How To Burn an ISO File to a USB Drive

How To Burn an ISO File to a USB Drive

so you have an ISO file that you want on a flash drive, or some other USB storage device. You also need to be able to bootfrom it. Sounds straightforward, right? Copy the file over and you’re done!
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Properly burning an ISO to USB is different than just copying the file. It’s even different than burning an ISO to a disc. Adding to the complexity is that you plan on booting from the USB drive once you’re done getting the ISO image on there.
Luckily, there’s a fantastic free tool that will handle all of this for you automatically. Continue on below for an easy tutorial on how to burn an ISO file to USB with the free Rufus program.

Difficulty: EasyTip: See Tip #1 at the bottom of the page if you want to burn an ISO file to a USB drive but you don’t need to boot from it when done. That process is a bit different… and easier!
Note: I should mention here that you’re never technically “burning” anything to a USB drive since there are no lasers or similar technology involved. This term has just been carried over from the common practice of burning an ISO image to an optical disc.
Time Required: “Burning” an ISO image file to a USB device, like a flash drive, usually takes less than 20 minutes but the total time depends a lot on the size of the ISO file.

How To Burn an ISO File to a USB Drive

UPDATE: This process works to burn the Technical Preview of Windows 10 to USB!
  1. Download Rufus, a free tool that will correctly prepare the USB drive, automaticallyextract the contents of the ISO file you have, and properly copy the files contained within it to your USB device, including any files in the ISO needed to make it bootable.

    Rufus is a portable program (does not install), works on Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP, and will “burn” an ISO image file to any type of USB storage device you happen to have.

    Note: If you’d prefer to use a different ISO-to-USB tool, see Tip #3 at the bottom of the page. Of course if you do choose another program, you won’t be able to follow the instructions I’ve written here because they pertain specifically to Rufus.
     
  2. Double-click or double-tap on the rufus-1.4.12.exe file that you just downloaded. The Rufus program will start right away.

    As I mentioned earlier, Rufus is a portable program, meaning that it just runs as is. This is a big reason why I prefer this ISO-to-USB program over some of the other options out there.
     
  3. Insert the flash drive or other USB device you want to “burn” the ISO file to into your computer, assuming it’s not already plugged in.

    Important: Burning an ISO image to a USB drive will erase everything on the drive! Check that the USB drive is empty or that you have backed up any files you want to keep before continuing.
     
  4. From the Device drop-down at the top of the Rufus program screen, choose the USB storage device you want to burn the ISO file to.

    Tip: Rufus tells you the size of the USB device, as well as the drive letter and current free space on the drive. Use this information to double-check that you’re choosing the correct USB device, assuming you have more than one plugged in. Don’t worry about the free space indicated since you’ll be erasing the entire drive as part of this process.

    Note: If no USB drive is listed under Device, or you can’t find the drive you’re expecting to see, there may be an issue with the USB device you’re planning on using for the ISO image or Windows is having some sort of problem seeing the drive. Try another USB device and/or another USB port on your computer.
     
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  5. Leave the Partition scheme and target system typeFile system, and Cluster size alone unless you know what you’re doing or you’ve been advised to set any of those parameters to something else.

    For example, maybe a bootable tool you downloaded in ISO format advised on its website to make sure the file system is FAT32instead of NTFS if you’re burning to USB. In that case, make the File system change to FAT32 before continuing.
     
  6. You’re welcome to enter a custom volume label in the New volume label field, but leaving it at whatever the default happens to be, or even blank, shouldn’t have any impact on anything.

    Note: Most bootable ISO images include volume label information so you may see this change automatically during Step 11.
     
  7. Under Format Options, you’ll see a number of… yes, format options! You can leave them all in their default state but you’re welcome to select Check device for bad blocks if you have some concern that the flash drive or USB device you’re using may have an issue.
     
  8. Next to Create a bootable disk using, make sure ISO Image is selected and then tap or click on the CD/DVD icon.
     
  9. When the Open window appears, locate and then select the ISO image you want to burn to the flash drive.
     
  10. Once selected, tap or click on the Open button.
     
  11. Wait while Rufus inspects the ISO file you chose. This may take several seconds or may go by so quickly that you don’t even notice.

