Create a UEFI boot compatible USB stick for Windows 10

Status: Resolved
Publication date: 2021-06-08
Last edited by: Garyf
Last updated: 2024 - 09 - 5

The problem

I needed a Windows 10 start up disk, but I didn’t have a working Windows 10 machine.

The resolution

Please note: cheekyfactor.com or the owners of this site cannot be held responsible if things go wrong. You perform these tasks at your own risk.

Device: Lenovo
Operating system: Windows 10
Software: Ventoy

Guidance for Lenovo, Windows 10, Ventoy

Grab a copy of Windows 10 from the Microsoft website.

Once downloaded insert the USB stick into the machine and open disks:

An image showing the Ubuntu disk manager showing two drives. The USB stick is selected.

In the top right hand corner you will see a vertical ellipses: It’s advised you format the disk first.

To make it compatible with UEFI, I am going to use some software called Ventoy, this is released as open source software and can be downloaded from their website.

I am doing this on Ubuntu, once downloaded you will see a .tar.gz file in your download folder:

Shows the Ventoy download in the download directory.

We need to extract this. Double click on the file, find Ventoy with the respective version number:

The ArchiveManager with Ventoy directory.

Click on extract. This will be extracted into the downloaded folder in this instance:

Extracted Ventoy directory in the downloads directory

OK, now we get onto the interesting bit.

Go into the folder, right click and open the directory in Terminal:

The Ventoy directory, right click to get the menu with the open in terminal selected.

OK, the terminal is now open:

The Terminal window with the Ventoy directory open.

We can now run Ventoy. Run the command:

sudo ./VentoyWeb.sh

Displays the in the terminal that Ventoy is running

In your browser, go to the IP address provided, in this instance 127.0.0.1:24680

The initial Ventoy server page in the web browser

Click on options then partition type:

The Ventoy partition type with GPT selected.

As I am trying to create a UEFI boot disk, select GPT.

Hit the install button. You will have a couple of warning prompts, just agree to them, this will format the insetered USB stick:

The Ventory installation is complete, this brings a modal box advising of such.

Click OK.

Check that the Ventoy disk is showing:

The contents of the USB stick that Ventoy has been installed on.

If you can’t see it, unplug the device and re-insert it.

When Ventoy is installed it will change the disk to two partitions, VTOYEFI and Ventoy.

The Ventoy partitions, VTOYEFI and Ventoy

The VTOYEFI, this is a small partition with some EFI stuff in, the other partition is Ventoy.

Go into the Ventoy partition and simply drag the ISO from your downloads into this partitions:

The Win 10 image is dragged into the Ventoy partition

Drag the Win 10 image into the Ventoy partition

It can take some time for it to copy over, with me it took 20 minutes:

Win 10 copying to USB Ventoy drive

Don’t just unplug the USB stick, go through the correct procedure and eject the disk partitions, it can now be used to boot the Windows 10 installer.

It’s as simple as that, job done.

CategorWindows 10:Windows 10