Solved Have bootable USB ... can I replace the ISO?

[justjeffindc]

Awhile back I downloaded a copy of Win7-64 Pro from Digital River and with Microsoft's download tool put it on a USB and made it bootable. I've used it successfully in the past with my license key.

I just bought a bigger SSD and would like to reinstall, and it occurred to me that it might be a good idea to re-download the latest version of the ISO so I start off with the most up-to-date version instead of going with what I have on the USB and having to download and wade through all the updates that have happened since then.

So my question is - once I get the latest and greatest from Digital River, can I just copy the iso over the old one on the USB? If so, will the USB still be bootable or is "bootability" tied somehow to the iso file itself and I have to re-do that part as well?

 

[Brink]

Hello Jeff,

You could get an updated ISO file, but you would need to use the method in the tutorial below to properly make it a bootable USB with the ISO. Simply copying the ISO would not work. You'll basically be starting from scratch to create the bootable USB like when you created one the first time.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31541-windows-7-usb-dvd-download-tool.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[whs]

As an alternative, download and store the iso anywhere. Then use Rufus to create the bootable USB. You'll be done with 3 clicks.

Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

 

[justjeffindc]

Well, rats. Problem is that I have other software install packages on that USB too and it seems that it needs to be blank. Oh well, this isn't a major inconvenience. Thanks for the info.

 

[whs]

Buy another stick - they are cheaper by the dozen and always useful, LOL.

 

[justjeffindc]

Yep, doing that tomorrow.

It is absolutely shocking how inexpensive storage is now. When I was a child I remember using 180K floppy disks bigger than the paper punch card it replaced and thinking it was amazing.

 

[whs]

When I was a kid, we were scrambling for pencils, LOL

 

[AddRAM]

The only difference in the newer iso is service pack 1, do you have the non service pack 1 iso on the flash drive now ?

Rufus, as suggested by Wolfgang...

and Wintobootic both work great.

http://bootableusb.net/wintobootic-bootable-usb-drive-windows-vista78/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poQ6bEJgZOo