    Note: If you get an Unsupported ISO message, the ISO you chose is not supported for burning to USB by Rufus. In this case, try one of the other programs listed in Tip #3 below or check with the maker of the ISO image for more help getting their software to work from a USB drive.
     
  12. Tap or click on Start to start the “burning” of the ISO file to the USB device you chose.

    Note: If you get an Image is too big message, you’ll need to use a larger USB device or choose a smaller ISO image.
     
  13. Tap or click OK to the WARNING: ALL DATA ON DEVICE ‘XYZ’ WILL BE DESTROYED message that appears next.

    Important: Take this message seriously! Make sure the flash drive or other USB device is empty or that you’re fine with erasing everything on it.
     
  14. Wait while Rufus properly formats the USB drive so it’s bootable, and then copies all of the files contained in the ISO image you selected in Step 11 to the drive.

    Tip: The total time to do this depends very much on how large the ISO file you’re working with is. I’ve had small diagnostic tools (like the 18 MB ONTP&RE ISO) take under one minute, while larger images (like a 4 GB Windows 8.1 ISO) could take closer to 20 minutes. Your computer and USB hardware speeds are a big factor here as well.
     
  15. Once the status at the bottom of the Rufus program window says DONE, you can close Rufus and remove the USB drive.
     
  16. Boot from the USB drive now that it’s properly “burned” and then continue with whatever it is you’re using this bootable drive for.

    For example, if you’ve put a memory testing program on a flash drive, you can now boot from that flash drive and test your RAM with it. Same goes for bootable hard drive testing programspassword recovery toolsdata wipe programs, etc. See Tip #2 below for more on using this procedure for Windows installation ISO files.

    Tip: Booting from a USB drive is often as easy as plugging the drive in to any free USB port and then restarting your computer, but it can sometimes be much more complicated. Se my How to Boot From a USB Drive tutorial if you need help.

Tips & More Information

  1. Rufus, and related ISO-to-USB tools, are great when you need to get some sort of bootable program, or even an entire operating system, onto a USB drive. But what if you have an ISO image that you want to “burn” to a USB drive that isn’t intended to be booted from? An ISO of Microsoft Office comes to mind as a common example.

    In these cases, think of the ISO image you’re working with as just any other compressed format, like a ZIP file. Use your favorite file compression program – I’m a big fan of the free 7-Zip tool – to extract the contents of the ISO image directly onto the previously-formatted flash drive. That’s it!

    See this List of Free File Extractor Programs for some more free programs that work with ISO files in this way.
     
  2. You’re more than welcome to use the procedure I’ve outlined above with Rufus for Windows ISO images, like those you might have downloaded for Windows 8Windows 7, etc. However, there is a more “official” procedure that uses free software direct from Microsoft.

    I’ve written complete tutorials on these procedures, which also includes guidance on other aspects of installing Windows from a USB stick. See my How to Install Windows 8 From USB or How to Install Windows 7 From USB, depending on the version of Windows you’re installing.
     
  3. Some other free ISO-to-USB “burners” that I’ve used include UNetbootinISO to USB, and Universal USB Installer.
     
  4. Having trouble using Rufus or getting that ISO burned to USB? See my Get More Helppage for information on contacting me for more help.

Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model

OSI Reference Model
Network Reference Models
OSI , osi 

As computer network communication grew, the need for a consistent standard for vendor hardware and software became apparent.
Thus, the first development of a network reference model began in the 1970’s, by an international standards organization.
A network reference model serves as a blueprint, dictating how network communication should occur. Programmers and engineers design products that adhere to these models, allowing products from multiple manufacturers to interoperate.
Network models are organized into several layers, with each layer assigned a specific networking function. These functions are controlled by protocols, which govern end-to-end communication between devices.
Without the framework (standards and protocols) that network models provide, all network hardware and software would have been proprietary. Organizations would have been locked into a single vendor’s equipment, and global networks like the Internet would have been impractical or even impossible.
The two most widely recognized network reference models are:
• The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model
• The Department of Defense (DoD) model
The OSI model was the first true network model, and consisted of seven layers. However, the OSI model has become criticized over time, replaced with more practical models like the TCP/IP (or DoD) reference model.
Network models are not physical entities. For example, there is no OSI device. Devices and protocols operate at a specific layer of a model, depending on the function. Not every protocol fits perfectly within a specific layer, and some protocols spread across several layers.


