Do you need to install Windows 7 on a computer without a DVD player? Do you want to create a backup installer in case your disk gets damaged? Follow this guide to find out how to transfer Windows installation files to a bootable USB stick.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Create or Obtain a Windows Vista / 7 ISO
Step 1. Install a free burning program
There are many free burning programs online, but you will need one that can create ISO files.
If you received your copy of Windows 7 as an ISO file from Microsoft, you can skip to the next section directly
Step 2. Insert the Windows 7 DVD
Run your burning program and look for an option like "Create Image File". If prompted, set the DVD player as the source.
Step 3. Save the ISO file
Choose a filename and location that are easy to remember. The ISO you create will be the same size as the disk you are copying (this means you may need several Gigabytes of free disk space). Make sure you have enough space.
It may take a long time to create the ISO, depending on the speed of your computer and DVD player
Part 2 of 4: Creating a Bootable Disk
Step 1. Download Windows 7 USB / DVD Download Tool
Microsoft allows free download of this tool. Despite the name, it also works with Windows Vista ISOs, and you can run it on virtually any version of Windows.
Step 2. Choose the source file
This is the ISO file you created or downloaded in the first section of the guide. Click on "Next".
Step 3. Select the USB Device option
You can choose whether to burn a DVD or create a USB device. For this guide click on USB Device.
Step 4. Select your USB device
Make sure the USB device is connected properly. You will need at least 4GB of space on it to be able to copy the Windows installation files to it.
Step 5. Wait for the program to finish running
The program will format the USB device to make it bootable correctly and then copy the ISO file to it. The transfer could take up to 15 minutes, depending on the speed of your computer.
Part 3 of 4: Using the Command Line
Step 1. Insert the USB device
First insert the USB device and copy all its contents to a safe place on the disk.
Step 2. Run Command Prompt as administrator
To open the command prompt, click on the Start menu and search for CMD. Click on it with the right mouse button and select Run as administrator to run it with administrator privileges.
Step 3. Use the Diskpart utility to find the USB disk number
To do this, type the DISKPART command in the command prompt.
- By running DISKPART, the current version of DISKPART and the name of your PC will be displayed.
- Type "list disk" to view all the disks connected to your computer. Make a note of the number assigned to your USB device.
Step 4. Format the disk
Run the following commands one after the other. Make sure you replace Disk 1 with the correct number assigned to your USB device.
select disk 1
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs = NTFS QUICK
assign
exit
Step 5. Make the USB device bootable
Use the bootsect utility available on Windows 7 and Vista. To do it:
- Insert the 7 / Vista DVD and make a note of the letter assigned to the DVD player. In this guide, the DVD player is D: and the USB disk is "G:".
- Change to the directory containing bootsect.
- Use bootsect to make the USB disk bootable. This will add BOOTMGR code to the disk to prepare it for Windows 7 / Vista boot.
- Close the Command Prompt windows.
D:
cd d: / boot
BOOTSECT. EXE / NT60 G:
Step 6. Copy all files from the Windows 7 / Vista DVD to the newly formatted USB device
The safest and fastest way is to use the Windows Explorer. Open the disc, select all of its contents and drag it to the USB device (this may take a few minutes to complete).
Part 4 of 4: Prepare for Installation
Step 1. Change the boot order
To boot your PC from the USB disk you will first need to configure the BIOS so that the USB device has boot precedence over the hard disk. To enter the BIOS, restart your computer and press the key displayed on the screen. The key to press depends on the manufacturer, but is usually one of F2, F10, F12, or Del.
Open the BIOS Boot menu. Set your USB disk as the first boot device. Make sure it is entered, otherwise you will not be able to select it. Depending on your PC manufacturer, it may appear as a Removable Device or with its model name
Step 2. Save changes and reboot
If you have set the boot order correctly, the installation of Windows 7 or Vista will begin as soon as the manufacturer logo has disappeared from the screen.
Step 3. Install Windows
The installation process will load and Windows setup will start.
