How To: Install Windows 7/Vista From USB Drive [Detailed 100% Working Guide]
Posted January 11, 2009 – 3:58 pm in: Live DVD/USB, Vista Tweaks, Windows 7, Windows 7 TweaksThis guide works 100% for Vista & Windows 7 unlike most of the guides out there. I have seen many sites/blogs that have “Install Vista from USB guide” but either with incomplete steps or not working guide. I have also seen some guides that don’t’ use proper commands in this guide. After spending many hours I have come up with this 100% working guide.
I just did this method on one of my friends machine and installed the new Windows 7 BETA. The main advantage is that by using USB drive you will be able to install Windows 7/Vista in just 15 minutes. You can also use this bootable USB drive on friend’s computer who doesn’t have a DVD optical drive.
The method is very simple and you can use without any hassles. Needless to say that your motherboard should support USB Boot feature to make use of the bootable USB drive.
Requirements:
*USB Flash Drive (Minimum 4GB)
*Windows 7 or Vista installation files.
Follow the below steps to create bootable Windows 7/Vista USB drive using which you can install Windows 7/Vista easily.
1. Plug-in your USB flash drive to USB port and move all the contents from USB drive to a safe location on your system.
2. Open Command Prompt with admin rights. Use any of the below methods to open Command Prompt with admin rights.
*Type cmd in Start menu search box and hit Ctrl+ Shift+ Enter.
Or
*Go to Start menu > All programs > Accessories, right click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
3. You need to know about the USB drive a little bit. Type in the following commands in the command prompt:
First type DISKPART and hit enter to see the below message.
Next type LIST DISK command and note down the Disk number (ex: Disk 1) of your USB flash drive. In the below screenshot my Flash Drive Disk no is Disk 1.
4. Next type all the below commands one by one. Here I assume that your disk drive no is “Disk 1”.If you have Disk 2 as your USB flash drive then use Disk 2.Refer the above step to confirm it.
So below are the commands you need to type and execute one by one:
SELECT DISK 1
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
SELECT PARTITION 1
ACTIVE
FORMAT FS=NTFS
(Format process may take few seconds)
ASSIGN
EXIT
Don’t close the command prompt as we need to execute one more command at the next step. Just minimize it.
5. Next insert your Windows7/Vista DVD into the optical drive and check the drive letter of the DVD drive. In this guide I will assume that your DVD drive letter is “D” and USB drive letter is “H” (open my computer to know about it).
6. Maximize the minimized Command Prompt in the 4th step.Type the following command now:
D:CD BOOT and hit enter.Where “D” is your DVD drive letter.
CD BOOT and hit enter to see the below message.
7. Type another command given below to update the USB drive with BOOTMGR compatible code.
BOOTSECT.EXE/NT60 H:
Where “H” is your USB drive letter. Once you enter the above command you will see the below message.
8. Copy your Windows 7/Vista DVD contents to the USB flash drive.
9. Your USB drive is ready to boot and install Windows 7/Vista. Only thing you need to change the boot priority at the BIOS to USB from the HDD or CD ROM drive. I won’t explain it as it’s just the matter the changing the boot priority or enabling the USB boot option in the BIOS.
Note: If you are not able to boot after following this guide means you haven’t set the BIOS priority to USB. If you got any problem in following this guide feel free to ask questions by leaving comment.
- 14 Excellent Windows 7 themes
- 14 Awesome Vista themes of all time
- 27 Beautiful Vista logon screens
- How to install Windows 7 from USB
- Remove Watermark from Windows 7 desktop
Tags: Bootable USB, Install Vista/Windows 7 from USB, Install Windows 7, Instlal Vista, USB
3 Trackbacks
-
[...] Install Windows 7/Vista using bootable USB guide [...]
-
[...] you all know creating a bootable USB, or installing Windows 7 or Vista using USB is a piece of cake. It doesn’t take much time and effort to have a bootable USB. Now, after [...]
-
[...] of our reader asked solution for “no sound” after installing Windows Vista Service Pack 1. Although most of the users have upgraded to the service pack 2 [...]
