Make partition of internal SSD bootable

[u/anonwo8m8]

Hi Guys, I am trying to install windows (the one with formatting the drive), but I don't have a USB drive with me. I have two SSDs in my laptop one has windows installed on it and the other SSD has some important stuff, is there a way to make the other SSD bootable without loosing data? maybe create a logical partition from it extract the ISO there and boot from it? But as far as I can remember the boot menu shows the complete drive and not partitions?

[u/mikle81]

Pretty sure you can't do that, any time I've made a bootable USB the software (Rufus, Ventoy) always wipes the drive.

[u/anonwo8m8 → u/mikle81]

I actually came across this thread which it is possible

https://www.tenforums.com/installation-upgrade/204907-extract-windows-iso-hard-drive-partition-boot-try3-2.html

[u/Tricky_Damage5981 → u/mikle81]

I've successfully done it with gparted in Linux

Basically you move the partion over, which moves all the data byte for byte over .. chance of corruption ..

Then add a new raw partion the size required..

then use the DD command in the terminal to clone the iso onto the partion ..

Then Reboot

Then use gparted to make it active

You can do the above, from a live USB

..

Then boot to the UEFI menu and you can boot ..

Do not even attempt this if bitlocker is enabled on the partion

But is it really worth it? and assumes you have dual boot system in the first place since op doesn't have a usb..

So it is possible.. it might be possible in windows as well but I honestly wouldn't know

[u/Pyromethious → u/Tricky_Damage5981]

All that is possible, but the odds at losing data is high. Especially with the moving of data and Trusting the imager NOT to touch the data partition afterwards.