Bootable USb - can't get PROMPT screen

jimbo45 · 15 May 2009

Hi all
There's quite good info on creating bootable USB sticks for W7 install
It all works

BUT - You don't get the prompt - "Please press any key to boot from the CD".

Now I LIKE this prompt as it means you can do an "Unattended" install

If your system boots up during installation (usually does at least once) then you'll get the "Copying Windows" start up stuff all over again.

Anyway to get the USB stick to behave EXACTLY as the CD does with the boot prompt.

Cheers
jimbo

Brink · 15 May 2009

Hello Jimbo,

I wish. That would be nice to have one for a USB key.

If your motherboard supports it, you can have the USB key drive listed first in the boot order to have it boot from the USB automatically when plugged in. However, you may have to change it so that the hard drive was listed before the USB key in the boot order when the computer is restarted during installation from the USB key to prevent the computer from booting right back into the USB key starting the installation process over and over.

USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

nate42nd · 15 May 2009

I am running into this as well. I get around it by pulling out the drive when it reboots. It must have all the files it needs by then because I have done 2 installs this way. I wish I had a better way.

jfar · 15 May 2009

Have a look at the way he does it .
Installing Win7 using a USB Stick | Visio and Visualization | TechNet Edge

nate42nd · 15 May 2009

That's a good video. I have watched it 3-4 times now. I guess it works okay to remove the drive after it loads files the first time. This does not show what happens when it reboots. You just have to be watching closely. Thanks.

Azural · 15 May 2009

It's easier just to pull up the boot menu and start the instillation from there so that you don't have to worry about re-ordering anything or the instillation starting over.

jimbo45 · 16 May 2009

Azural said:

It's easier just to pull up the boot menu and start the instillation from there so that you don't have to worry about re-ordering anything or the instillation starting over.

I think you missed the main point

I wanted to do an UNATTENDED install. Normally from a CD / DVD the "Enter any key" prompt appears and if you DON'T enter anything it will continue booting from the Disk.

I wanted the same facility from the USB -- the whole point was to be able to stick the USB in and after the initial language prompt was to be able to walk away until the installation had finished.

When the machine re-boots with the USB stick still in it it will start the whole process FROM SCRATCH again so you either have to wait for the re-boot and pull the stick out or change the boot order.

Cheers
jimbo

12eason · 16 May 2009

If your internal harddisk is configured as first boot device in the bios and you select the usb drive from the F8 boot menu, then the machine will boot from usb just once.

jimbo45 · 16 May 2009

Hi there
Unfortunately the laptop I boot from doesn't have a Boot menu like that -- you can only do it in the BIOS.

If you DO have an F8 type menu that's great. My Desktop does but not the laptop -- it's all or nothing.

Cheers
jimbo

12eason · 16 May 2009

Wow, in all my years as a compter tech, that's the first I've heard of a computer without one. It's as much of a standard as the POST check. Maybe it's on a different button, F2 maybe?