How do I create the bootable USB for Cigent PBA installation?

Created by David Wolf, Modified on Fri, 27 Feb at 11:10 AM by David Wolf

Use the Cigent PBALoader utility to create a bootable USB flash drive. For most deployments, use Interactive Mode, which guides you through the process.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

USB flash drive (USB 3.0 or later recommended)
Extracted Cigent PBA loader package
Windows system with Administrator Command Prompt

⚠️ Warning: All data on the selected USB flash drive will be erased.

? Note: The same USB installer can be reused to install multiple systems.

Recommended Method — Interactive Mode (Standard Installations)

Interactive Mode is recommended for most environments and simplifies the process.

Step-by-step

Step 1 — Extract the package
Extract the provided ZIP archive and keep all files in the same directory.

Step 2 — Insert the USB drive
Insert the target USB flash drive into the computer.

Step 3 — Open elevated command prompt
Open an Administrator Command Prompt and change to the loader directory.

Step 4 — Launch Interactive Mode

Run: PBALoader.exe -i

The utility will:

Display discovered USB flash drives
Prompt you to select the target USB device
Prompt you to choose the operation (Load)
Prompt you to select the PBA package:
- Microsoft-signed PBA (pba_v2.0.1.12.bin)
- Cigent self-signed PBA (custom_pba_vX.X.X.XX.bin)
Ask for confirmation

Enter YES to begin writing the image.

Step 5 — Wait for completion
The process may take several minutes. Once finished, remove the USB flash drive.

When to use Interactive Mode

Use Interactive Mode for:

Standard installations
Typical single-drive systems
Common multi-drive systems
Deployments not requiring advanced flags

This is the recommended path for most customers.

After the USB is created

Safely remove the USB flash drive
Insert it into the target system
Boot from the USB to begin PBA installation

Common mistakes to avoid

Selecting the wrong physical drive
Not running Command Prompt as Administrator
Interrupting the write process