Creating bootable USB Flash on 32bit but need to clean install 64bit

mawil1013 said:

USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

"OPTION TWO
Manually Create Bootable Windows 7 Installation USB Flash Drive
Warning
Using this method:
You can only create a 64-bit Windows 7 bootable USB flash drive if your current Windows 7 installation is also 64-bit."

I'm having trouble creating a bootable USB Flash drive with a 64bit Win7 ISO, I downloaded the Win7 64bit and also the Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool, Keep getting the error unable to make USB Flash bootable.

Is it going to be impossible becaue my system is now 32bit?

In the second Red Warning area in the tutorial it says it clear enough. If it wasn't true you can bet your bottom dollar that Brink would not have said it!

Don't want to contradict Brink, but in the help section of that tool (here) says that it's possible but you need an additional thing called bootsect.exe.

WHEN CREATING A BOOTABLE USB DEVICE,I AM GETTING AN ERROR ABOUT BOOTSECT

To make the USB device bootable, you need to run a tool named bootsect.exe. In some cases, this tool needs to be downloaded from your Microsoft Store account. This may happen if you're trying to create a 64-bit bootable USB device from a 32-bit version of Windows. To download bootsect:

1. Login to your Microsoft Store account to view your purchase history
2. Look for your Windows 7 purchase.
3. Next to Windows 7, there is an "Additional download options" drop-down menu.
4. In the drop-down menu, select "32-bit ISO."
5. Right-click the link, and then save the bootsect.exe file to the location where you installed the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (e.g. C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Apps\Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool).
6. Once the file has been saved, go back to the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool to create your bootable USB device.

But what about those of us who don't have a Microsoft Store Account?

What size is the USB flash drive?

Can you try a different tool? Use this free one:

Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

Format the USB to FAT32 as part of the options.

Let us know how you get on.

mitchell65 said:

But what about those of us who don't have a Microsoft Store Account?

To sign in it just requires a Microsoft Account, that is an old Hotmail or new Outlook mail account. It's free to register afaik.

But yeah, it's not available if you didn't purchase the license from the Store.

Quick googling----- done!

SIW2 posted that file in this thread in 2010, and since MS help boards direct guys to that thread and link, they seem to be fine with it.