USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

Thank U. The Rufus Method worked for me 100% after other instructions failed. Asus Sabertooth Z87 and Windows 7 Ultimate X64.

I created a bootable USB drive from a downloaded ISO file and installed Windows 7 from it. Afaik the I'm only allowed one installation of the operating system on one motherboard. Then I read on Microsoft's site and they state that

"The license terms for Windows permit you to make one copy of the software as a back-up copy for re-installation on the licensed computer. If you do not delete your copy of the ISO file after installing the Windows software, the copy of the ISO file counts as your one back-up copy."

Do they mean the ISO file on the USB drive, or the one I downloaded which is residing on my second PC? Both?

I had sort of gathered that once I had booted from the USB drive the Windows7 on the USB drive as a boot disk would now be useless, and I have to rerun the "create a USB bootable drive from an iso image" which wipes the version on the USB stick and creates a new bootable version. Is this correctly understood? It seems kind of uncessary work to redo the process.

I currently have the ISO residing on another PC, together with the code used to unlock my copy. I could create the back up bootable USB version right now, or I could wait to a date when I might need it, is this correctly understood?

I'm asking because if the USB drive is not bootable anyway I could reuse the USB for other purposes if the Windows7 file on it is no longer valid for booting. If it is bootable however, I would like to guard it in a safe place.

BTW Brink your guides and instructions are outstanding. My PC would probably never have been running without the Seven Forums.

Thank you Brink!

I gather this means that I only have to create the bootable version once. That is, unless I overwrite it with something, or lose the stic, but if that should happen then I can just create another bootable version as long as I have the intact iso file. And I have to keep the Windows product key code somewhere safe.

Hi,
Brink.
I followed the third method which does not warrant third party program and tried. But when i am copying , i get error cannot read source file or disk, cirucular redundancy check error 23, when copying install.wim. The pendrive size is 4gb. Actual size is 3.76gb. Should i format the drive as ntfs instead of fat32. Please,
Or should i use say, 8 gb. Your example of 4gb shows 3920mb, but mine shows only 3760mb nearly.
What does that error means? How to fix it. i cannot skip it, as this is the install files folder.
Is the command fs=ntfs quick enough to solve this problem.
Or the dvd is having some bad sectors. I do not think so.
Please brink, expecting your reply as always.
I have gone thro your instructions, and only the mistake, i did was formatted it with fat32, ple confirm if it is the cause of error.
i am continuing reading the other posts in this thread . Thanks

Hi, Brink,
Do you mean the dvd drive or dvd. The dvd does not have any scratch. Is the 4gb, showing about 3840mb, in list disk is enough. Should i format ntfs or fat32. Please
Moreover, i had not tried to copy to desktop. Just select all and copy and go to the formatted pendrive to paste. It paste one or two folders , but when it gets to install.wim, the problem starts and am getting crc error.
How to check , the dvd without any dvd on it?
Is there anything wrong in my format fat32 for 4gb. Your instruction is to have ntfs if bios supports it. I will try this. But why the crc error 23. How to get rid of it pl