How can I create a Windows installer USB without administrator access?
Asked by
MellowCactus42
My mini PC's SSD failed, so I replaced it with a new blank drive. The only Windows computer I can use is a locked-down work laptop, and I don't have administrator privileges, which prevents me from running Microsoft's Media Creation Tool. I also have unrestricted access to a MacBook. Is there a reliable way to create a bootable Windows installation USB from the Mac, or another method that doesn't require admin rights on the work laptop?
Answers
Another possibility is Ventoy, which turns a USB drive into a bootable multiboot device and lets you copy an ISO onto it. However, installing Ventoy from macOS may be less straightforward than using a Mac-specific Windows USB writing utility, so the latter is likely the simpler choice here.
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Make sure the USB is actually bootable; copying the ISO file onto it like a normal document usually isn’t enough. A tool such as WinDiskWriter can prepare it for you from macOS. Use an ISO downloaded from Microsoft rather than an unofficial archive, and expect the USB drive to be erased during the process.
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The MacBook is probably the easiest option. Download the Windows ISO directly from Microsoft, then use a Mac-compatible utility such as WinDiskWriter to write the ISO to an 8GB-or-larger USB flash drive. Put the USB in the mini PC, select it as the boot device in the firmware boot menu, and run Windows Setup. You don’t need to install Windows “in BIOS”—the firmware simply needs to boot the installer in the appropriate mode.
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PoliteOrbit3: Once the installer starts, choose the new SSD as the destination. The existing drive partitions can normally be removed during setup if the drive is blank and you don’t need any data from it.