Unable to use Rufus with Windows 11 GPT/UEFI

Anonymous
2021-08-19T23:36:06+00:00

With Windows 11, we were instructed to use GPT/UEFI when using Rufus to create a Windows 11 Insider ISO. Rufus has changed their policy and in order to use the newly created ISO states that Secure Boot must be disabled. Can Microsoft offer any help here?

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CrazyKats 19,760 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2021-08-20T00:33:50+00:00

Oh! I could be wrong but I think I know what's going on. If you download/use the official ISO, it contains both Home & Pro and it's too big for FAT32, therefore Rufus changes to NTFS automatically.

Ahhh that makes sense.

So that means we would have to turn off Secure Boot.

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-08-20T07:47:29+00:00

    Hi Sibro,

    What is totally missing here is that Rufus creates a FAT12 partition of 512KB at the end of the USB device right after the NTFS partition. That FAT12 partition is the one used for Booting. It contains an EFI folder and a readme.txt with this:

    This partition was created by Rufus (https://rufus.ie). It is used for booting NTFS and exFAT partitions in UEFI mode. For details, see https://github.com/pbatard/uefi-ntfs.

    In the EFI Folder there are 2 subfolders Boot and Rufus with all the stuff needed for booting.

    So there is no booting directly from NTFS.

    Here is what the USB Flash looks like:

    Image

    Here is why they tell you to disable Secure Boot. Looks a little messy to me.

    Also when trying to clean the USB stick with Diskpart, after messing it up with Rufus, it gets a nice GSOD

    and the device becomes unusable.

    Not what I would expect or want. That is why I stay away from Rufus. 😉

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-08-20T05:32:59+00:00

    You have proven nothing.

    Unless you show the configuration of your machine and the display with "diskpart" of you bootable installation media device.

    I have 2 machines that are fully compliant with windows 11 and do not boot from an NTFS USB device, they only boot from FAT32.

    Anyway, I said earlier that this is a completely useless conversation unless you get some new specs of UEFI stating that they can boot from NTFS.

    If you are creating the media with Rufus it formats a FAT12 partition at the end right after the NTFS, that is the partition it uses for Booting and then it gives control to the NTFS partition where the windows installer is saved.

    Good night..

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-08-20T05:20:39+00:00

    The discussion was regarding using a FAT32 Install media vs. an NTFS media. I am saying some systems do not need to use a FAT32 a partition. That is where we seem to disagree.

    I have proven you do not need a FAT32 partition, on newer systems, but you seem to disagree. So why do you disagree?

    My comments are never ridiculous.

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-08-20T05:13:36+00:00

    I repeat! I have NEVER used FAT32 to create Official ISO's from Microsoft! Microsoft now requires Secure Boot On for Windows 11 so since Rufus wants to play games with Microsoft and Sibro said to just turn off Secure Boot, that is what I did and then turned it back on after the ISO was installed. In 6 1/2 years I only had to use that other method only once. After that I only use Official ISO's from Microsoft. Maybe that other method creates issues, who knows. I did not want my thread to turn into a book. Thank you Sibro for your suggestion and thanks to
    Saltgrass for your agreement.

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