How To: Install Windows 7 from a USB Key!
Posted 10/22/09 at 08:00:00 AM by Norman Chan
Comments
Print
Email
So after reading our review of Windows 7, you’re ready to take the plunge and upgrade to Microsoft's new OS. You’ve read our upgrade guide, decided whether you want 32- or 64-bit Windows 7, and bought your retail box. But what if you want to install Windows 7 on a netbook or other computer without an optical drive? Fortunately, you’re not out of luck, because Windows 7 (and Vista, for that matter) can be installed from a USB storage key. Not only does installing from a USB key remove the need for a DVD drive, the install time is also greatly reduced – we shaved off minutes from the total install time. Our step-by-step guide will have you rocking the new version of Windows in no time!
Time = 1 hourWhat you need:
|
Note: This guide will only work within Windows Vista or 7.
1. Format Your USB Key
Plug in your USB key and back up any existing data stored on it. You’ll need to format the key before you can make it a bootable device.
Open up a Command Prompt as an Administrator. You can do this by finding the cmd.exe in yoru Windows/System32 folder, right-clicking the executable, and selecting “Run as Administrator”. Alternatively, type CMD in the Start Menu search field and activate the Command Prompt using Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
You should be under c:\Windows\system32 (assuming your Windows partition is the C drive). Type “diskpart” in the command line to enter the Disk Partition command line tool, which lets you format and create partitions on active disks.
Type “list disk” to reveal a list of all your active disks, each of which is associated with a number. Make a note of which one is your USB key, based on the capacity. In our screenshot below, our USB drive is Disk 6 (8GB).
Next, type the following commands, one at a time:
Select Disk # (Where # is the number of your USB disk. We typed “Select Disk 6”)
Clean (removes any existing partitions from the USB disk, including any hidden sectors)
Create Partition Primary (Creates a new primary partition with default parameters)
Select Partition 1 (Focus on the newly created partition)
Active (Sets the in-focus partition to active, informing the disk firmware that this is a valid system partition)
Format FS=NTFS (Formats the partition with the NTFS file system. This may take several minutes to complete, depending on the size of your USB key.)
Assign (Gives the USB drive a Windows volume and next available drive letter, which you should write down. In our case, drive “L” was assigned.)
Exit (Quits the DiskPart tool)
Just format it
Submitted by l8r0n on Sun, 11/01/2009 - 3:07pm
I didn't go through all those extra steps, I just did a quick format to NTFS.
Did the Bootsect.exe /nt60 L: from the DVD boot directory. Then copied everything from the DVD to the thumb drive and all works just fine.
Command line required?
Submitted by Mayhemm on Sun, 11/01/2009 - 1:17am
I was just wondering if you have to use the command line to format the drive.
Is there any reason you can't just use "right-click->format"?
I'm doing it your way (just to be safe), but the other way would be much easier to remember.
Submitted by bdraper on Wed, 10/28/2009 - 6:14pm
Ok, so this whole procedure is really cool, and it's just about working. When I boot from my usb drive, I get to the windows installer. The problem is that after I click on "Install Windows" I get an error after a few moments. The dialog box says "A required cd/dvd device driver is missing." I then get the option to browse for it. The driver is installed and the drive works fine on my system now (Windows 7 Home Premium - I'm trying to upgrade to Professional). Does this mean there's no cd/dvd drive device driver anywhere in the installation files? Am I getting this message because I'm doing it through a usb drive instead of a dvd?
Any suggestions would be appreciated. It's frustrating being so close and then having this dinky issue.
Issues with installing Windows 7
Submitted by markus.randel on Tue, 11/03/2009 - 11:25am
I've been wrestling with Windows 7 installs since the Beta came out. I'm not sure if it's the original download or my burner, but I've had several instances where image isn't quite right. It will show up during the install as an error saying drivers are missing or it just can't continue. Of course this only comes AFTER your system disk has been swiped and your left with a loud paperweight. As a result, I've always made sure to have another functioning PC on hand to work from. I got abandoned at work once with a bad install disc and couldn't complete the install. Had to go home, download a fresh ISO image from MSDN and make another go at it. The next day, Windows 7 went in smoothly.
Submitted by alien0304 on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 12:52pm
the commands listed in article arent working? what Gives??
