Windows 7 - USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

**Brink** · **METHOD ONE:**

How to Create a Windows 7 Installation USB Key

Information

This will show you how to create a USB flash key drive that you can boot from to install Windows 7 with.

Tip

If the USB flash drive is of sufficient capacity, say 8GB, then after copying the Windows 7 installation DVD onto it, you can create a new folder (ex: Device Drivers) in the USB key and place all of your latest driver installation files in it. This way you will have them handy to manually install the drivers after installing Windows 7 from the USB key.

Note

If you booted from the USB drive to install Windows 7, then you may need to change the hard drive back to being listed before the USB key in the boot order in BIOS after the computer restarts during installation to prevent the computer from booting right back into the USB key starting the installation process over and over.

Warning

The USB key needs to be at least 4 GB in size.
This will delete everything on the USB key. Be sure to save anything that you do not want to lose on it somewhere else.
Before installing Windows 7 from the USB key, you will need to:
- Enable Legacy USB storage detect in the BIOS
- Temporarily set the USB FDD (USB Flash Disk Drive) to be listed right before the hard drive (or partition) that you will be installing Windows 7 on in the hard drive Boot Priority order list in the BIOS.
- After you are finished installing Windows 7 from the USB key, make the Windows 7 hard drive (or partition) listed first in the hard drive Boot Priority order list in the BIOS.

RELATED LINKS:

METHOD ONE:
Use Program to Create Installation USB Key

Note

You will need to have a Windows 7 ISO file to do this. If you do not have one, then you can use the Create image file from disc feature of the free program ImgBurn with your Windows installation DVD (when released to retail

) to create the ISO file.

1. Download and install the trial version of UltraIso.

2. Plug in your USB key.

3. Right click on the UltraIso shortcut, and click on Run as administrator.

4. Click on File (menu bar) and Open. (See screenshot below)

5. Navigate to your Windows 7 ISO file and select it and click on the Open button. (See screenshot below)

6. In the bottom Local pane, select your USB flash key drive. (See screenshot below)

7. Click on Bootable (menu bar) and Write Disk Image. (See screenshot above)

8. Make sure the locations are correct, and check the Verify box and click on the Write button. (See screenshot below)

9. Click on Yes to confirm writing to the USB drive. (See screenshot below)

10. When it's done, click on the Close button. (See screenshot below)

11. You now have a Windows 7 installation USB flash key.

METHOD TWO:
Manually Create Installation USB Key

Warning

With this method:

You can only create a 32-bit Windows 7 USB key from within a 32-bit Vista or Windows 7.
You can only create a 64-bit Windows 7 USB key from within a 64-bit Vista or Windows 7.

1. Plug the USB key in.

2. If AutoPlay opens a pop-up for the USB key, then just close it.
NOTE: Make note of what the drive size is for the USB key for step 6 below. You can also open Computer (step 21) to see what the drive size is to. For example, mine is 3920 MB. (See screenshot below)

3. Open a elevated command prompt.

4. In the elevated command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

5. In the elevated command prompt, type list disk and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Make note of what disk # your USB key is listed as for step 6 below. You can also look for the drive size (step 2) for the USB key to help ID the disk number. For example, mine is listed as Disk 1 here for the 3920 MB disk.

6. In the elevated command prompt, type select disk # (your USB disk #) and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can also look for the drive size (step 2) for the USB key to help ID the disk number. For example, my USB key is listed as Disk 1, so I would type select disk 1 and press Enter.

7. In the elevated command prompt, type clean and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

8. In the elevated command prompt, type create partition primary and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

9. In the elevated command prompt, type select partition 1 and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

10. In the elevated command prompt, type active and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

11. In the elevated command prompt, type format fs=ntfs and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This may take a few moments to finish formatting the USB key. You can type format fs=ntfs quick to perform a quick format without having to wait long instead if you like.

12. If AutoPlay opens a pop-up for the USB key, then just close it.

13. In the elevated command prompt, type assign and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This will assign a new drive letter to the USB key. Make note of the new USB drive letter for step 19 below. For example, mine is now H.

14. If AutoPlay opens a pop-up for the USB key, then just close it.
NOTE: Make note of the new USB drive letter for step 19 below. For example, mine is now H.

15. In the elevated command prompt, type exit and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This will exit you from DiskPart from step 4.

