USB install

[flegma]

Hi!
I want to make a bootable USB flash drive from which to install Windows 7. I noticed that after the first reboot, I don't se the screen that says "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD" and my computer boots from the flash drive. So here is my question. If i remove the USB flash drive after the first reboot, can the rest of the instalation process run without the flash drive, using the files that were copied on HDD before the first reboot? From what I heard, the instalation process copies all the files to the HDD during the "Expanding Windows file" stage, and doesn't need the instalation media after the first reboot. Is this true?
Thank you!

 

[edwar]

How do you have your BIOS Boot order set? If it is set to boot from USB first that is why you are having this problem.

Set the USB as the second boot device or use the built in Boot Menu feature of almost any modern computer to boot from USB one time, IE to start the install.
You do that by holding down a key or key combo at start up to bring up a One Time Boot Menu screen. Then select the USB stick that has the OS install files on it.

Then when the OS install reboots the system to actually start the real install it won't boot from the USB flash drive.

 

[flegma]

Thanks for the answer!
From what I heard, the instalation process copies all the files to the HDD during the "Expanding Windows file" stage, and doesn't need the instalation media after the first reboot.
How about this? Is it true?

 

[edwar]

Don't know or recall. I would think that to be the case but have never bothered to remove the USB stick until the install was done. I've installed win 7 several time on a few different computer but always use the One Time Boot menu system of those computer to start the install from USB.

 

[Ztruker]

I don't think it works that way. It copies enough files to boot the computer and start the install but I think a lot more data comes off the install media during the rest of the process. If you watch the access light on a DVD or flash drive you'll see it gets hit a lot during the rest of the install.

 

[gregrocker]

That correctly said, you can unplug stick if it hangs reboots. It should prompt you if/when it needs reconnecting.