OSI Reference Model
The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model was developed in the 1970’s and formalized in 1983 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It was the first networking model, and provided the framework governing how information is sent across a network.
The OSI Model (ISO standard 7498) consists of seven layers, each corresponding to a particular network function:
7
Application Layer
6
Presentation Layer
5
Session Layer
4
Transport Layer
3
Network Layer
2
Data-Link Layer
1
Physical Layer
Various mnemonics have been devised to help people remember the order of the OSI model’s layers:
7
Application Layer
All
Away
6
Presentation Layer
People
Pizza
5
Session Layer
Seem
Sausage
4
Transport Layer
To
Throw
3
Network Layer
Need
Not
2
Data-Link Layer
Data
Do
1
Physical Layer
Processing
Please
The ISO further developed an entire protocol suite based on the OSI model; however, this OSI protocol suite was never widely implemented. More common protocol suites can be difficult to fit within the OSI model’s layers, and thus the model has been mostly disapproved.
A more practical model was developed by the Department of Defense (DoD), and became the basis for the TCP/IP protocol suite (and subsequently, the Internet).
The OSI model is still used predominantly for educational purposes, as many protocols and devices are described by what layer they operate at.
The Upper Layers
The top three layers of the OSI model are often referred to as the upper layers. Thus, protocols that operate at these layers are usually called upperlayer protocols, and are generally implemented in software.
The function of the upper layers of the OSI model can be difficult to visualize. The upper layer protocols do not fit perfectly within each layer; and several protocols function at multiple layers.
The Application layer (Layer 7) provides the actual interface between the user application and the network. The user directly interacts with this layer. Examples of application layer protocols include:
• FTP (via an FTP client)
• HTTP (via a web-browser)
• SMTP (via an email client)
• Telnet
The Presentation layer (Layer 6) controls the formatting of user data, whether it is text, video, sound, or an image. The presentation layer ensures that data from the sending device can be understood by the receiving device.
Additionally, the presentation layer is concerned with the encryption and compression of data. Examples of presentation layer formats include:
• Text (RTF, ASCII, EBCDIC)
• Music (MIDI, MP3, WAV)
• Images (GIF, JPG, TIF, PICT)
• Movies (MPEG, AVI, MOV)
The Session layer (Layer 5) establishes, maintains, and ultimately terminates connections between devices. Sessions can be full-duplex (send and receive simultaneously), or half-duplex (send or receive, but not simultaneously).
The four layers below the upper layers are often referred to as the lower layers, and demonstrate the true benefit of learning the OSI model.
The Transport Layer
The Transport layer (Layer 4) is concerned with the reliable transfer of data, end-to-end. This layer ensures (or in some cases, does not ensure) that data arrives at its destination without corruption or data loss.
There are two types of transport layer communication:
Connection-oriented –  parameters must be agreed upon by both parties before a connection  is established.
Connectionless –  no parameters are established before data is sent. Parameters that are negotiated by connection-oriented protocols include:
Flow Control (Windowing) –  dictating how much data can be sent between acknowledgements
Congestion Control
Error-Checking
The transport layer does not actually send data. Instead, it segments data into smaller pieces for transport. Each segment is assigned a sequence number, so that the receiving device can reassemble the data on arrival. Examples of transport layer protocols include Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP).
Sequenced Packet Exchange (SPX) is the transport layer protocol in the IPX protocol suite.
The Network Layer
The Network layer (Layer 3) has two key responsibilities. First, this layer controls the logical addressing of devices. Logical addresses are organized as a hierarchy, and are not hard-coded on devices. Second, the network layer determines the best path to a particular destination network, and routes the data appropriately.
Examples of network layer protocols include Internet Protocol (IP) and Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX). IP version 4 (IPv4) and IP version 6 (IPv6) are covered in nauseating detail in separate guides.
The Data-Link Layer
The Data-Link layer (Layer 2) actually consists of two sub-layers:
Logical Link Control (LLC) sub-layer
Media Access Control (MAC) sub-layer
The LLC sub-layer serves as the intermediary between the physical link and all higher layer protocols. It ensures that protocols like IP can function regardless of what type of physical link is being used.
Additionally, the LLC sub-layer can use flow-control and error-checking, either in conjunction with a transport layer protocol (such as TCP), or instead of a transport layer protocol (such as UDP).
The MAC sub-layer controls access to the physical medium, serving as mediator if multiple devices are competing for the same physical link.
Specific technologies have various methods of accomplishing this (for example: Ethernet uses CSMA/CD, Token Ring utilizes a token).
The data-link layer packages the higher-layer data into frames, so that the data can be put onto the physical wire. This packaging process is referred to as framing or encapsulation. The encapsulation type used is dependent on the underlying data-link/physical technology (such as Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI, Frame-Relay, etc.)
Included in this frame is a source and destination hardware (or physical) address. Hardware addresses usually contain no hierarchy, and are often hard-coded on a device. Each device must have a unique hardware address on the network.
The Physical Layer
The Physical layer (Layer 1) controls the transferring of bits onto the physical wire. Devices such as network cards, hubs, and cabling are all considered physical layer equipment.


