Installing Windows 7 64bit Pro from a 320GB Ex HardDrive?


  1. aruno
    Posts : 2
    Windows 7 32bit Professional
       New #1

    Installing Windows 7 64bit Pro from a 320GB Ex HardDrive?


    Problem: Won't boot off external hard drive[windows7pro64bitInstallation](320GB)
    I've been making custom images of Windows 7 for my work. Currently I am working on an image filled with loads of programs (the wim file is 27gb). I have followed the normal instructions to create a bootable usb drive.

    captured the wim using imagex, used bootsect /nt60 on the external drive etc

    I am just wondering, is the reason it won't boot, is because it's not a flash drive?

    Previously all my other windows 7 builds have been on 8gb flash sticks.

    So in summary:
    Is it possible to make a working bootable installation drive on a 320 external hard drive?
    and if there is a way.
    What am I doing wrong?

    (note i've made working bootable win 7 installation usb drives before)
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  3. TJG
    Posts : 77
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32bits
       New #2

    I have a WD 500 My Book that I boot from without problems. I only boot a WinPE.wim small file. If you are booting that 27gb wim file, how much memory do you have to fit it all into? That might be the problem.

    TJG
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  4. aruno
    Posts : 2
    Windows 7 32bit Professional
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    TJG said:
    I have a WD 500 My Book that I boot from without problems. I only boot a WinPE.wim small file. If you are booting that 27gb wim file, how much memory do you have to fit it all into? That might be the problem.

    TJG
    What do you mean memory? Are you saying windows is first loaded on to RAM? Because that doesn't make sense.
    I've installed an 7.6GB Windows 7 64bit image on to a computer with 40GB hard drive and 2GB of RAM.
    I don't think the computer "boots" the whole 27gb or the whole 7.6gb either for that matter.
    Pretty sure it reads the setup files and transfers the files piece by piece on installing.

    What I am asking is:
    Can windows 7 be installed off an mass storage device(External Hard Drive).
    I know it can be done from a flash drive, what about usb cable connected external hard drives?

    If not, Why not?
    Last edited by aruno; 22 Sep 2011 at 20:43. Reason: Clarification
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  6. TJG
    Posts : 77
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32bits
       New #4

    Hello aruno

    A wim file is an image file. When you say boot and say 27gb wim file that would load into memory. If you are talking about booting the drive to deploy a 27gb wim file then you can boot a small winpe with the imagex in the winpe and deploy it to a computer.
    You are correct that win 7 only loads the cd\source\install.wim to install its files not all the files on the DVD. Not sure what your trying to do here. When I make an image of a loaded drive I can only deploy that image using imagex. I can NOT boot that large image wim file. The external drive can be made to boot a winPE.wim file if I format it ntfs and set it to active then use dism program to make any changes to it then deploy it with imagex. Hope this help.

    TJG :)
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  7. seavixen32
    Posts : 7,730
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-Bit
       New #5

    This article may be of help to you: Tip: make your PDC 2008 (or any) USB hard drive a bootable Windows 7 install disk – istartedsomething
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  8. Bill2
    Posts : 5,056
    Windows 7 x64 pro/ Windows 7 x86 Pro/ XP SP3 x86
       New #6

    I regularly install/reinstall win7 from a partition on an external usb hard disk. Follow this:

    USB hard drive a bootable Windows 7 install disk
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