[Guide] Installing Windows from USB Flash Drive

[RamboOC]

[Guide] Installing Windows from a USB Flash Drive


This guide will walk you through installing Windows from a USB Flash Drive.
It will work for transferring windows installation files from DVD Disc And .iso file.
You will find the official download links for windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 .iso at the bottom of this post

Software required for this tutorial:
WiNToBootic - Download
This software will allow you to create a bootable USB Flash Drive using a windows DVD disc or an .ISO file.

Warning! Your USB Flash Drive will be formatted therefore all the data on it will be erased. Please backup the contents of USB Flash Drive before proceding futher with this guide.

1)

A) Once you have downloaded and Ran WiNToBootic you will see a drop down box. Select the USB Flash Drive that you want to transfer the windows installation files to.
B ) Tick the "Quick Format" box
C) Click on the green arrow. Navigate to the root directory of the Windows DVD disc OR or double click on an .ISO file contaigning windows OS.
Now press "Do it!" to start the process of transferring windows installation files over to a usb flash drive.
Once this process has finished, you are ready to install windows from usb flash drive. Simply restart your computer and you should boot from the USB Flash drive! If not, follow the steps below

2)

If your computer does NOT boot from the USB Flash Drive, you may need to select the usb flash drive as a temporary start up device. In order to do this, turn off your computer, and soon as you turn it back on, keep pressing the F12 key on your keyboard. From there Select your usb flash drive or if its not listed than select a "removable device".

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Windows 7 Official .iso images: LINK

Windows 8 / 8.1 Official .iso image [Serial key neeed (No trial)] LINK

 

[Wraith]

Nice job fella very informative and easy to understand.

It's good to see you back on form, keep it up dude.

 

[MadShadow]

Nice little guide, might help me in the future. Thanks dude

 

[ShaunB-91]

Nice guide, whats wrong with the Microsoft tool to put your iso on the USB though? Just looks a bit prettier than WinToBootic.

 

[RamboOC]

Nice guide, whats wrong with the Microsoft tool to put your iso on the USB though? Just looks a bit prettier than WinToBootic.

It only accepts iso files and only works with windows 7 and later. I have also found that it doesn't always work

 

[ShaunB-91]

It only accepts iso files and only works with windows 7 and later. I have also found that it doesn't always work

Ah I didn't know that, hopefully there won't be too many out there on XP though lol. Wonder why it doesn't always work?

 

[Feronix]

Not gonna lie, that software looks extremely tacky.

I prefer to do it the manual way via command prompt.

 

[RamboOC]

Ah I didn't know that, hopefully there won't be too many out there on XP though lol. Wonder why it doesn't always work?

This guide will be usefull for my next guide (getting the most out of cpu benchmarks) as i will be running a stripped down windows xp

 

[MadShadow]

Not gonna lie, that software looks extremely tacky.

Esp with the big Ukraine logo...

 

[Wraith]

This guide will be usefull for my next guide (getting the most out of cpu benchmarks) as i will be running a stripped down windows xp

Cool! I used to use Black Vipers XP Tweaks to get a better performing stripped out XP Pro, it was always the way to go for extreme gaming performance.

 

[RamboOC]

Not gonna lie, that software looks extremely tacky.

Ive tried many, and this software is the best imo. its not to complicated, It accepts ISO and DVD's, works with win xp and up and always works for me. i don't look at the designs of the programs, i look at how they perform and suit my needs. its stable

-
Edit: I have updated the download links to a version with better design

 

[Xrqute]

I do this.

But I use a program called rufus to make my bootable USB's it has a very similar interface to windows. It's never skipped a trick always bang on and its free.

 

[RamboOC]

I do this.

But I use a program call rufus to make my bootable USB's it has a very similar interface to windows. It's never skipped a trick always bang on and its free.

I've used it too, its great and light .. but it does not support making a bootable usb from a windows dvd like the program i have used in this guide.

just a preference tbh. both programs are great

 

[Xrqute]

I've used it too, its great and light .. but it does not support making a bootable usb from a windows dvd like the program i have used in this guide

Ooooohhh! Gotcha!


Also I'm pretty sure you can just DL the Win7 iso directly from Microsoft if you're un able to get access to a rig an optical drive to make one from a DVD/CD.

 

[RamboOC]

Ooooohhh! Gotcha!


Also I'm pretty sure you can just DL the Win7 iso directly from Microsoft if you're un able to get access to a rig an optical drive to make one from a DVD/CD.

Yes that's right, but if someone already has a windows dvd, its less hassle to just make a bootlable flash drive from the dvd than downloading the iso.
Besides, OEM discs are not widely available online as .iso files, and not all os'es are officialy .iso downloadable. And some people have slow internet / bandwitch restriction

This guide adresses people with windows dvd discs AND people with .iso files

 

[Damien c]

You can get the Windows 7 .ISO files from Digital River, it's where I got mine from when a friend gave me a Windows 7 Ultimate MSDN license.

Now I have a copy of each ISO on my pc so that if I need one, for someones pc then I can just grab any of the USB stick's I have and bang it on it and just do a fresh install.

I only use the Windows USB Tool but, I might check this out the next time I need to make a bootable USB installer.

 

[RamboOC]

OP updated with windows .iso download links

 

[hmmblah]

Haven't seen this tool before, but have used Microsoft's own tool to do this:
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

Nice little guide and it's handy to have those .iso links.

Edit: I think that XP download may just be the iso for Service Pack 3, not the full XP iso.

 

[RamboOC]

Edit: I think that XP download may just be the iso for Service Pack 3, not the full XP iso.

I think you're right, tested it in a virtual machine

 

[YouWhat]

[Guide] Installing Windows from a USB Flash Drive


This guide will walk you through installing Windows from a USB Flash Drive.
It will work for transferring windows installation files from DVD Disc And .iso file.
You will find the download links for windows 7 and windows XP .iso at the bottom of this post

Software required for this tutorial:
WiNToBootic - Download
This software will allow you to create a bootable USB Flash Drive using a windows DVD disc or an .ISO file.

Warning! Your USB Flash Drive will be formatted therefore all the data on it will be erased. Please backup the contents of USB Flash Drive before proceding futher with this guide.

1)

A) Once you have downloaded and Ran WiNToBootic you will see a drop down box. Select the USB Flash Drive that you want to transfer the windows installation files to.
B ) Tick the "Quick Format" box
C) Click on the green arrow. Navigate to the root directory of the Windows DVD disc OR or double click on an .ISO file contaigning windows OS.
Now press "Do it!" to start the process of transferring windows installation files over to a usb flash drive.
Once this process has finished, you are ready to install windows from usb flash drive. Simply restart your computer and you should boot from the USB Flash drive! If not, follow the steps below

2)

If your computer does NOT boot from the USB Flash Drive, you may need to select the usb flash drive as a temporary start up device. In order to do this, turn off your computer, and soon as you turn it back on, keep pressing the F12 key on your keyboard. From there Select your usb flash drive or if its not listed than select a "removable device".

---

Windows 7 Official .iso images: LINK
Windows XP Pro Official .iso image: LINK

The XP link is for the SP3 iso, not windows xp with sp3 slipstreamed.

Also don't know if you wanted to do or add the Audit mode setup instructions to your guide for when setting up SSD with a mechanical drive for user folders. (give me a shout if you want instructions to add to it, I don't mind contributing to a good cause and good guide)