How to install Windows 7 from USB flash drive or USB pen Drive for Windows XP users

[moneoa]

Can't take credit for writing it, only for passing it on.
If any of you know the pain of trying to get Xp to install from USB then you might want to read this :deal:

How to Install Windows 7 from USB Flash Drive
Requirement:
1-USB Pen Drive (Min 4 GB)
2-Windows 7 ISO (32 bit or 64 bit)
3-MBRwiz - http://mbrwizard.com/index.php
Download and Extract it on your hard drive (Diskpart utility for Windows XP doesn’t detect USB drive as Disk hence we need to use this free utility to make bootable USB drive).

1. Connect your USB Flash Drive to your computer Format USB drive
2. To Format USB Flash Drive Go to My Computer -> Right click on USB drive and select Format from context menu.

3. Now go to Start Menu->run->cmd (Open Command Prompt) and Type following command convert i: /fs:ntfs
(Where “I” is your USB drive latter)

4. Mount Windows 7 iso as drive (You can use Freeware MagicDisc download from here).
5. Type Start->run->cmd
Now dir to directory where you have extracted MBRWiz and run following commands
mbrwiz /list (note down disk number of your USB Pen drive)
mbrwiz /disk=X /active=X (X is Disk Number of your USB Drive)
exit

6. Now open another command window and type following command
J: (Drive letter of Windows 7 iso mounted with demon tool)
CD boot
bootsect /nt60 Y: (Y is drive latter of your USB drive )

7. Open My Computer and click on "tools" and then folder options and then select the second tab and find the option "show hidden files or folders" select that and make sure "Hide protected operating system files" is NOT checked
(Warning deleting or altering any protected file may make your system unstable or crash. be sure to change this option back at the end of this exercise)
8. Now copy all files from drive where you have mount Windows 7 iso, remember all the files must be copied to the usb key
9. Now reboot your computer and press F12 to get your BIOS boot choice screen (Varies by OEM, Check your Manufacturers Website) and select USB drive as your boot drive. You can also go into your BIOS Settings under "Boot" and arrange boot sequence so USB or Removable Media is on the top of the list
10. If every thing goes fine, Your Windows 7 Installation should start from your USB drive.

This should work on not only a USB drive but an external HDD provided the Partition is active and bootable AND your BIOS supports booting from removable media, check your Manufacturers website if you are unsure but most new laptops and computers allow booting from removable media.

This type of install is perfect for netbooks that lack an optical drive or units that have a burnt out optical drive.

EDIT: I have found that if you use a usb key with 4gigs or less capacity then you need to format as fat32 or else the pc will not pick it up on boot.

[RACKnRAIL]

Nice post! I'm sure this will prove useful to many. Perhaps you should sticky it??

[moneoa]

Screenshots added, article edited slightly and thread stickied

[Mels_Smileys45]

I still ant to put this on that 4G flash drive adapter I bought. Having trouble making that happen.


The new IE browser sure does fire up fast. I hit the button and it starts up, no waiting at all. Over all it seems to bring up everything really fast but I have to keep in mind this is a new, uncluttered install. Start up is very nice as well. Nothing negative so far except the constant blue screens. JUST KIDDING! I like it and its been fun so far...

[w31n3r]

nice post, but can't you do the same with the HP disk utility, format the drive FAT and copy over all the installation/boot files?

I still ant to put this on that 4G flash drive adapter I bought. Having trouble making that happen.

is there enough space? i think a 4GB flash drive will give you ~3.7GB in reality...or slightly less than the win7 installation disk. why don't you try tiny7 instead of the full installer? haven't used it myself, but it's just 700mb in size...

[moneoa]

nice post, but can't you do the same with the HP disk utility, format the drive FAT and copy over all the installation/boot files?



is there enough space? i think a 4GB flash drive will give you ~3.7GB in reality...or slightly less than the win7 installation disk. why don't you try tiny7 instead of the full installer? haven't used it myself, but it's just 700mb in size...

I would reccomend an 8 gig at the least

[moneoa]

welcome to ZP

[w31n3r]

Screenshots added...

when i tried it, it looked nothing like the screenshots given :D

[moneoa]

when i tried it, it looked nothing like the screenshots given :D

damn photobucket......did it work for you?

I love how easy an install is off of USB....those linux users who have been booting off of usb for a while really were on to something.

[w31n3r]

yes, i got it to work after a brief struggle. i used tiny7 instead of the full windows7 ISO and got it to fit into a 2GB flash drive (though this ver. of tiny7 i used would comfortably fit into a 1 gig flash drive too). tiny7 is ideal for nettops IMO which is why i chose it for this project.

great article btw.

[moneoa]

yes, i got it to work after a brief struggle. i used tiny7 instead of the full windows7 ISO and got it to fit into a 2GB flash drive (though this ver. of tiny7 i used would comfortably fit into a 1 gig flash drive too). tiny7 is ideal for nettops IMO which is why i chose it for this project.

great article btw.

Thanks for mentioning that, I just looked up Tiny 7 and I am going to reccomend it to my friend for his eepc.

[Praneet]

try to copy Windows7 DVD into pendrive, change your BIOS setting to boot from removable drive.
if your machine is compatible to boot from removable drive you can format your machine and install Windows7 by this simple way.

[Mels_Smileys45]

HEY! I actually need this thread now! Glad it got bumpeded!

[w31n3r]

found this GREAT tool that does the job with ZERO fuss...

http://wintoflash.com/home/en/

no more messing with boot files, DOS prompts, or any of that shit. simple, straight forward. honorable mention to microsoft's Windows 7 USB tool, but WinToFlash takes the prize for being a swiss army knife. it works not only with any windows installation, but also recovery discs like miniPE etc.

[Mels_Smileys45]

Thanks again! I am about to put W7 on a PC that I have here at the house and I no longer have a CD or even a DVD burner anymore. Weird huh!? I have not had one in about a year. I use to preach so much about backing stuff up & now I just go get a 2TB drive at Walmart for $135 ( everday LOW price!!! ) & be lazy! Seriously though, files are just too big these days & it would take months to back all the crud up. Maybe when Blu Ray recordables become cheap, yeah right, I will buy into one of those burners but right now screw it. I will have to deal with losing buttloads of info every once in a while...which has happened again recently!!! DOH!