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Tech Crew Guide: How to create a backup bootable USB drive using Command Prompt in Windows

Creating a backup bootable USB drive using Command Prompt in Windows is doable and doesn’t require third-party software. Below are step-by-step instructions to make a USB drive bootable and copy system files to it — turning it into a backup boot disk.

🔧 What You Need:

  • A USB flash drive (at least 8GB recommended)

  • A Windows installation ISO or system files (optional but useful)

  • Administrator privileges

✅ Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator

  1. Press Windows + S, type cmd

  2. Right-click Command Prompt → Select Run as administrator

✅ Step 2: Open DiskPart and Prepare the USB Drive

Type the following commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:

diskpart

Wait for DISKPART> to appear, then run:

list disk

Find your USB drive by its size (e.g., Disk 1). Make sure you select the correct disk.

select disk 1     ← (Replace "1" with your USB disk number)
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=ntfs quick
assign
exit

✅ Step 3: Copy Boot Files and System Files

If you want to make a USB that can boot into a Windows installation environment or repair tool, you'll need to copy boot files from an existing Windows ISO or DVD.

Option A: If you have a Windows ISO: (Scroll down for more info on Windows ISO)

  1. Mount the ISO (Right-click the ISO → Mount)

  2. Use Command Prompt to copy all files:

xcopy X:\*.* Y:\ /E /H /F

  • X: = drive letter of mounted ISO

  • Y: = drive letter of USB

✅ Step 4: Make the USB Bootable (Manually Add Boot Sector)

If you're not using a pre-made ISO and just want to make the USB bootable, use bootsect:

bootsect /nt60 Y:

(Replace Y: with your USB drive letter)

🛈 bootsect.exe is found in the boot folder of a mounted ISO or Windows DVD.

✅ Optional: Backup Current System (For Advanced Users)

You can create a full backup image using wbadmin:

wbadmin start backup -backupTarget:Y: -include:C: -allCritical -quiet

This backs up system files to your USB drive (Y:) including the system partition.

💡 TIP:

If you’re looking to just create a recovery USB, Windows has a built-in wizard:

  • Open Control Panel

  • Search for "Recovery"

  • Choose Create a recovery drive

✅ What is a Windows ISO?

A Windows ISO file is a digital replica of the entire Windows installation disc — a single .iso file that contains all the files needed to install or repair Windows.

🔍 How to Check If You Have a Windows ISO

✅ 1. Look for .iso Files on Your PC

  • Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.

  • In the search bar, type:

*.iso

  • Let it search your entire computer.

  • If you find a file like:

Win10_22H2_English_x64.iso
Win11_23H2.iso
Windows_10_Install.iso

✅ That’s a Windows ISO file!

✅ 2. Check in Your Downloads Folder

If you've ever downloaded Windows from Microsoft, it'll likely be here:

C:\Users\YourName\Downloads

Search for files ending in .iso

💡 If You Don’t Have a Windows ISO

You can safely download one from Microsoft:

🔗 Windows 10 ISO Download

🔗 Windows 11 ISO Download

  1. Scroll down to “Create Windows 10 installation media”

  2. Click "Download Now"

  3. Select Download tool now, and select Run. You need to be an administrator to run this tool.

  4. If you agree to the license terms, select Accept.

  5. On the What do you want to do? page, select Create installation media for another PC, and then select Next.

  6. Select the language, edition, and architecture (64-bit or 32-bit) for Windows 10. This table will help you decide which edition of Windows 10 or 11 you’ll choose.

  7. Choose your edition and language

  8. Download and save it somewhere easy to find (On a USB drive)

Once downloaded, you can mount it by right-clicking → “Mount”, and it’ll appear as a new drive letter.

NOTE: If you need help you can reach our to our Tech Experts 24/7 at the link below:

https://americanpatriotsocial.com/The-Tech-Crew/#chat

03/25/2025