121 Comments
Hey thanks! I’d love to try this soon
I hope it’s working
I don’t think XP shows usb drives in list disk, or maybe it’s just me. Is there any other alternative to step 4?
^ That’s why I have mentioned only Vista & Windows 7.
Works 100% on Vista & Windows 7..Thanks.
This is cool…Hope it will work the same way with an external HDD….
Keep up the good work bro…
i am also trying to do this from xp, and it doesnt work, im not sure if step 4 needs to be done in comand prompt (i formatted the stick in disk manager) but i got stuck on step 7 because there is no such thing as bootsect.exe
When I run bootsect.exe it says that this version isn’t compatible with my version of windows even though it is running the vista version.
Please use Vista or Windows 7 as bootsect.exe is not present in XP CD.This guide only works on Windows Vista & 7
This guide doesn’t work for XP..Only for Vista and Windows 7..I have mentioned in the title of the post.
@ben
Please follow the guide step-by-step and don’t skip any step.
THANK YOU! I was having problems getting the boot sector to work…
and you fixed it. Definitely better than any other guide… SCREEN SHOTS = TEHWIN!, they help sooo much when you can’t see what you’ve done wrong, even picked up a few new cmd tricks.
I’m a fan, thanks man.
Hey man your methods does not working in XP. Please reinform us.
I was doing fine up until step 5. I figured the whole point of booting from a USB drive was to avoid having to burn a disc with the Windows 7 files on it, or install on a PC without a DVD drive. Anyway, I don’t have any blank DVD’s, so I was trying to install it from my USB drive, but I can’t get past step 5, since I don’t have my Windows 7 files on a disc. They are on my hard drive, and my USB drive. Help!
Got it working in the second attempt.good guide.
OK nevermind I just had to optimise the drive for performance… Sorry about that!
Thanks…very excellent guide…
any working method for xp usb drive installation? Tried many…but non of them working
Hey mofos!
Couldnt use the diskpart like ohters here. So i started googling and I finally got this working on xp after 7 hours of boreness and found out it was actually pretty simple.
So heres what i did!
1: Download: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?s=931703fec95c83bf4d634a2cfbeeff05&act=attach&type=post&id=1054
2: Run USB_MultiBoot_10.cmd —> press any key.
3: Choose option 2 aka H —-> choose nfts and format, not quick format.
4: Follow this guide from step 5 and forward.
Pretty much it. And im installing now
You can put this in the guide for XP ONLY if you want too.
Does it also mean that we can install windows 7 on a usb drive?
This worked an absolute treat. Nice write-up.
I did it on an XP box using Windows 7 mounted onto a virtual DVD drive.
I had to do the format using the windows tools as wasn’t available as part of diskpart in XP.
All the rest worked as described.
i just formated my usb pen, and done show all files on the DVD and copied the contents over.
i didnt use the diskpart tools.
installed w2in 7 fine
Leechie!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INSTRUCTIONS FOR XP!!!! Wow, I have been searching for past two days and you explained it in 4 steps, you are AWESOME! Thank you VERY VERY VERY MUCH!!!
U can also achieve booting from a usb drive by using daemon tools. Don’t mean to dis on the author graet walkthrough by the way. Its just an alternative, and no need for any command prompt scripting.
i tried both the XP method and VISTA method. both i managed to do without any problems. but when i try to boot from the pen drive i get this error
file : \Boot\BCD
status : 0xc000000e
info : An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration
some help please?
Hey, I followed all the steps, and everything worked perfectly until I booted from the Usb device and tried to install windows 7. It said that “Setup does not support installation to disks connected through a USB port. Is there a way around this?
@Darin
Firstly, let me apologise for the experience you’re having.
The error means, your motherboard doesn’t support USB booting. I have also mentioned this in my guide. And there is no way to boot USB unless your motherboard support.
@Vikrant
No this guide doesn’t for the users who like to install Windows 7 on USB.
@Omar
If you don’t have a DVD drive/USB(4GB) then use my guide “Installing Windows 7 without using USB/DVD drive”. There are two methods, direct and via VPC method. Please follow my guides.
