How to Determine If a USB Drive Is Bootable Windows

Checking if a USB Drive is Bootable in Windows

Creating a bootable USB drive is a common task for installing or repairing operating systems, but verifying its bootability without restarting the computer can be challenging. Here are several methods to check if a USB drive is bootable in Windows.

Using Disk Management

One of the most straightforward methods to check if a USB drive is bootable is by using Disk Management.

1. Open Disk Management:
   • Right-click on the Start menu and select "Disk Management."
2. Locate the USB Drive:
   • In the Disk Management window, find the USB drive you want to check.
3. Check Partition Style:
   • Right-click on the USB drive and select "Properties."
   • In the Properties window, go to the "Volumes" tab.
   • Check the "Partition style." A bootable USB drive should have either a Master Boot Record (MBR) or GUID Partition Table (GPT) partition style.

Using Command Prompt

You can also use the Command Prompt to check the bootability of a USB drive.

1. Open Command Prompt:
   • Press Windows + R, type cmd, and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.
   • Ensure you run it in Administrator mode.
2. List Disks:
   • Enter the command diskpart and then list disk to display a list of all disks.
3. Check Disk Details:
   • Select the disk corresponding to your USB drive using select disk <number>.
   • Use detail disk to view detailed information. A bootable USB drive will typically show "No Media/No Volume" or very little volume in MB.

Using Windows PowerShell

Windows PowerShell provides another way to verify the bootability of a USB drive.

1. Open PowerShell:
   • Search for PowerShell in the Start menu and run it as Administrator.
2. Get Disk Information:
   • Enter the command get-disk to gather information about your USB drive.
3. Check Health and Volume:
   • Look for the device health status to be "Healthy" and check if it displays "No Media" operational status and 0 Bytes volume (or very low volume).

Using MobaLiveCD

For a more robust check, you can use MobaLiveCD, which emulates a virtual machine to attempt booting from the USB drive.

1. Download MobaLiveCD:
   • Download the "MobaLiveCD.exe" file from the developer's website.
2. Run MobaLiveCD:
   • Right-click on the downloaded .exe and choose "Run as Administrator."
3. Select the USB Drive:
   • Click on the button labeled "Run the LiveUSB" and select the USB drive you want to test from the drop-down menu.
4. Boot the Virtual Machine:
   • When asked to create a hard disk for your virtual machine, click "No."
   • The Qemu emulator will boot the USB drive. If you see a booting screen, it means your drive is bootable.

Checking Boot Files and Folders

Another way to determine if a USB drive is bootable is by checking for specific files and folders.

1. Check for Boot Files:
   • Open the USB drive in File Explorer and look for essential boot files and folders such as bootmgr, bootmgr.efi, and the EFI and boot folders. These are typically present on a bootable USB drive.
2. Verify Partition Status:
   • For legacy BIOS systems, ensure the partition is marked as Active. You can check this in Disk Management.

By using these methods, you can effectively determine whether a USB drive is bootable without needing to restart your computer. Each method provides a different perspective on the drive's bootability, ensuring you can verify it comprehensively.