Can you install Vista or Windows 7 from an external disk?

Mysterae_ · 17 Dec 2009 at 19:22

I have a Motion Computing Tablet PC (LE1600) running Vista Business and I want to install Windows 7. Firstly I need to install Vista Home Premium (retail version from a disused pc) on it so that I can then use a Windows 7 upgrade - but that's kinda irrelevant!

The problem is there's no DVD drive in this computer and rather than buying an external USB DVD drive to boot and install from, I was wondering if I can copy the Vista and then Windows 7 disks to an external USB hard drive or flash disk (16GB) and install the OS's from that?

Any tips if it's possible?

theheyes · 17 Dec 2009 at 19:24

You can install it from a USB stick, but you need a computer with a DVD drive to copy across the files first if you see what I mean.

I used this guide and had no problems:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd535816.aspx

robinbredin · 17 Dec 2009 at 19:32

There is another guide HERE, from Sevenforum. But if you can get your hands on an external dvd drive, then it will save you a lot of time.

ChileanLlama · 17 Dec 2009 at 19:53

Hmmm....Microsoft had actually created a USB tool that would take a DVD or ISO and create a bootable USB for you - perfect for netbooks/tablets and a bit easier than doing it manually. I was going to link that to you as it's really easy to use but it seems to have been withdrawn, probably because the third party who wrote it used open source code and didn't let on...

Mysterae_ · 17 Dec 2009 at 20:02

Thanks guys, that's saved me 40 quid on buying an external DVD that I'd only use once!

The only issue that stopped me for a second was this statement in the guide from robinbredin:

"WARNING
With this method:
You can only create a 32-bit Windows 7 USB key from within a 32-bit Vista or Windows 7.
You can only create a 64-bit Windows 7 USB key from within a 64-bit Vista or Windows 7. "

This isn't an issue as the tablet is only capable of 32-bit and my 'normal' pc is Vista 32-bit. Worth knowing though.

ChileanLlama · 17 Dec 2009 at 20:10

Hmmm (that's two hmmms in one thread). I've used a variation of method 2, just using XCopy from a command prompt to copy the contents of the DVD to the prepared stick.

I've done that from Vista x64 and Win 7 x64 when creating Windows 7 i386 versions without any problems on a number of occasions.