rufus, how to use fat32 for UEFI partition?

hello, thanks, been using rufus for years, great software!

i would prefer to use FAT32 for UEFI partition, use 100% microsoft boot code and drivers.
no need to UEFI:NTFS and to be dependent on third-party low-level boot code/drivers/etc.
i read the FAQ many times, and searched around the internet, cannot find the answer.

please explain to me, to how use RUFUS without UEFI:NTFS.
thanks very much,
david

asdffdsa said:

hello, thanks, been using rufus for years, great software!

i would prefer to use FAT32 for UEFI partition, use 100% microsoft boot code and drivers.
no need to UEFI:NTFS and to be dependent on third-party low-level boot code/drivers/etc.
i read the FAQ many times, and searched around the internet, cannot find the answer.

please explain to me, to how use RUFUS without UEFI:NTFS.
thanks very much,
david

Click to expand...

Hi there

Easy enough in "Bog standard Windows" . Boot install media.(create iso from UUPDUMP or use iso from Ms MCT. You can then use rufus to create bootable media on usb stick etc from the iso image but just leave standard stuff - don't bother with all the "bypass" etc options.

Then boot the media -- after the ist screen install windows choose repair your computer --cmd prompt.

If using dism /Apply-Image then from the windows install media just boot and choose repair computer--> cmd prompt as above. For classical installs just run setup.exe from the install media.

now from cmd mode run -->diskpart

list disk
select disk xx <the target disk for your windows system>
clean
convert gpt
create partition efi size=100M <big enough for a load of multi-boot win 11 systems>
format fs=fat32 quick.
create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick
exit

Then either classically install Win 11 via setup.exe with a W11 install media or use dism/exe /Apply-Image to your windows target drive and after that install the boot manager via bcdboot.exe to the efi partition you created via diskpart.

cheers
jimbo

You will need NTFS because of size of install.wim file which is 4.45 GB size FAT32 only support 4 GB file size.

FreeBooter said:

You will need NTFS because of size of install.wim file which is 4.45 GB size FAT32 only support 4 GB file size.

Click to expand...

Or you can split install.wim into two .swm files. (Choose a largest files size below 4GB for copying to a FAT32 drive.) Split a Windows image file (.wim) to span across multiple DVDs

I've done that a few times, successfully, even though I'm anything but expert in using DISM.

I admit that I don't understand what "asdffdsa" is asking.

asdffdsa said:

hello, thanks, been using rufus for years, great software!

i would prefer to use FAT32 for UEFI partition, use 100% microsoft boot code and drivers.
no need to UEFI:NTFS and to be dependent on third-party low-level boot code/drivers/etc.
i read the FAQ many times, and searched around the internet, cannot find the answer.

please explain to me, to how use RUFUS without UEFI:NTFS.
thanks very much,
david

Click to expand...

Don´t do anything, the default is FAT32. You don´t need NTFS is the ISO was built with Media Creation Tool.

bobkn said:

Or you can split install.wim into two .swm files. (Choose a largest files size below 4GB for copying to a FAT32 drive.) Split a Windows image file (.wim) to span across multiple DVDs

I've done that a few times, successfully, even though I'm anything but expert in using DISM.

I admit that I don't understand what "asdffdsa" is asking.

Click to expand...

Yes, little complicated process but it can be done.

Another solution is to strip any unwanted Windows editions from the image, and convert it to ESD format for better compression.
Those images normally will be smaller than 4 GB and require no splitting.

As another alternative, you can make the .WIM file smaller by ditching the editions of Windows you don't need. As an example, a retail ISO image from Microsoft will have Windows Home, Professional, Education, etc. Let's say that you know that you are only planning to work with the Pro edition. Simply export the Pro edition to a new WIM, leaving all the other editions behind. If you need further size reduction, you can always still convert the WIM into an ESD or split it in addition.

OK, I've read the responses (which are all 100% valid for reducing the size of an iso to under 4gb) None of them are all that easy for novices so for the life of me can't understand why this user would want to chance corrupting his iso just because he's "used" to fat32.

I'm not trying to step on any toes here, but I feel an obligation to advise this user to use an 8gb flash drive instead of a 4gb, let Rufus do its thing, and go on about your business. Why make something so easy to be difficult just because you've always used fat32. NTFS,FAT32...they're both just file systems. Makes no sense to me to jump through such hoops over how the usb drive is formatted without a solid reason for doing so.

glasskuter said:

but I feel an obligation to advise this user to use an 8gb flash drive instead of a 4gb, let Rufus do its thing,

Click to expand...

plus 8gb & bigger size flash drives are widely available in stores and online (I have few sets of three 8gb & 16gb usb flash drives I bought in stores weeks ago that were affordable). I don't see 4gb or smaller size flash drives being sold anymore in my area

Rufus' 3rd-party boot loader is digitally signed by MS, so that's a sign of approval.