Can I Use Partitions to form a bootable drive?

[Akhil S]

Hi,

 

So I have windows 10 currently installed and I wanted to downgrade to windows 8.1. No I don't have the windows.old folder and I have used this version of windows 10 for more than one month. I have a product key and download the windows installation media creation tool directly from Microsoft's website for windows 8.1.  I don't have a CD/DVD reader in my laptop.

However I don't have a USB that is larger or equal to 4GB. So if I order one, it will take at least 10-19 days to arrive by which time I will not be at home with this laptop. So can I make a partition in my internal hard drive and use that to make a bootable drive for the os. Are there any other ways to do it? I am at this stage showed in the picture below: 

 

Regards,
Akhil S

 

[TheProfessionalAmateurs]

I would not recommend making a new partition. Just look for any storage media. You could use something like an sd card. You also could go to a computer store near you, like microcenter, or bestbuy to get a 4gb card, for like $3.

[Akhil S]

19 minutes ago, TheProfessionalAmateurs said:

I would not recommend making a new partition. Just look for any storage media. You could use something like an sd card. You also could go to a computer store near you, like microcenter, or bestbuy to get a 4gb card, for like $3.

Can I use and external storage drive without messing with the stuff in it. It's a 500 GB external hard drive.

[burnttoastnice]

29 minutes ago, Akhil S said:

Can I use and external storage drive without messing with the stuff in it. It's a 500 GB external hard drive.

Nope. The media creation tool doesn't provide a facility to do so, but it is possible with other software (but not reliable). The quickest and easiest thing to do would be to get a flash drive from a local shop and burn it onto that.