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    Create a USB System Repair Disk?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by hgratt, Feb 17, 2011.

  1. hgratt

    hgratt Notebook Consultant

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    I'm planning on buying a win 7 notebook without an optical drive. Does the current version of win 7 pro allow for the creation of a system repair disk directly to a USB 2.0 stick as opposed to a CD/DVD?

    Thanks,
    Harvey
     
    hgratt, Feb 17, 2011
    #1
  2. Primes

    Primes Notebook Deity

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    Primes, Feb 17, 2011
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  3. hgratt

    hgratt Notebook Consultant

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    hgratt, Feb 17, 2011
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  4. SL2

    SL2 Notebook Deity

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    Whoah, that's way too complicated.

    It's better to use a tool for copying to USB.

    Do a quick format of the USB memory in NTFS, then use Unetbootin, very simple.

    AFAIK, the install DVD works as a repair disc too, which means that you don't need to burn anything, just copy the whole Windows 7 ISO to USB.

    If you still need a separate repair disc, use this.
     
    SL2, Feb 17, 2011
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  5. hgratt

    hgratt Notebook Consultant

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    hgratt, Feb 17, 2011
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  6. SL2

    SL2 Notebook Deity

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    No, it only works on HP machines.
    What's wrong with my suggestions?
     
    SL2, Feb 17, 2011
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  7. chimpanzee

    chimpanzee Notebook Virtuoso

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    1. format the USB flash as NTFS
    2. find a copy of Windows 7 DVD
    3. copy every file on it to the USB flash
    4. copy every file on the DVD to say c:\temp\w7dvd\
    5. start cmd as Administrator
    6. cd c:\temp\w7dvd\boot
    7. bootsect /nt60 i: (where i: is the USB drive letter)
    8. delete the temp content of c:\temp\w7dvd\

    then you get a bootable windows 7 installer which has recovery option as well.

    the DVD image must match the running Windows 7 bit i.e. 32 bit or 64 bit

    edit:
    you don't need a real DVD of Windows 7, just the ISO image and can mount it with things like ultraiso and copy out the content.
     
    chimpanzee, Feb 17, 2011
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  8. hgratt

    hgratt Notebook Consultant

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    Nothing. The one I found just seemed a simpler way to get the same result. I'll probably wind up using your method just to learn something new - I'll also probably get an external CD drive just to make life easier.

    Thanks,
    Harvey
     
    hgratt, Feb 17, 2011
    #8