How can I create a bootable Windows 11 USB (Windows-To-Go style) from

ecentrik · 2025-11-06 01:13:35

Hi everyone,

I need to create a portable or bootable Windows 11 USB drive that can run directly from the USB (similar to Windows To Go), using Arch Linux as my main system.

I don’t currently have access to a Windows installation, so I’d like to know what reliable tools or methods exist under Linux to:

Burn or install a Windows 11 ISO onto a USB drive so it can boot and run as a live/portable system

Ensure the drive is properly recognized as bootable by UEFI firmware

Avoid using dd if there’s a better or safer alternative

I’ve tried creating bootable Windows media before using Linux tools but had trouble getting it to boot correctly.

Any guidance, or a reproducible method that works well on modern UEFI ThinkPads, would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

ConorT · 2025-11-06 16:20:57

The only thing the ISO executables allow you to do is either install Windows or repair an installation.

cryptearth · 2025-11-06 17:57:48

https://bbs.archlinux.org/misc.php?action=rules

These forums are for Arch Linux x86_64 ONLY.

please go consult the MSDN

V1del · 2025-11-06 18:31:18

If this is simply about writing the ISO, all of the normal ISO writing options that are outlined in https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/USB_fl … _GNU/Linux will work. The "properly recognized by UEFI" part is information that is part of the ISO, it would not be a proper ISO if it didn't have this information.

Last edited by V1del (2025-11-06 18:32:21)

ecentrik · 2025-11-07 21:54:14

cryptearth wrote:

https://bbs.archlinux.org/misc.php?action=rules
These forums are for Arch Linux x86_64 ONLY.
please go consult the MSDN

I think you misunderstood me. My main system is Archlinux. I need to be able to create a bootable Windows 11 usb with a tool that will run on Archlinux. I don't think MSDN would know anything about that, hence, I am here to trying to figure it out. Thank-You.,

Last edited by ecentrik (2025-11-07 21:54:50)

ecentrik · 2025-11-07 21:57:46

V1del wrote:

If this is simply about writing the ISO, all of the normal ISO writing options that are outlined in https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/USB_fl … _GNU/Linux will work. The "properly recognized by UEFI" part is information that is part of the ISO, it would not be a proper ISO if it didn't have this information.

Yes, that's what you would think, but for some reason, Windows 11 requires some different boot parameters that for example dd or other tools don't support. I think what I will do is borrow a Windows machine from someone and use rufus. Thank-You.

seth · 2025-11-07 22:03:56

How would you create a bootable Windows 11 usb with a tool that will run on Windows?

You can just dd any old image onto a bus key, whether the image is bootable depends on the image, not the writing process.
How to get/create a bootable Windows 11 image is totally out of scope here - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/softwar … /windows11 might work or not.

cryptearth · 2025-11-08 03:15:59

ok - as I already reported but mods decided to not close this topic (yet) I break all the established rules:

first off: there isn't really such a thing as a "live" windows - there never was and never will be - because microsoft decided so - and this is where this topic already should end for simply that factor
however - there's something called Windows Pre-Installation Environment - WinPE for short - and is more a recovery/install platform than a full blown windows system - several tools are based on top of that like the famous sysinternals "live" disks, also known as "ultimate boot cd" - BUT: these are NOT real "live" full windows systems - WinPE is merely intented as rescue platform or for OEMs to prepare new systems in a mass provisioning and is about the base for the regular first stage windows installer
the closest that ever existied was "windows to go" which was some special variant that was able to be run off of a usb thumbdrive - but this is a thing of the past
as for booting: same as with linux it depends on proper prepare the boot media - I'm not sure exactly but if I had to guess I would say windows 8(.1) was the last version that could be installed on legacy systems with win10 already require uefi - but I could be wrong - but as for win11 that for sure requires uefi and likely doesn't have a legacy bootloader anymore
that said to create a uefi boot medium is as simple as to create a FAT32 partition and place the boot loader at the designated location of <ESP>\EFI\BOOT\BOOTx64.efi as defined by the uefi spec
simple DD an ISO image onto a usb thumbdrive is likely not gonna work properly - but might be - i don'T know - never actually tried neither in a vm nor on bare metal
so to create a bootable windows media its as simple as to just copy everthing in the EFI folder of the windows install media onto such a ESP (note: when using fdisk (or any other partition tool) make sure to properly set the gpt partition type uuid to EFI SYSTEM PARTITION)

this can be done by hand - or I'm sure there are tools which run on linux - but everything from there is clearly outside of the scope of this forum as we're now deeply into windows area - for which the MSDN is the right point
and although without google or asking one of the AIs I can tell you that if anything you will likely only get the same reply as "there is no such thing as a windows "live" system" - or maybe get pointed towards WinPE

so the entire question "Windows-To-Go-style Win11" is shortly answered with: there'S no such thing - and if you don't want to believe a linux users-help-user forum then please go and ask over at the right place - the MicroSoft Developers Network

I again repeat my report for this topic to be dustbinned as its out of scope of this forum and its rules

seth · 2025-11-08 08:28:26

Since I missed that post

I think what I will do is borrow a Windows machine from someone and use rufus.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Multiboot_USB_drive

Arch Linux

#1 2025-11-06 01:13:35

How can I create a bootable Windows 11 USB (Windows-To-Go style) from

#2 2025-11-06 16:20:57

Re: How can I create a bootable Windows 11 USB (Windows-To-Go style) from

#3 2025-11-06 17:57:48

Re: How can I create a bootable Windows 11 USB (Windows-To-Go style) from

#4 2025-11-06 18:31:18

Re: How can I create a bootable Windows 11 USB (Windows-To-Go style) from

#5 2025-11-07 21:54:14

Re: How can I create a bootable Windows 11 USB (Windows-To-Go style) from

#6 2025-11-07 21:57:46

Re: How can I create a bootable Windows 11 USB (Windows-To-Go style) from

#7 2025-11-07 22:03:56

Re: How can I create a bootable Windows 11 USB (Windows-To-Go style) from

#8 2025-11-08 03:15:59

Re: How can I create a bootable Windows 11 USB (Windows-To-Go style) from

#9 2025-11-08 08:28:26

Re: How can I create a bootable Windows 11 USB (Windows-To-Go style) from

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