Windows 7 recovery disk
Submitted by jeffknouse on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 2:33pm
My HP laptop has Windows 7 installed from the factory. If I have to use the recovery disk, can it be loaded onto a flash/usb drive? Or will I have to get a usb external cd/dvd drive?
Submitted by billy66bare on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 9:53pm
You made this so the tired "not so guru" could understand it!
I registered just to say thanks!!
Submitted by arch20002013 on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 9:59pm
Is this really needed? I installed it from the disk and though it was very fast compared to Vista and XP
Submitted by markus.randel on Tue, 11/03/2009 - 11:27am
" I installed it from the disk"
Not all computers have disk drives these days. Besides, if your a true geek, you NEVER do it the way it's supposed to be done. That's for the masses. We're "special" and if it means standing on our heads while installing an OS... here's to it!
Tracking
Submitted by PhoneyVirus on Fri, 09/04/2009 - 8:09pm
Nice work thanks
Submitted by mclovin on Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:50am
Hmmm...well as mentioned below, I fixed the "access is denied" problem and bootsect appears to have run correctly.
But my Asus N10 netbook refuses to recognize either my Kingston thumbstick or my WD external harddrive as a bootable device. Neither will show up in the BIOS, the only option is "removable device," which it skips right through and starts booting off the internal drive.
Bummer, guess I'll need an optical drive...
Submitted by mclovin on Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:43am
Jeez I wish Norm had been clearer about running cmd.exe as an Administrator. I left clicked it instead of the two ways he suggested to run the file, and then spent an hour trying to figure out why I was getting "access is denied" errors. I figured being logged onto Windows 7 as an admin account was enough...it's not.
Submitted by Vking on Wed, 07/08/2009 - 3:59am
There is a more elegant way to do this:
1) Download the UltraISO trial
2) Start UltraISO as administrator
3) "Burn" the iso image to the USB stick
Thats it !
COMMENT:
Using the command prompt dosnt work with XP, since it cant recognice the USB key as a disk.
I made a bootbale Windows 7 USB stick running Windows XP SP3, and with the UltraISO trial.
Submitted by Vking on Wed, 07/08/2009 - 3:51am
There is a more elegant way to do this:
1) Download the UltraISO trial
2) Start UltraISO as administrator
3) "Burn" the iso image to the USB stick
That it !
can it have any way to make
Submitted by maifs on Fri, 06/26/2009 - 12:39pm
can it have any way to make it for windowsXP.
i have tried many times but in xp , it doesnt give an effect and when i try to list disk then it shows just one disk not others.
maifs
Submitted by ElderJefferson on Mon, 06/01/2009 - 3:20pm
I was sailing until I got to this message:
IMPORTANT: If you’re currently running Windows Vista
32-bit, Bootsect will only work if you downloaded the 32-bit ISO for
Windows 7 Beta. The Bootsect executable from the 64-bit version of the
beta will not run in 32-bit Vista
Maybe you should have mentioned that earlier.
Submitted by bresfe on Sat, 05/30/2009 - 8:53am
Hi Norm,
hope you'll be able to answer shortly as I am in the middle of the entire process and got stuck: when running the cmd.exe command list disk I cannot see my USB. Using Win explorer I can see it all right... I have a Kingston Data Traveler 2.0 USB.
please help
thanks
Submitted by ultimatemini on Thu, 05/21/2009 - 1:34pm
http://ultimatemini.blogspot.com/
THIS OTHER METHOD WORKS ON XP
this gives very detailed instructions on how to do it
http://ultimatemini.blogspot.com/
Submitted by homeblt on Wed, 05/13/2009 - 8:26pm
I promise...I followed the steps
a. formatted my 16GB Kingston Jump Drive
b. Ran Bootsect...rec'd the correct msg from the DOS screen
c. Copied the extracted ISO files [32 bit for my 32 bit processors]to the jump drive.
d. Configured my BIOS on my MicroCenter dual proc 3.2...to boot from the jump drive [it even saw it as a Kingston device]booted...
Rec'd this msg: Pen Drive Without Operating System. Remove Pen Drive and reboot.
Sigh.
this worked great.
