How to Create a Hiren's BootCD PE USB with Rufus

The current Hiren's BootCD PE image can be written to a USB drive with Rufus and used to start a compatible 64-bit PC for diagnostics, file recovery, partition work, and other repair tasks. The original Grub4Dos procedure is obsolete and should not be used for the current PE image.

Warning: Rufus will erase the selected USB drive. Back up every file on it and verify the device name and capacity before starting.

What you need

• A USB drive large enough for the current Hiren's BootCD PE image.
• The Hiren's BootCD PE ISO from the project's download page.
• Rufus from rufus.ie.
• A Windows computer with permission to write boot media.

Check the filename and checksum published by the Hiren's BootCD PE project after downloading. Do not use an unofficial repack that adds unknown tools or modified system files.

1. Connect the USB drive and open Rufus

Insert the USB drive, close any applications using it, and launch Rufus. In Device, select the correct USB drive. If more than one removable drive is connected, disconnect the others to reduce the chance of erasing the wrong device.

2. Select the Hiren's BootCD PE ISO

Follow the project's current USB booting instructions. At the time of this review, those instructions direct Rufus users to enable its dual UEFI/BIOS mode before selecting the ISO, then choose the downloaded HBCD PE image with Select.

Rufus settings and Hiren's bootloader can change. If the project's current page differs from this summary, use the settings on that page rather than an old screenshot.

3. Review the partition and filesystem settings

The Hiren's instructions currently specify an MBR partition scheme and FAT32 for broad BIOS/UEFI compatibility. Large USB drives may require Rufus's Large FAT32 option. Confirm the settings against the official page for the exact ISO and Rufus release you are using.

4. Write the image

Select Start. Rufus will warn that the USB data will be destroyed. Stop if the displayed device is not the intended USB drive; otherwise, confirm and wait for the status to show completion.

Do not remove the drive, shut down the computer, or let the system sleep while Rufus is writing. If a Secure Boot or revoked-bootloader warning appears, read Hiren's current guidance and understand the compatibility and security implications before proceeding.

5. Boot the computer from the USB drive

1. Shut down the target PC.
2. Connect the completed USB drive.
3. Open the one-time boot menu during startup; the key depends on the manufacturer.
4. Select the USB entry that matches the intended UEFI or legacy mode.
5. Wait for Hiren's BootCD PE to load and confirm that the keyboard, storage, and network hardware you need are detected.

Prefer a one-time boot menu over permanently changing firmware boot order. Do not disable Secure Boot or other firmware security features unless the official image requires it and you understand the effect; restore any changed setting afterward.

Using recovery tools safely

• Copy important data to a separate drive before attempting repairs.
• Confirm disk numbers and partitions before formatting, cloning, or modifying boot records.
• Do not reset account passwords or access encrypted data unless you are authorized to do so.
• A rescue USB is not a backup; keep independent, tested backups.

For other media-writing options, compare TipsMake's bootable USB tools. After writing the drive, see how to test whether a USB is bootable.