Installing windows 7 from a USB

EdwardTeach

EdwardTeach

EdwardTeach

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18 Mar 2010
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My wife recently got a netbook from dell (dell duo). I was planning to do a
clean re- install of windows to get rid of all the pointless crap dell pre-install the system with. I have got dell to send me a windows 7 DVD. The duo has no dvd drive. I have bought a couple of 8gb+ USB flash drives.

What is the best way of moving windows 7 onto the USB drive, so that I can use it to re-install windows?

Can the USB with windows 7 on be used for anything else. I.e is it ok to put anything other windows 7, on that USB?
 
Strictly from memory (I'd have to google it), but you only need to copy /boot /sources and setup.exe from the DVD to your USB root.

Then run bcdboot or bootsect to put the initial boot code onto the USB drive.

Google has the exact details :)
 
novicorp wintoflash is the best iv used, extremely easy to use, just either insert your disc in the drive or mount your iso using magicdisc or some equivelent
 
Sigh.

Ashampoo, make you iso.

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-c...-usb-flash-drive-using-windows-7-dvdusb-tool/ (idiot proof, good for ms :))

Make sure the boot order in the bios is correct, boot from usb and format/delete. Reboot, return to bios and change the boot order to hd 1st, fdd second* and install.

Despite saying the support flash drive I've found a lot of bios (mostly gigabyte) detect them as hard drives so this may/may not be needed.
 
Do this on a PC/laptop that has a DVD drive and is running either Vista or 7 -and that has a Windows 7 DVD in it or ISO file

open cmd with admin rights (type cmd into start menu, right click run as admin)

type..

diskpart
list disk

(note which disk your USB drive is, for now, we'll assume disk 3)
select disk 3
clean
create partition primary
active
format fs=fat32 quick
assign
exit

Now extract the ISO to the usb drive, or copy your DVD contents to the usb drive


Once that's done, rip it out and chuck it in the netbook and boot from usb

Job done


-Some other guides add extra steps that you don't need or don't suggest the 'quick' format, so it takes forever
 
It probably doesn't need saying, but if you use the above method do make absolutely sure you've selected the right disk (check, double-check and then check again for luck) - diskpart takes no prisoners, and a moment of inattention is likely to end in tears before bedtime. :)
 
I just had to move the files from the DVD onto the USB. No other extra work needed and it worked fine for me.
 
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