Explanation of Encapsulation
As data is passed from the user application down the virtual layers of the OSI model, each of the lower layers adds a header (and sometimes a trailer) containing protocol information specific to that layer. These headers are called Protocol Data Units (PDUs), and the process of adding these headers is called encapsulation.
For example, the Transport layer adds a header containing flow control and sequencing information (when using TCP). The Network layer header adds logical addressing information, and the Data-Link header contains physical addressing and other hardware specific information.
The PDU of each layer is identified with a different term:
Layer
PDU Name
Application Layer
Presentation Layer
Session Layer
Transport Layer
Segments
Network Layer
Packets
Data-Link Layer
Frames
Physical Layer
Bits
Each layer communicates with the corresponding layer on the receiving device. For example, on the sending device, hardware addressing is placed in a Data-Link layer header. On the receiving device, that Data-Link layer header is processed and stripped away before it is sent up to the Network and other higher layers.
Specific devices are often identified by the OSI layer the device operates at; or, more specifically, what header or PDU the device processes.
For example, switches are usually identified as Layer-2 devices, as switches process hardware (usually MAC) address information stored in the Data-Link header of a frame.
Similarly, routers are identified as Layer-3 devices, as routers look for logical (usually IP) addressing information in the Network header of a packet.


OSI Reference Model Example
The following illustrates the OSI model in more practical terms, using a web browser as an example:
• At the Application layer, a web browser serves as the user interface for
accessing websites. Specifically, HTTP interfaces between the web
browser and the web server.
• The format of the data being accessed is a Presentation layer function.
Common data formats on the Internet include HTML, XML, PHP, GIF,
JPG, etc. Additionally, any encryption or compression mechanisms used
on a webpage are a function of this layer.
• The Session layer establishes the connection between the requesting
computer and the web server. It determines whether the communication
is half-duplex or full-duplex.
• The TCP protocol ensures the reliable delivery of data from the web
server to the client. These are functions of the Transport layer.
• The logical (in this case, IP) addresses configured on the client and web
server are a Network Layer function. Additionally, the routers that
determine the best path from the client to the web server operate at this
layer.
• IP addresses are translated to hardware addresses at the Data-Link
layer.
• The actual cabling, network cards, hubs, and other devices that provide
the physical connection between the client and the web server operate at
the Physical layer.