@All
I am glad that this guide helped you to install Windows 7.
Thanks.
i downloaded windows 7 from microsoft and dont have a cd/dvd for it so what do i do do i extract it to the usb then restart using the flash drive or what?
@Joey
If you don’t have a DVD/USB then use my below guide which shows “Installing Windows 7 without using USB/DVD drive”
http://www.intowindows.com/installing-windows-7-without-using-dvdusb-drive-method-2/
http://www.intowindows.com/installing-windows-7-without-using-dvdusb-drive-method-1/
Hello i can’t see my usb stick with diskpart.
all i can see, is my 4 HDD’s on my computer.
What can i do in this case?
When I try step 7, I get: “The system cannot execute the specified program”
Bootsect.exe problem!
I think that there is a problem occurs when you want to install “64 Bit Windows 7″ from your 32 Bit Vista.
Here is the message after typing BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 H:
“This version of F:boot\bootsect.exe is not compatible with the version of Windows you’re running. Check your computer’s system information to see whether you need a X86 (32-Bit) or X64(64-Bit) version of the program, and then contact the software publisher. “
What if I want to create a x64 boot in a x86 environment? I get this error message. “This version of g:\boot\bootsect.exe is not compatible with the version of Windows you’re running. Check your system information yada yada contact software publisher.” I am running Vista 32-bit, trying to create this USB boot thingaby for Windows 7 64-bit.
Thanks mate.
When I tried to boot from usb it will not even get finished copying the files when it gives me an error code. It sometimes will start installing updates. But what is with this damn error code. I,m waiting on it to do it again……..Expanding files (0%)……….
Windows cannot install required files. Make sure all files required for installation are available, and restart the installation. Error code: 0×8007045D
I would be very grateful for anyone’s help.
Hey tweakwindows i think we need to make use of xcopy command havent tried it for xp did u try it out /?
I have followed all instructions.
I tried the flash drive one of my main machines and it works. However, on my test rig, I only get a Missing Operating System message. Boot priorities are set to USB Boot.
What could be wrong?
My USB becomes Bootable, however when it is installing it gets stuck at 8% and then nothing happens??? I’ve tried many times and it doesn’t seem to work, it always gets stuck at 5% or 8%. Sometimes it errors out with the error code: 0×800703ee
Can the USB-stick after having Windows7 installed, be used to get in the complete recovery enviroment as well?
Works like a charm, thanks
First of all, sorry for the delay in reply.
@ PeterNLD
Of course, you can use as a replace to DVD.
@ Laker_Fan32
Sorry for the delay. I think you need to copy all the files once again. Just try it.
@ Siddarth
I didn’t try that method. But I have another method which works on XP as well. Will post the guide soon.
@ Nick
Make sure you copy all the Windows 7 files to USB correctly.
@Suavi
Basically, I haven’t tested this method on 64-bit machine. So, I can’t find a solution for you.
Thank you.
Into Windows
Hi, I read d comments & got confirmed that this method works although i didn’t try it. I want to install windows xp by USB method. Can you also give a method like this for windows xp also?? I am currently running windows vista & don’t have an optical drive.
Only one minor issue if you are trying to create a W7 64-bit bootable drive on a 32 bit install of Vista. In that case you’ll have to run the bootsect command from a 32-bit W7 DVD, because the version on the 64-bit DVD will not run on a 32-bit OS.
Thank you! Absolutely brilliant - your guides have been very helpful!! It all worked just as you have so thoroughly described.
Um, couldn’t you have skipped step 5 and onwards? You just need to do the diskpart and then copy contents of the CD to your USB, at least, that’s what worked for me
Also, why are you formating to NTFS instead of FAT32?
Just wondering..
If I had Vista pre-installed when I purchased my computer —
what different steps would I take to make a bootable USB drive??
Thanks,
Bob
Thanks mate for this, very detailed and very user friendly, i tried to install Win xp on my EEEpc 1000H but for some reason it wouldnt boot unless i put the USB stick in….lol, its mad when Win 7 is much easier to setup and install than XP.
