How to Create a Bootable Windows 7 or Vista USB Drive

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Do you need to install Windows 7 or Vista on a computer without a CD drive or do you want to create a backup installer in case your installer CD gets damaged? This wikiHow article teaches you how to create a bootable Windows 7 or Vista USB drive.

Making a Bootable Windows 7 Flash Drive

  • Download an ISO of Windows 7, or create one yourself from a Windows 7 DVD.
  • Download the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool from Microsoft, open it, and select the ISO.
  • Choose your USB drive and follow the on-screen instructions to create your bootable drive.
Part 1
Part 1 of 5:

Renaming the file

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  1. 1
    Connect the USB to the PC (if you have already copied the files and made it bootable), Open the folder containing the installation files.
  2. 2
    Rename the file 'Boot.mgr' to 'ntldr' ,(without the ' ) and it will work!
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  3. 3
    *Imp*And please boot from the USB first, not the hard disk. Most of the PCs support pressing the 'F12' or 'Del' button
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Part 2
Part 2 of 5:

Creating or Obtaining A Windows Vista/7 ISO

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  1. There are many free burning utilities available online. You need one that can create ISO files.
    • If you received your Windows 7 as a downloadable ISO file from Microsoft, you can skip to the next section.
  2. Open your new burning program. Look for an option such as “Copy to Image” or “Create Image.” If prompted, select your DVD drive as the source.
  3. Choose an easy-to-remember name and location for the file. The ISO you make will be equal in size to the disc you are copying. This means it can take up several gigabytes of space on your hard drive. Be sure you have enough storage available.
    • Creating the ISO can take a long time, depending on the speed of your computer and DVD drive.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 5:

Creating a Bootable Drive

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  1. This is available for free from Microsoft. Despite its name, this tool works with Windows Vista ISOs as well. You can run this tool on virtually any version of Windows.
  2. This is the ISO that you created or downloaded in the first section. Click Next.
  3. You are given the option to either burn to a DVD or create a USB device. For this guide, click USB Device.
  4. Make sure that your flash drive is connected correctly. You will need at least 4GB space on your flash drive to copy over the Windows installation.
  5. The program will format the USB drive to boot correctly, and then copy the ISO file onto the drive. The copying process can take up to 15 minutes to complete, depending on the speed of your machine.
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Part 4
Part 4 of 5:

Using the Command Line

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  1. First plug in your USB stick to your USB port and copy all the content to a safe location in your hard drive.
  2. To open a command prompt, go to the Start menu and search for CMD. Right-click on it and select Run as Administrator to use it with admin rights.
  3. To do so, type in the following command in the command prompt: DISKPART
    • Running DISKPART will display the version of DISKPART you are running and the name of your PC.
    • Type “list disk” to see a display of all your connected disk drives. Make a note of the number assigned to your Flash drive.
  4. Execute the following list of commands one by one. Make sure you replace Disk 1 with the proper Disk number from DISKPART.

    select disk 1
    clean
    create partition primary
    select partition 1
    active
    format fs=NTFS QUICK
    assign
    exit
  5. Use the bootsect utility that is shipped with Windows 7/Vista. To do so:
    • Insert the Windows 7/Vista DVD and note down the drive letter of the DVD drive. For this guide, the DVD drive is D: and the USB drive is G:.
    • Navigate to the directory where bootsect is found.

      D:
      cd d:\boot
    • Use the bootsect to make the USB Drive bootable. This updates the drive with BOOTMGR-compatible code and prepares it to boot Windows 7/Vista.

      BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 G:
    • Close the Command Prompt windows.
  6. The safest and the fastest way would be to use the Windows Explorer. Open the disk, select everything, and drag it into your flash drive. This could take a few minutes to copy.
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Part 5
Part 5 of 5:

Preparing to Install

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  1. To boot from the USB drive, you will have to set the BIOS to boot from the USB first instead of the hard drive. To open the BIOS, reset your computer and hit the displayed key to enter Setup. The key varies by manufacturer, but is usually F2 , F10 , F12 , or Del .
    • Open the Boot menu in your BIOS. Change the 1st Boot Device to your USB drive. Be sure that it is inserted, or you may not be given an option to choose it. Depending on your manufacturer, it may say Removable Device or list your flash drive’s model.
  2. If you set the boot order correctly, your Windows 7 or Vista installation will load after the manufacturer’s logo disappears.
  3. The installation process will load and the Windows setup will begin. Check out our guide on installing Windows 7 for an in-depth walkthrough.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Whenever I select my ISO file, Windows 7 USB/DVD says it is invalid. How do I fix that?
    Community Answer
    Try re-downloading the ISO. It's probably corrupted if Win7 says it's invalid.
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    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 6 Helpful 4
  • Question
    What if I don't have a 7/Vista Inst DVD?
    Somone
    Community Answer
    You will need to buy one or download an ISO file from the Microsoft website.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 1
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      References

      1. http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7vista-from-usb-drive-detailed-100-working-guide/
      2. http://kmwoley.com/blog/?p=345
      3. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itproinstall/thread/0595381f-10ee-4ecb-8031-edda879556af

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Install a free disc burning app.
      2. Insert a Windows 7 DVD.
      3. Open the burning app.
      4. Select Create Image or Copy to image .
      5. Save the ISO file.
      6. Download Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool from Microsoft.com.
      7. Run the tool to create the disc.
      8. Make the disc bootable.

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