UltraISO -> open desired image -> Bootable -> Write Disk Image -> Choose your USB drive's letter -> Burn -> Use
you know, it's much clearer and simpler than your TL;DR
Jun
12
2009
Install Windows 7 Using a USB Drive
Written by Timothy Stewart
After purchasing a netbook, I quickly realized that Windows XP, Vista, nor Ubuntu was the right OS for my netbook. Each seemed to consume too many resources and took a long time to boot. I wanted to install Windows 7 to see how it ran. The only problem was that my netbook doesn't have a CD/DVD drive. I dug up a 4GB pen drive and decided to somehow get Windows 7 installed by booting from it. Here is how:
What is needed:
Laptop/Desktop without a DVD drive
USB Drive that is at least 4 GB
Windows 7 Install Image (Works with Beta, RC, and Final) The RC can be downloaded from here (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx)
Preparing the USB Drive
- Plug in your USB pen drive to another PC running Windows
- Open up a cmd window (Start > <type cmd and hit enter> )
- type diskpart
- type list disk (You should see a listing of all disks connected to your PC.)
- type select disk # (# is the disk number of your USB drive)
- type clean
- type create partition primary
- type select partition 1
- type active
- type format fs=fat32 quick
Mounting the Windows 7 Image
After this the USB Drive is now ready for the Windows 7 files to be copied to.
We need to mount the Windows 7 image. A free image mounter can be downloaded from here (http://www.magiciso.com/tutorials/miso-magicdisc-overview.htm?=mdisc_hlp106)
After installing this, you can now mount many different types of image files.
To mount the Windows 7 image, right click the MagicISO image in the system tray and choose Virtual CD/DVD-ROM > Mount
Navigate to where you have your Windows 7 image saved.
After mounting the Windows 7 image, you can now explore the image.
Copying the Files to USB
Open the USB drive and copy all of the Windows 7 files from the mounted image to the root of the drive. (this may take some time)
Preparing the Netbook
After you have done all of the steps above you are almost done. All we need to do now is set the netbook to boot from the USB drive.
You may have to go in to the BIOS and set the USB drive as bootable. Most should have this set. Then you can change the boot order to boot from the USB drive first.
An easier way is just to press the key that pulls up the boot option on your netbook. On mine it is F12.
Example:
Netbook is powered off.
Plug in USB drive.
Power on netbook.
I repeatedly hit F12 to pull up the boot menu (on my Lenovo S10, F12 is a combo of the function key and F11)
I see all of my boot options and choose USB drive.
Windows 7 can now be installed as if you had the DVD inserted.
Another note is do not remove the USB drive until after Windows is completely installed and you have logged in at least once.
