On October 31, 2023, Microsoft released Windows 11 23H2 in final version. This is not only the latest package (feature update) which allows you to update Windows 11 but also a real one new version of the operating system. Installare Windows 11 23H2 means having the latest version of the Microsoft operating system.
From the Microsoft website it is in fact possible to download the Windows 11 23H2 ISO, useful for configuring and starting a virtual machine or for creating the installation media of the operating system, bootable for example from a USB stick.
Why use Rufus to install Windows 11 from USB
There are many ways to create one bootable USB stick: the Media Creation Tool, also well known to Windows 10 users, is a free application distributed and periodically updated by Microsoft that allows you to prepare external media from which to install the operating system (Creating Windows 11 installation media on the Windows 11 Downloads page).
The Rufus utility, which we have talked about extensively in the past, is much more flexible because it allows you to modify the boot options USB device, customize system setup preferences, and install Windows 11 on incompatible PCs. We talked about it in detail in the article dedicated to Rufus’ tricks and secrets.
Rufus it doesn’t even require installation: from the official GitHub repository, we suggest downloading and using the executable file with the “p” (portable) ending in the name (example: rufus-4.3p.exe). This way you download the portable version of Rufus, which can be started with a simple double click.
The only file that the portable version of Rufus creates on your system is called rufus.ini: contains the program configuration settings and is automatically added to the contents of the folder hosting the application executable.
How to install Windows 11 23H2 from USB using Rufus
Assuming you have downloaded the file rufus-4.3p.exe in the folder Download of Windows, with a simple double click you start the program, which creates the file rufus.ini in the same directory. By inserting a USB stick into a free port, the contents of the Rufus interface should automatically update, showing the label associated with the media and its size in the drop-down menu Device/unit.
With one click your SELECTyou can choose the file ISO di Windows 11 23H2 previously downloaded to your system. Otherwise, by clicking on the arrow to the right of SELECTthen up DOWNLOAD and finally on the button DOWNLOADyou download the most updated version of the PowerShell script which also allows the download di Windows 11 23H2 dai server Microsoft.
In the small window that appears, you have to choose Windows 11Then 23H2, Windows 11 Home/Pro/Edu and finally Europen. At each step, you must select the button Continues.
It is interesting to note that Rufus offers all the versions of Windows available and that in the case of Windows 11, the downloadable ISO file will allow the installation of the Home, Pro and Education editions. As a last step, the script allows you to select thearchitecture: for Windows 11 there are no 32-bit versions so the only choice is x64.
With one click your Continues, Rufus displays the Windows 11 23H2 download dialog. Alternatively, by ticking the box Download via browserthe Windows 11 23H2 ISO image can be downloaded via the browser Web set as default.
Once the download is complete, you have to choose SELECT so indicate the location of the ISO file anyway Win11_23H2_Europen_x64.iso downloaded locally.
Creating Windows 11 23H2 USB bootable media with Rufus
Choosing GPT as the partitioning scheme e UEFI (non-CSM) from the drop-down menu Target systemthe bootable stick containing the installation media of Windows 11 23H2 can only be used on PCs equipped with UEFI BIOS. Apart from the possible customization of theVolume labelother settings should be left unchanged.
Before clicking the button STARTit is good to check that theremovable drive indicated in the drop-down menu Device/unit is precisely the one intended to accommodate the contents of the Windows 11 23H2 installation media. It should be borne in mind that Rufus erases all contents of the drive Specified USB, including any partitions that may be present.
And tool like Ventoy which allows you to boot multiple ISO images from the same USB media, for example, creates two partitions in the removable media: here, Rufus removes all content of the drive, creating a single partition and formatting it with the indicated file system.
The next screen allows you to remove controls sui minimum requirements for installing Windows 11 23H2.
For example, with Rufus you can create a USB installation media that does not check the use of at least 4 GB of RAM, the actual enablement of the Secure Boot functionality and the use of the TPM 2.0 chip. You can also install Windows 11 with a local account by specifying its name, set regional options as on your system, turn off data collection questions, and turn off automatic encryption with BitLocker.
Finally, Rufus asks for confirmation about deleting all the contents of the specified USB drive and any multiple partitions present on the storage medium.
Boot Windows 11 23H2 installation from USB using media generated with Rufus
Once you’re done setting up your USB drive with Rufus, you have a bootable media which allows you to install Windows 11 23H2 from USB on any UEFI BIOS-based system. Furthermore, differently from what happened in the past, Rufus is compatible with Secure Boot: this means that it is not necessary to intervene on the BIOS settings to boot the computer. routine of installation of Windows 11 23H2.
It’s thanks to the generic bootloader UEFI:NTFS which allows NTFS and exFAT drives to be booted using pure UEFI mode, without incurring the Secure Boot “axe”. The bootloader, in the most recent versions, actually uses a digitally signed driver approved by Microsoft.
To boot the system from USB and start the installation from scratch of Windows 11 23H2, it is still necessary to set the correct boot sequence in the BIOS (USB drive first, SSD and hard disk next).
Opening image credit: iStock.com/Toru Kimura