Anychance of letting me know how to dual boot with Windows 7 and Ubuntu Easy Peasy ?
Thanks mate your a star
Correct me if I’m wrong, but step 5 states that we need a DVD. I use this guide because I don’t have one. Am I right?
Great article. Worked like a charm.
Hi.
In the list disk step,I can’t see my USB drive. What’s wrong with it? (My Operating System is XP.)
Does it only work in Vista?
Thank you for your teaching.
HEY I HAVE PROBLEM IN THE LAST STEP .. MY DVD ROM IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY.I HAVE IMAGE(NRG) OF WINDOWS VISTA.I LOAD IT USING A IMAGE READER SOFTWARE (POWER ISO),WHEN I TRYING TO EXCUTE THE LAST STEP USING VIRTUAL DVD ROM THAN THE ORIGINAL DVD ROM,I GOT A EXCEPTION
“COULD NOT FIND MAP DRIVE PARTITION TO THE ASSOCIATED VOLUME DEVICE OBJECT:
ACCESS IS DENIED”
HOW CAN I SLOW IT ..?,PLS HELP ME .. SND ME MAIL ON MY MAIL ACCOUNT…
Sorry for the delay in replay.
@Man
This method works fine on Vista and Windows 7 only. I will be writing a guide for XP users in a week. Stay tuned!
@Nick1
I wrote this guide to make the installation faster. In my personal experience Windows 7 took just 15 minutes to get installed from USB compared to 35 minutes DVD method. Of course, you can skip the step 5 if you can mount the image and copy the files.
@Andy
Sorry, I am not planning on that. But, it should be easier if you install Linux over Windows 7.
@Bob Sauve
Follow the same procedure. This method works on both Vista and Windows 7.
@Tyson
Wait for few days to get a detailed guide.
@Fzang
NTFS is faster than FAT.
Admin
http://www.intowindows.com
Awesome,Think!!!
well im gonna try this from my phone. hope everything works out ok
About th LIST DISK command, I can not see my USB drive number (As you so the instruction below). so how? i see only my Hard Drive. what can i do?? pls help me!!
Hi thats an awesomely explained method! great work!
but i’m on Vista x86 and i was trying to make a usb with Vista x64 on it, but the cmd prompt gave me this error! -
“This version of X:\boot\bootsect.exe is not compatible with the version of Windows you’re running. Check your computer’s system information to see whether you need a x86 or x64 version of the program, and then contact the software publisher”
Is it that i need Vista x64 to create a USB x64!??
Pls help
Thanks Worked like a charm.
No luck from XP on my Asus 1000HE…
I used leechers method and continued from step 5.. wehen attemping to boot from USB I get “disk read error”
Hi, i tried it using my 4Gb microSD but like Darin my HP mini-note 2133 (which offers boot option through “USB generic STORAGE DEVICE”) boot manager comes with an error “the boot selection failed because a required device is inaccesible”.
I worked through all the steps as described above without any errors.
But i notice that diskpart command DETAIL DISK shows that “Bootable = No”
Si is it bootable yes or no and what might have gone wrong?
thx, btw great job this site !!
Correction, it works again !
noticed that i did not copy my w7 dvd properly
great, you made linux disappear for us, thx again tweakwindows !
Hi ive tried and tried but DISKPART wont see my usb key, can u help.
hey it is showing cannot find bootmngr press crl alt del to restart
Great guide. You need to update your requirements section to point out that these instructions only work when done on a Vista or Windows 7 platform, or specifically state they will not work on XP
Thanks for the reply. Will edit the post soon.
@ajin
I hope you have followed my steps correctly. Try to repair your bootmgr file.
Sorry, if you can’t find see your USB drive in the DISKPART command, I can’t help you. However, if you have only one hard drive, then you can use the “1″ as your USB key. But try this on your own risk.
Formatting may take few seconds ^^
It has bee taking maby 30minutes for 10percent with my 250gb drive …
56% now. thos are way loong seconds.
