Windows 11 USB boot environment for maintenance

[Tracey2032]

Windows 11 USB boot environment for maintenance for Laptop 17-cp1xxx

Is there a way to create/download a Windows 11 boot environment?... for a non-techie

I want to boot/start Windows 11 from a USB drive so Windows 11 could be run without locking up the files on the C:/Boot drive.

When I was running Windows 7, someone had created a ZIP file that could be written to a USB drive so Windows 7 could be run from the USB boot drive without locking up the files on the C:/Boot drive.

I could restore an image of the C drive using DriveImage XML (when Windows failed to start and could not fix itself) plus run MyDefrag that could defrag files that were normally locked and could not be moved.

The last boot environment I found was for Windows 10.
Please advise.
Thanks
I do NOT want to reinstall or "fix" Windows 11.
I downloaded [Win11_24H2_English_x64.iso] from Microsoft and used Rufus to put it on a USB drive, but I just prompted something about drivers???

[70007]

Hello Tracey2032,

Thank you for your query,

To create a Windows 11 boot environment on a USB drive for purposes such as maintenance, you can use the Windows Media Creation Tool provided by Microsoft. This tool allows you to download Windows 11 and create a bootable USB drive, which can be used for installation or as a repair drive. Here’s a step-by-step guideline:

Creating a Windows 11 Bootable USB Drive

1. Download the Media Creation Tool:

   • Visit the Microsoft Windows 11 download page.
   • Click on "Download now" under the "Create Windows 11 Installation Media" section.

2. Run the Tool:

   • Execute the downloaded Media Creation Tool.
   • Follow the prompts to accept the license terms.

3. Choose the Installation Media:

   • Select "Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC" option.
   • Click on "Next."

4. Select Language, Edition, and Architecture:

   • Make sure to select the appropriate options for your system. Normally, this will be automatically selected based on your current system settings.

5. Choose USB Flash Drive:

   • Select "USB flash drive."
   • Make sure your USB drive is properly connected (it should be at least 8 GB).

6. Create the Bootable USB:

   • Select your USB drive from the list.
   • Click "Next" to start downloading and creating Windows 11 bootable media.
   • Once completed, you’ll have a bootable Windows 11 USB drive.

How to Boot from USB

1. Plug in the USB Drive:

   • Connect your USB bootable drive to your HP Laptop 17-cp1xxx.

2. Access the Boot Menu:

   • Restart your laptop.
   • As soon as it starts, press the Esc key repeatedly to open the Boot Menu.
   • Select the option for "Boot Device Options" (usually F9).

3. Select the USB Drive:

   • Use the arrow keys to select your USB drive from the list of bootable devices.
   • Press Enter to boot from USB.

This method allows you to boot into a fresh installation environment, providing a way to troubleshoot and perform maintenance without affecting your existing installation on the C:/ drive.

For detailed instructions or troubleshooting, you can also refer to the HP support documentation related to your specific laptop model.