fixes you can try to resolve the issue.

Fix 1: Check compatibility

Before installing Windows 10, ensure your PC meets the minimum system requirements:

If your PC is too old or lacks the necessary specs, upgrading your hardware might be required.

Fix 2: Try a different USB port

Sometimes, your PC fails to detect the USB drive due to a faulty or unsupported port. You can:

• Use a different USB port (preferably a USB 2.0 instead of USB 3.0).
• Test with another USB drive to rule out hardware issues.

Fix 3: Change BIOS/UEFI settings

Incorrect BIOS/UEFI settings can prevent your PC from booting from USB. Follow the steps below to adjust BIOS/UEFI settings:

1. Enter BIOS/UEFI by pressing F2, F12, Del, or Esc at startup.

2. Navigate to the Security tab and ensure Secure Boot is Disabled.

3. Navigate to the Boot tab and set USB as the first boot device in the boot order. Also, switch Boot Mode as necessary:

• Use UEFI Mode if your USB is FAT32.
• Use Legacy Mode if your USB is NTFS.

4. Press F10 to save changes and exit. Restart your PC and try installing Windows 10 again.

Advanced fixes to “Windows 10 won’t install from USB”

If you still can’t install Windows 10 from USB on SSD/HDD after trying quick fixes, dive into the following advanced fixes.

Fix 1: Update USB driver

Outdated or missing USB drivers can prevent your PC from detecting the bootable USB during installation. Here’s how to fix it:

1. Boot into your current OS (if possible).

2. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.

3. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers. Right-click each USB Root Hub and select Update driver.

4. Choose Search automatically for drivers and follow the prompts.

Fix 2: Check for USB corruption

A corrupted USB drive can cause installation failures, making it unreadable or unbootable. Use these steps to fix USB errors:

1. Connect your USB drive to your current computer or another working computer.

2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

3. Type chkdsk X: /f /r /x and press Enter. Replace "X" with your USB drive letter.

4. Wait for the scan to complete and fix errors.

Fix 3: Recreate a Windows 10 installation USB

If the bootable USB is not created properly, Windows 10 won’t install. Recreating the installation media can fix potential errors. Learn how to create a Windows 10 installation USB via Rufus below:

1. Download Rufus and insert your USB drive on your current computer or another working computer.

2. Run Rufus. Under Device, choose your USB flash drive. (It can be selected automatically.)

3. Click SELECT, browse to your downloaded Windows 10 ISO, and select it.

Note: If you don’t have Windows 10 ISO, you can download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to create one.

4. Choose Partition scheme and Target system based on your need.

• For modern UEFI systems, choose GPT and UEFI (non-CSM).
• For older BIOS/Legacy systems, choose MBR and BIOS (or UEFI-CSM).

5. Rufus will auto-set File system and Cluster size for you. You can rename the USB under Volume label.

Note: If your ISO file is larger than 4GB, Rufus only allows you to set NTFS as file system. It’s OK if you have chosen GPT as partition scheme before, because Rufus uses the UEFI:NTFS bootloader to allow booting from NTFS partitions.

6. Click START. If warned about data loss, confirm by clicking OK.

7. Rufus will format the USB and copy the Windows 10 files (takes about 5-20 mins depending on USB speed). Once done, it will say READY. Your Windows 10 bootable USB is now ready for installation.

Bonus: Easier way to create Windows 10 bootable USB

If you’re looking for a hassle-free way to create a Windows 10 bootable USB, AOMEI Backupper Standard is an excellent alternative to traditional methods like the Windows Media Creation Tool or Rufus.

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Best Free Bootable Media Creator

• It allows you to create bootable media for both Windows PE and Linux environments.

• You can use a USB flash drive, CD, or DVD as your bootable media.

• The created bootable media supports both UEFI and Legacy BIOS boot modes.

• It still offers all-around backup and recovery solutions, such as system backup & restore, disk backup & restore, etc.

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Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7

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Download and install AOMEI Backupper on your computer. To create a Windows 10 bootable USB, click Tools > Create Bootable Media and follow the wizard to complete the process.

Note: It is recommended that you create a system backup in advance so that in the event of system errors, you can restore your system to a previous state instead of reinstalling it.

Summary

If your Windows 10 won’t install from USB, it could be due to compatibility issues, incorrect BIOS settings, or a corrupted installation media. This article covers both quick fixes and advanced fixes to help you resolve the issue.

If you want an easier way to create Windows 10 bootable USB, AOMEI Backupper deserves a try. It ensures error-free bootable USB creation and offers additional backup and cloning features, such as clone an SSD to a larger SSD. Just give it a shot!