I have try all the step by step but on the stage command E:\boot>BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 F:
I got this message ‘Could not map drive partition to the associated volume device objects:
Access is denied. Any idea what went wrong. Please help. Thanks.
awesome guide does exactly what it says on the tin, thanks so much i’m now installing windows 7 on all my mates comps via usb.
excellent guide. thanks very much. you saved me aged of messing with BartPe again trying to make a bookable installation drive.
thanks.
list disk DID NOT detect a 4GB or a 16GB memory stick
Let’s say I have a hdd box with 2 partitions (Y, Z), can I use your method to create boot install for Vista on partition Y and for Windows 7 on partition Z?
Great write up. Works perfectly!!
Thanks a lot! Worked no problem. It also fixed the partition tables on my USB key!
Windows XP/2000 users !!!
Diskpart will not recognize removable storage, so don’t bover
This only works under WIndows Vista or 7.
When are the mongs gonna read and understand this guide does not work on xp.
For everyone having issues with diskpart in XP not seeing the USB stick, it’s because that’s an XP issue. The way XP and Vista handles USB drives, Vista sees them in Diskpart but XP tends not to. There is a reg hack to fix it but I haven’t bothered to search for it.
Just spotted someone beat me to it
Works 100% in my Notebook. I wanted to install Vista Ultimate with a 8GB USB Pen and i made it!
Thanks!
Best write-up ever! Clear and concise. Oh, and it works!!!
Great job, and thank you!
Funny thing I noticed on Win7, when you EXIT the DiskPart and try to continue in Command Prompt, while copying the bootsector to device, you may face an error - Access Denied for no priviledge in copying the bootsector to device.
Solution - just Exit the Command Prompt and Run it again (still need to Run as Administrator).
I’m sure this is another arrengement with MS and USB driver manufactuer to make money LOL joke
Nice guide I will have to steal my girlfriend’s USB drive (Which I bought her for christmas LOL) to try this. Looks like it’s worth it thanks
so if you do this tut correctly on a vista computer then you can use the pen drive on a Xp computer?
Hey Bro can one dual boot using this…. ie. Vista and Windows 7
perfect. great guide. thanks
Dear,
I want to install windows 7 RC through USB/Pen drive.
But when i open the command prompt and write LIST DISK there (after DISKPART), it only shows my hard drive there, that is DRIVE 0 only, though i try it after inserting USB.
Y is it so?
FORMAT FS=NTFS
(Format process may take few seconds)
Yeah lol, it’s taking a loooong few seconds on my 8GB drive
I have a question for you, admin.
What if I want to rollback changes made to my USB drive? Or can I leave it like that (partitions, ntfs) for regular use after installing windows 7?
@Jay
Yes, you can dual boot.
@ pirater2113
You can use this to create bootable USB on Vista and 7 only. If you have created on a Vista computer then you can use it on a XP computer to boot.
i tried it and it won’t work, i am using an old portable hard drive which is 5 gb, is it alright with it?
10x for this useful tutorial
it’s working on vista tomorrow i will try on win 7.
10x a lot
Can I do this with an SD card and USB adapter?
made a usb with above tutorial, will install windows 7
i wanted to install windows 7 64 bit but have 32 bit vista
now in order to install windows 7 64 bit, it seems, i will have to burn a dvd
@Trave
I haven’t personally tried using SD card. But you should be able to do that.
@All
We are going to close the comments for this post.
I used this method successfully on two computers. I was very surprised that when I was unable to change the boot sequence to USB in the BIOS on an older laptop, windows 7 installed anyway. I was pretty sure that it wouldn’t work but I tried it and presto! It went through the three reboots and installed perfectly. Has anyone else had this happen?
this method from microsoft takes out the last part using bootsect. and it still works.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd535816.aspx
Worked like a charm, great instructions, thanks!
Hi,
Great guide. However, I am stuck after:
bootsect.exe /nt60 h: (h is my usb drive letter)
The message I get is: “Could not map drive partitions to the associated volume device objects: Access is denied.”