Submitted by zeringue on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 4:44am
I added the quick option to the format command. who wants to wait for a long format to finish.
Thank you for the article.
Submitted by tracker1 on Sat, 04/18/2009 - 2:28pm
I have to agree with the above comment, 7-zip (free/opensource) is way better than WinRAR for the most part... also a former winrar user.
--
Michael J. Ryan - tracker1.info
except for the fact it cant
Submitted by nekollx on Mon, 04/20/2009 - 9:33am
except for the fact it cant make multi part RAR files i agree
Submitted by Woofa on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 1:08pm
Download both 32 and 64 bit and use the bootsect from the 32 bit image to infuse the boot manager onto your USB flash drive but copy the 64 bit image contents. The bootsectors created are identical so you can infuse the boot manager from the 32 bit version in your 32 bit environment but copy the 64 bit image contents to then install the 64 bit version. Of course at this time you'll have to either already have those images or get them from somewhere else as MS isn't offering them for download anymore but they do still provide keys.
Submitted by JAMES SINR on Sun, 01/25/2009 - 1:52pm
IS WRONG.... THERE IS NO SPACE AFTER BOOTSECT.EXE....
I HAD TO GOOGLE TO COMAPRE IT AND I GOT THIS SITE....
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7vista-from-usb-drive-detailed-100-working-guide/
THIS WAS THE CORRECT ONE:
7. Type another command given below to update the USB drive with BOOTMGR compatible code.
BOOTSECT.EXE/NT60 H:
NOT TIS LIKE ABOVE:
Bootsect.exe /nt60 L: (where ‘L’ is the drive letter assigned to your USB key from the previous step)
THERES AN ACCIDENTAL SPACE ABOVE YOUR COMMAND... JUST TO POINT THAT MISTAKE... I TRIED YOUR WAY AND I GOT BOOTMGR FAILED...
Submitted by Woofa on Thu, 02/26/2009 - 11:04pm
Simply put any option/argument following an executable is always meant to have a space between the executable and the option/argument following it. If you encountered an error it isn't because the instructions are wrong. Check bootsect.exe /help and look at the proper syntax, bootsect {/help|/nt60|/nt52} {SYS|ALL|<DriveLetter>:} [/force] [/mbr]. Somewhere along the way whether there was a space after the executable and before the argument it was changed to allow either to work. You must have typo'd or something else created the issue because his syntax was correct but both work. BTW, why all the caps?
Submitted by JAMES SINR on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 2:35pm
HAHA IDK WHY IT DIND'T WORK WITH ME.... THEN AGAIN WHEN I DID IT I WAS USING VISTA HOME PREMIUM 64-BIT SO IDK... BUT I TRIPLE CHECKED IT AND IT WAS NO TYPO... :|
AS FOR THE CAPS, WELL I WAS RAISED WRITING IN CAPS IN MY FAMILY, SO THATS WHY I TYPE IN CAPS, ITS NOT CAUSE IM ANTISOCIAL LOL. ;)
Submitted by nekollx on Mon, 01/26/2009 - 10:26am
itried it max pcs way anf it worked flawlessly
Submitted by rochambeaux on Mon, 01/19/2009 - 11:01pm
I've tried this process to install Win 7 on my new system (which has Vista 64 alrady insatlled), based on gigabyte ep45-ud3p.
My boot options are USB-HDD, USB-FDD, USB-ZIP and USB-CDROM.
I've tried them all as the primary boot device and the bios never sees the USB drive to start the install.
Is there another setting in the bios I'm missing or will this work only if there is no OS installed?
Submitted by Woofa on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 1:37pm
Most likely after selecting that you also will need to select it at boot time to boot first or it will boot from your currently bootin primary drive.
Hey its says you need a 4GB
Submitted by Curtai on Mon, 01/19/2009 - 12:16pm
Hey its says you need a 4GB pen drive on the instructions and the pic is 8 and everything else... lol just thought i would bring that up...
Submitted by nekollx on Mon, 01/19/2009 - 12:21pm
it also says in the articla while a 4 gb will work they used a 8GB
Sweet!
