Using USB stick as installation/boot disk - fat32 vs exfat vs ntfs

[bobbusmaxillius]

I want to put a streamlined version of windows 7 on a 16G USB 3.0 stick, and i'm not sure what format to use. I want to be able to install the streamlined version of windows on computers with blank hard disks and no OS, and also be able to boot off the usb stick when necessary when something is wrong with my computer.

I've read guides that say you have to use fat32 or bios won't see the disk.
But then i've seen guides that suggest using ntfs for flash boot disks.
Then i've read that exfat is better for external flash drives because it writes to them less.

Which format is best for what I want to do?

One thing that's concerning me a bit is i'm sure my computer installed a new driver when I first inserted the USB flash stick (does this suggest it can't be used as a boot/installation disk? I have this usb drive if it makes a difference http://www.integralmemory.com/product/fusion-usb-3-superspeed-small-metal-flash-drive

 

[WyomingKnott]

I'm a fusty old man, but my impression is that Windows 7 was designed not to boot from a USB device. There was no USB 3.0, and it was just too slow. Now I have a USB stick that's faster than my first Win7 boot drive!

The best guides I've seen for setting up a USB stick to install win7 are on sevenforums, like this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html . Note that that one requires a running Win7.