Microsoft tool to create USB Windows 7!

[Totality]

All I get from the OP link is

Indeed. Seems they've taken it down God knows why!

EDIT: Ahhh they stole the source code from someone else and they found out about it. Tut tut. MS removed it a few days ago. Link to the article - http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/ne...windows-7-tool-after-gpl-violation-claims.ars

Shame really as it was really simple to use. I think I have a copy of it somewhere so I'll have to find it and store it away.

 

[V4NT0M]

Well after a little search it looks like it's out and about on plenty of download sites.

 

[theheyes]

I've not used this tool, but it's so easy to do I don't think anyone on here should have a problem doing it manually.

Format USB stick in FAT32
Copy over Windows 7 DVD contents
Boot from USB stick

That's essentially it. I do find it faster than the DVD, but if you're only doing one machine and haven't got the USB stick ready to go it would be just as quick to boot from the disc.

If you're doing multiple machines then yeah it's a no brainer.

 

[V4NT0M]

Format USB stick in FAT32
Copy over Windows 7 DVD contents
Boot from USB stick

So all that diskpart stuff I did was pointless?

 

[theheyes]

Hmm depends on the USB stick I think. The failsafe method would be:

Here, according to TechNet, is what you need to do:

1. You should already have DiskPart installed on your Windows machine - you'll use this to prepare the USB drive. If this free disk partitioning app isn't already already installed, you can download DiskPart from Microsoft.

2. Launch DiskPart by typing diskpart into the Start search box.

3. Now run the list disk command to check the status of your drive.

4. Next, run select disk 1 where the "1" is actually the corresponding number of your USB drive.

5. Now run clean.

6. Once that's done, run create partition primary.

7. Now you can make the partition active by entering active.

8. Next, set up the file system as Fat32 by running format fs=fat32 quick.

9. Enter the assign command to give the USB drive a drive letter - this will make it easier to access from Windows Explorer.

10. Drag and drop the contents of your Windows 7 installation DVD onto the USB drive to copy the files across.

11. Stick the USB key drive into the machine you want to install Windows 7 onto and boot the system from the drive. The Windows 7 installation will now begin.

It's really easy (the command line bit) - I bet it takes 60 seconds not including the time it takes to format.

 

[Totality]

Hmm depends on the USB stick I think. The failsafe method would be:



It's really easy (the command line bit) - I bet it takes 60 seconds not including the time it takes to format.

Aren't those diskpart commands basically just formatting the USB drive as FAT32 and doing a quick format? Didn't realise it was that easy but suppose you would have to mount the ISO first to get the files off it.

 

[ALD]

Didn't realise it was that easy but suppose you would have to mount the ISO first to get the files off it.

Just extract the iso with Winrar.

 

[MikeHunt79]

Is it much faster to install from a USB stick rather than DVD?

yes