Submitted by Romer on Sat, 01/17/2009 - 3:26pm
Thanks a bunch Norman, this is great! Not that I don't have spare blank DVDs around but this is much more fun =)
Submitted by ceegee on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 12:45pm
32bit win 7 will not install to usb, install proceedure will not let you continue if you try to install to usb drive
win7 to usb
Submitted by schneider1492 on Sun, 01/18/2009 - 12:16am
Im shure sombody will come up with a workaround.
This is all sweet and cute,
Submitted by kleinkinstein on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 10:29am
This is all sweet and cute, but how about a "How To" install w7 to a usb key!
Just Vista? :(
Submitted by Aeshir on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 8:40am
Just Vista? :(
Submitted by thefuzz4 on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 8:23am
I really wish that someone would just come out with a wonderful little program like uNetBootn that allows you to take any Linux ISO and make a thumb drive bootable. I have seen many guides on how to do it with XP but man is it just complicated and ugly. At least MS finally got something right here. I hate burning things to disks now a days. If I can't stick it on a thumb drive it's just about useless to me.
Submitted by crc32 on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 9:15pm
I just did it in xp, using the hp usb boot tool. It works fine. It may be hard to find but do a search for SP27213.exe or http://www.marlow.dk/tech/src/SP27213.exe
Submitted by sjankis630 on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 3:02pm
Interesting,
I too am still on Windows XP. But the question is does this HP utility you mention work to make SD flash drives bootable? I have a 16GB SD flash drive but no sizable USB drive at the moment.
Where are you measuring
Submitted by TheMurph on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 8:18am
Where are you measuring install times from? The minute you begin physically burning the ISO / USB key, or the actuall installation itself? And are you saving 20 minutes, or minutes?
I only ask, as the installation of Windows 7 itself from a CD takes about... 25 minutes. If you're really cutting 20 minutes out of that process, that's crazy. :D
Submitted by norman on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 9:13am
the time included physically burning the disc, but i measured it on a relatively old laptop with a slower optical drive. i actually removed the specific time savings from the body text and forgot to edit it from the front page, since i realized that the time savings will vary depending on your hardware. -- Norm
Submitted by nekollx on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 10:21am
Hey Norm, quick question: once you have a 7th Thumb does it only work on the pc you set up on or any PC you plug into?
Submitted by norman on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 10:41am
it'll work on any PC that'll let you boot from a removable USB storage device. - Norm
Submitted by thefuzz4 on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 8:29am
I don't know about MPC but I can tell you this much. Installing Kubuntu from a USB key saves me about 15 mins compared to installing from a CD.
Submitted by nekollx on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 10:19am
i agree id love a guide to instal linus on a usb key as well.
Submitted by damiananderson on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 11:25am
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/ i hope this link helps
Submitted by mikemckay on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 7:53am
great guide as always.....worked for me and NO CRASHES YET :)......but what i would really like to see is a step by step for how to install windows 7 to a bootable usb drive
Days after I asked this
Submitted by I Jedi on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 7:19am
Days after I asked this question on the MaxPC forums this comes out. Ha. Ha. Good! I'm definitely going to learn this for future reference. Good update.
Hey Norm!
Submitted by Havok on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 6:59am
Just wondering about your great guide, I don't know if it was part of aninside joke or a hangover, but was it supposed to be "BETTA" on the frontpage or "BETA"? Please don't hate me or mock me or mock me too much or kick me from theTF2 group!
OMGWTFBBQ
Must Read Articles
Feature
Review
Feature
Feature
Feature
Most Popular Articles
This Month's Issue
FEATURE How to Get FREE Programs, Services, Software & MoreFEATURE Digital Photo Printer RoundupHOW TOBuild a 3D CameraFEATUREDIY Arcade PCWHITE PAPERHow TRIM Works
Technology News
Computer Cooling Fans
Computer Cases
PC Game Controllers
PC Games
Computer Hardware
Headphones
MP3 Players
Stream Video
Computer Mouse
Monitors
Motherboards
NAS Storage
Networking
Laptop Computers
DVD Burner
Digital Cameras
Portable Storage
Computer Accessories
Smartphone
Antivirus Software
Sound Cards
Speakers
Computer Systems
Thumb Drives
Video Cameras
Video Card Reviews
Water Cooling
Gadgets
- Keyboards
© 2009 Future US, Inc. All Rights Reserved.