Can a Boot USB also function as a regular storage USB?

[caseycam]

Sorry if this is a trivial question, but I couldn't find any direct answer elsewere. I have an extra 64 gb flash drive that I wanted to put the windows 10 technical preview onto and from there, install it on my SSD. Will this forever convert the flash drive to a boot drive, or will I be able to use it afterwards like normal? Thanks

 

[06yfz450ridr]

you will be able to use it as normal afterwards, you have to make a bootable flash drive, once done just re format the usb

 

[Kevovaz]

As above, just get your Windows installed, and when done, format in the drive options. You'll be able to make it a new boot drive or just store your files.

 

[RealBeast]

Yes, you can use it for Win 10 and then delete the partitions on it and use it for other stuff later -- BUT insure that you have the media to reinstall Win 7 or 8 (i.e. an installer disk) before you install 10 unless you plan to remove your boot drive for the time that you test 10 or you may have issues due to messing up your bootloader with the dual boot that can be hard to fix without the proper media unless you have a lot of experience fixing dual boot problems.

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

If you don't have a spare 8 GB USB drive you can use a larger one for a windows 7, 8, or 10.

Copying files onto a bootable usb disk is unlikely to stop it being bootable but you have to be careful not to delete key files on the bootable disk

It helps to keep the files not connected with the bootable windows in separate sub directories

Have you tested the 64 GB drive to ensure it really is a 64 GB drive ?
There are still fakes with false firmware where you can copy files on but they don't come back

H2testw is best program for this purpose as it copies files with known checksums on and verifies the checksum of files as they are read back

Regards
Mike Barnes

 

[06yfz450ridr]

i did a win 10 and windows 7 dual boot. after loading windows 10 my windows 7 boot option disappeared. I had to re add it into the boot loader using my bootable hirens then I was able to switch back and forth between them just fine.

 

[RealBeast]

i did a win 10 and windows 7 dual boot. after loading windows 10 my windows 7 boot option disappeared. I had to re add it into the boot loader using my bootable hirens then I was able to switch back and forth between them just fine.

Yeah, and I fix problems created by others all the time, but perhaps the OP does not -- hence the warning to have something ready to fix the problems he creates.