16. Close the elevated command prompt.

17. Insert your Windows 7 installation DVD into the DVD drive.

18. If AutoPlay opens a pop-up for the Windows 7 installation DVD, then just close it.
NOTE: Make note of what the drive letter is for the DVD drive that has the Windows 7 installation DVD in for step 18 below. You can also open Computer (step 21) to see what the drive letter is to. (See right screenshot below)

19. Open the Start Menu, and right click on the Computer button and click on Open.

20. Right click on the DVD drive (ex: E: ) that has the Windows 7 installation DVD, and click on Open. (See screenshot below)

21. Highlight all of the contents, right click on the highlighted contents, and click on Copy. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You will need to copy all of the files and folders on the Windows 7 installation DVD to the USB key.

22. Go back to Computer, right click on the USB key drive (ex: H ), and click on Paste. (See screenshot below)

23. The contents of the Windows 7 installation DVD will now start copying over to the USB key. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This may take a few moments to complete.

24. When finished, you can close the Computer window and unplug the USB key.

25. You now have a Windows 7 Installation USB key.

That's it,
Shawn

.

**Gaming Warrior** · 01-21-2009

Thanks for the great guide but I have a slight problem. I have downloaded the 64bit version of Windows 7 but am currently running 32bit vista.
Would I be able to download the 64bit version of the vista repair disk(Windows Vista Recovery Disc Download — The NeoSmart Files) and use diskpart within the cmd line of the disk to run all the commands and then just copy the files across using 32bit vista?

**Brink** · 01-21-2009

Hello Gaming Warrior, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I have not tried that method, so I am not sure if it will let you or not. It would be worth a try I suppose.

Shawn

**zrtom** · 02-05-2009

Brink,
In preparation of installing to my Mini 9, I just installed Windows 7 x86 to a USB key using my x64 desktop. Afterwards, I tried booting the desktop to it and it appeared to go. I went as far as Install Now/Accept License/Custom(Advanced) Install/Drive Options. Obviously, I didn't actually install it but it DID get that far with a 32-bit USB key created on a 64-bit system. I'll know for sure when I actually have the Mini in hand and get a round tuit (I used to have a round tuit on my desk but can't find it...LOL).

**Brink** · 02-05-2009

Hello Zrtom,

I had only placed that warning there as a precaution since a lot of people were unable to create a 64-bit USB while using a 32-bit OS, and the other way around.

Some people get lucky and have no problems either way though.

Thank you for posting your results. I'm happy to hear that you are one of the lucky ones.

Shawn

**limneos** · 03-04-2009

Hello Brink..

I just wanted to point out that the E:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 H: part is not necessary, cause since you copy the whole dvd contents the bootmgr file is included,so after you've made the partition active from diskpart, all you need is to copy the source files, boots just fine.

So perhaps you might want to skip this step as it might cause troubles if they make a mistake with the target letter...

**zrtom** · 03-04-2009

limneos,

I rather doubt it, but do you think by doing the E:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 H:
that would explain why the boot screen on my Mini 9 is the Vista-style green bar? Or is that a known functionality with SSD drives? (Only the Mini 9 uses the Vista-type boot screen, all the other (non-SSD) laptops and desktops use the normal Windows 7 boot screen).

Tom

**limneos** · 03-04-2009

Hello zrtom.

It has nothing to do with your drives.
This happens to most of the mini netbooks because of the screen resolution.

In order for the new windows logo to appear, you need to have a supported native resolution of 1024x768 and above.
Your netbook probably has 1024x600 like most of them, in which it does not display the new logo but the old vista bar.
I was frustrated to see that to my netbook too, but this is the case, no fixes yet.

Hope it helps

**zrtom** · 03-04-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by limneos

Hello zrtom.

It has nothing to do with your drives.
This happens to most of the mini netbooks because of the screen resolution.

In order for the new windows logo to appear, you need to have a supported native resolution of 1024x768 and above.
Your netbook probably has 1024x600 like most of them, in which it does not display the new logo but the old vista bar.
I was frustrated to see that to my netbook too, but this is the case, no fixes yet.

Hope it helps

Yes, it helps alot. I thought it might be due to the SSD or perhaps screen resolution after reading the Windows 7 boot-screen blog a couple days ago. I've searched on this (but not dutifully) and haven't found much. I'm guessing that explains the resume-from-hibernate white bar too. Thanks for the help.
Tom

**Brink** · 03-04-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by limneos

Hello Brink..

I just wanted to point out that the E:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 H: part is not necessary, cause since you copy the whole dvd contents the bootmgr file is included,so after you've made the partition active from diskpart, all you need is to copy the source files, boots just fine.

So perhaps you might want to skip this step as it might cause troubles if they make a mistake with the target letter...

Hi Limneos,

It was added as a backup precaution to make sure that the USB boot file was correct so that it would boot to it at startup.