Rufus Software Download and Its Best Alternative: AOMEI Partition Assistant

Windows To Go (W2G) is a great feature of Windows 8/8.1 and 10. It lets you make a Windows ToGo USB drive that you can use to start your PC anywhere with BYOD. There are, however, some problems with Microsoft's W2G feature. Only Microsoft-approved USB drives can be used, and they cost a lot and need to be at least 32GB. Besides, the Windows to Go USB can only be made on Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 10 Enterprise.

Rufus, as you may know, is a popular tool that lets you format and make installable USB drives when you need to make an ISO USB installation medium that can run on an OS that doesn't install or store DOS software or BIOS. However, you can get better free tools from Windows to Go than from AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard, which is the best choice for Rufuses. Because the features work better than the format and file storing features that can be put on a USB drive.

Rufus Software Download

It is rather simple to create Windows To Go drive using Rufus. Firstly, you shall plug a proper USB flash drive in your computer. Then, download Rufus and fire up it. And you will enter the main operating interface. Then you can do as the following steps:

To download Rufus software, follow these steps:

1. Visit the official Rufus website. Then find the latest version of the Rufus software. Look for the green "Download Rufus" button (usually located near the top right corner of the page).
2. Click the "Download Rufus". The file size is approximately 3 megabytes, but the specific speed is depending on your internet connection speed.
3. Once the download is complete, click a ".exe" extension (e.g., Rufus_x.x.x.exe)  to run this program. 
4. Double-click on the Rufus installer to start the installation process. Follow the on-screen instructions, such as choosing the installation location and accepting the terms and conditions.
5. Once the installation is complete, you can launch Rufus by clicking the "Finish" button on the installer window or by searching for "Rufus" in your computer's Start menu or application list.

Then, you can use it to create a bootable media

1. Prepare Windows ISO and select the USB flash drive

2. Determine the partition scheme and target system type; select the File system as NTFS

3. Click on “Browse” to select your ISO file

4. Select Windows To Go option

5. Click “Start”> Click “Yes”> Click “OK” icon

Notice: When you plan to employ the Windows To Go drive with MBR partition scheme, select “MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI computer”; and choose “GPT partition scheme for UEFI” only when you can make certain of it.

The Best Alternative of Rufus: AOMEI Partition Assistant

But when you use Rufus, you might find that Rufus Windows To Go is missing. Most of the time, this problem is caused by a wrong Windows system, especially if you are using Windows 11. If you only have a computer that runs Windows 11 and want to build one that runs Windows 11, you should look for an option to Rufus Windows To Go.

AOMEI Partition Assistant is a great free and easy-to-use software to keep PC users running the Windows To Go tool. It has more options compared to Rufus Windows to Go. Regardless of whether you want to build Windows to go in Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11. It will help you and not be complicated. What is important is that this great Rufus Windows to Go replacement software also reduces the need for USB drives.

• Prepare a Windows 10 ISO or ESD file. Remember where it is located.
• Prepare a USB drive with 3.0 port. USB 2.0 port is also OK but it won’t perform as well as USB 3.0 port. AOMEI Partition Assistant requires the USB drive is only larger than 13 GB.

When you prepared all the things, you can start to create Windows To Go USB drive. Take an example of creating a Windows 10 to Go USB drive.

You just need to Plug in the USB 3.0 you prepared before and make sure it can be detected by the computer. Download, install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant. Then run the Windows To Go Creator and follow the instructions.

Apart from the powerful  features, it also has these practical functions allows you effectively manage your Windows system:

• Partition size adjustment: This tool allows users to adjust partition size without losing data, whether partition size expansion or decrease will meet user storage needs to optimize disk usage.

• Copying and Cloning Drive: AOMEI Partition Assistant enables smooth data transfer and backup by creating a complete copy of your disk or partition to ensure your data is secure. For example, you can transfer HDD OS to SSD without any data loss and reinstalling on Windows 11,10,8,7.

• Partition Recovery: In case of an emergency deletion or loss of partition, this tool allows users to scan partitions to maximize data integrity protection and minimize the risk of data loss.

• Drive Conversion: Users can easily convert disks between different file systems such as converting from MBR to GPT or converting back without damaging data.

Conclusion

Here's all about how to do Rufus software download. In short, the built-in Windows To Go has some limitations; for example, it can only be used on the Enterprise version and requires a specially authenticated USB drive.

While Rufus is a popular third-party tool for creating Windows To Go hard drives, it has its own limitations. For example, you can only on Windows 10 and require specific ISO files. Fortunately, the AOMEI Partition Assistant is a great alternative to Rufus, more functional and easier to use. It can create Windows To Go hard drives on any version of Windows system, and does not require a specific ISO file.

FAQs

• What is Windows To Go (W2G) and how does it work?

  • Windows To Go is a feature in Windows 8/8.1 and 10 Enterprise editions that allows you to create a portable Windows environment on a USB drive. This enables you to boot and use your Windows system on any compatible PC, regardless of its operating system, using a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach.

• What are the limitations of Microsoft's Windows To Go feature?

  • Microsoft's Windows To Go feature has several limitations. Firstly, it requires the use of Microsoft-approved USB drives, which can be costly and need to be at least 32GB in size. Additionally, Windows To Go USB drives can only be created on Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 10 Enterprise editions.

• How does Rufus compare to Windows To Go for creating bootable USB drives?

  • Rufus is a popular tool for creating bootable USB drives, but it differs from Windows To Go in functionality. While Rufus excels at creating bootable USB drives for installing operating systems, it may lack certain features found in Windows To Go, such as the ability to create a portable Windows environment.

• How do I download and use Rufus to create a Windows To Go drive?

  • To download Rufus, visit the official website and locate the latest version. After downloading and installing Rufus, plug in a suitable USB flash drive and follow the on-screen instructions to select your ISO file, determine partition schemes, and initiate the creation process.

• What is the best alternative to Rufus for creating Windows To Go drives?

  • AOMEI Partition Assistant is recommended as a superior alternative to Rufus for creating Windows To Go drives. It offers more options and ease of use, regardless of the Windows version you are using. Additionally, AOMEI Partition Assistant reduces the dependency on specific USB drives and provides practical functions for managing your Windows system effectively.