I followed the steps twice niowand get the same result. Am I missing something? Would greatly appreciate any help…I have a netbook down and would like to put Windows 7 on it using a USB stick.
Thanks!
Please ignore my last message - I was not running command prompt as Administrator!
I m very very thankful to U for such HELP…..
You can follow my guide to creating a bootable usb disk under windows xp then follow this guide from 5 onwards.
I want to ask something. Can I return my flash drive back to normal after this? Leave a tagg on my guest book
or email me rather.
Hey..hv vista already installed on my pc..need 2 install win 7 as dual boot..i tried once dual bootin with xp bt resulted into bootin f only xp..cud u pls help me out hw 2 dual boot win 7 wid vista…
Best guide I have ever used… Thank you, hats off sir.
I find it funny that you say this is a 100% working guide but you don’t mention that fact that the Win 7/Vista USB boot drive needs to be created on computer running Windows 7 or Vista. That should really be added to the Requirements section so you can call your guide 100% working. I seen a few comments from people saying it doesn’t work because they’re trying to make the boot drive from within XP.
Other than that small piece of missing information, the guid e is great!
(I’m hoping HTML will work :P)
trying the F:CD BOOT command (where F is my DVD drive location), it returns the following functions
Firstly, from DISKPART (which you didn’t say to leave, not sure if you meant to or not)
Secondly, from C:\Windows\System32 (where your screenshot is taken from)
Sorry, images weren’t displayed from html
I’ll just explain it
from C:\Windows\System32, after running the F:CD BOOT
it returns a simple “Parameter is incorrect.”
from DISKPART it gives me a list of about 25 sub commands
not sure about the right word for that
thankyou but, your guide seems very will explained (just having some technical issues
Awesome work! Clear and very simple! For everyone having problems, keep in mind the guide is only for:
- Windows 7 installing / not running from an USB drive
- MB with USB boot support
Just follow the steps.
Thanks for this guide!
PS:
Great guide… cheers bro!
Thank a lot. Very useful tutorial… I followed it all through until I boot through usb and setup program comes up. When I get to, select which drive you want the installation I cant select my usb drive it comes up with the message below:
“WINDOWS CANNOT BE INSTALLED TO THIS DISK. SETUP DOES NOT SUPPORT CONFIGERATION OF OR INSTALLATION TO DISKS CONNECTED THROUGH A USB OR IEEE 1394 PORT.”
I tried 3 different computers and a few new laptops and come up with same message. I read these forums and people successfully installing them, What am i doing wrong. Can you please Help.
I’ve been at this for almost 2 weeks.
I can boot from usb but can’t install onto it. I am trying to install vista.
CAN YOU PLEASE HELP.
THANK YOU
@Shaz
You can’t install Windows on USB using this guide. You can only use this guide to create a bootable USB and then use it as installation media.
Thanks a lot for fast reply. Is there a way that I can install vista onto my external hard drive? if so how is it possible.
Thank you
Thanks, this worked really well.
Couldn’t get my old DVD drive to read quickly/effectively enough and this did the trick!
Well chuffed ;D
It works fine, except one problem: when I run the windows7 64bits RC1 \boot\bootsect.exe in my Vista 32, it doesn`t work. I did it running from the \boot folder of the windows7 Beta1 32bits and it is OK.
If you have a version problem with bootsec.exe, just use bootsec.exe from a Vista DVD. Put back your Windows 7 after and continue following the guide
Thanks !
Have a nice day.
very nice toot.
as an Ubuntu user I enjoyed being able to do this kind of stuff from Win7 7127 on my desktop to make this 7210 for my netbook without using linux.
imagine that.
Great guide, thx
Had a problem with step six but thats because the written command is wrong, but I figured it out when I saw the command in the scrren
thx again - just what I was looking for.
I used this method and created a USB drive for my Windows 7 installation. Works flawlessly! Oh, and the installation of Windows now takes only 8 minutes.
Step 2: don’t you guys know if you hit winkey + R you get the oldschool run box which automatically starts whatever you run from it with admin privledges?