Does installing Windows 7 (or any Windows OS) from a USB drive screw things up?

Hey guys,

I used the program WinToFlash to make one of my 8 gig USB drives into a bootable Windows 7 RTM since I have no DVDs on me at the moment. I was able to install it both on my laptop and my desktop without any problems. However, once I started to install drivers and programs problems started to crop up.

I should note I was running the RC on both of these machines with the exact same hardware and software. So...I don't think these errors are normal. With my laptop, my audio driver would constantly lock up the system until I deleted it. On my desktop, Picasa and my Microsoft Lifecam driver will always tell me the application has stopped working. On my desktop so far, that's all that's affected for the time being. But, after doing some googling on the information provided on the error log, these errors don't seem normal at all? Like, there's no reason why these programs should be failing?

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,
Eric Huang

*EDIT* I was able to get the Lifecam software to start up only when I was on skype using the actual webcam itself...and the lifecam software would tell me another program was using the camera. Otherwise, the program would never load.

 

I purchased a new HD to experiment with W7 before making the change over permanent. During my trials I installed W7 (both 32bit and 64bit) from DVD's and from 4GB USB flash drives. I noticed no difference in W7 operation when installing from the flash drive. As a matter of fact it is my preferred method of install. Faster than DVD.

I installed W7 on the laptop in my sig, and W7 found all the drivers except for the video driver (I had to use the Vista 64bit driver for my notebook) W7 installed a generic VGA driver.

The audio driver W7 selected didn't work correctly. Either did the Vista 64 bit driver for my laptop. The audio driver which did work perfectly is the one Windows Update listed as an optional update. I installed it and no further problems.

I have had some ,minor issues with some software not wanting to work as it should but once I changed the compatability mode to Vista SP2 all went well.

 

wintoflash still has a few rough edges. it's getting there quickly but as it is still an 0.0.xxxxxxx version/revision, proceed with caution.

 

How did you flash Windows 7 to the USB drives?

 

I use xcopy and make the usb bootable. It installs faster than dvd and has no problems. Google installing vista from USB for instructions

 

I have tried and used several methods but the first method I used was the easiest and it is what I used to install my current W7 Pro OS. It is the attachment "Method 3".

Attachment "Method 1" is what many use and so have I (have to prepare on a Vista or W7 OS)

 

Well, yes, but xcopy will not make the flash drive bootable. That is really the issue at hand.

Once the flash drive is bootable ('active primary partition') you can extract the files from the ISO to it using programs such as 7-zip, winrar, any of the ISO burning programs, or you can simply 'copy and paste (or drag)' the files from a DVD to the flash drive.

 

I'm only a sample of one, but I had both the Beta and the RC installed on a notebook and netbook, both from DVD. I later installed the RTM to each of those machines, both from DVD. Finally, I reinstalled the RTM on each of them, this time using a USB key made with wintoflash. All of my end experiences were the same, and I didn't experience any unique difficulties with the wintoflash installs.

Like I said, I'm just one guy. But I certainly didn't suffer any issues from the flash install.

 

Zero issues doing a USB install here—system runs flawlessly—and I didn’t need any third-party program to get my USB stick to boot. Simply formatted it as FAT32, installed the boot code from the Windows 7 DVD onto the USB stick and copied all the files from the DVD over. Google will reveal thousands of hits on how to do this.

 

I'm not asking how to do this...I obviously did it already, I'm asking if there are any side effects to this method. I'm not sure I know how to resolve those problems though...

 

There are no side effects (outside of the installation being potentially faster and more portable). In developing Windows 7, Microsoft made certain this installation method would work.

 

I have no problem making a Bootable USB flash drive to install Windows 7/Vista to my machines. I only encounter difficulties using Discs which they can't be boot =.=! Maybe this is due to lack of Disc Images, after that, I know I need software like ISORecoreder.
Conclusion, I have no problem with my Windows 7 64bit Ultimate installed in my laptop using a USB flash drive. I use different method to make Bootable USB flash drive compared to OP.

 

So, basically these issues that I am having should have nothing to due with the installation method I used then...

 

Correct....

 

Alright, thanks guys for the help.

 

yeah i also dont have any issues after flash drive install.its just you need to change your boot device order and then windows update for your drivers.

i never had issues after win usb install.i have been doing it since 2 yrs now.i use kurt shintaku's instructions.works flawlessly.

 

It could be WinToFlash - I used a more manual method to get the Win7 setup on my USB key and bootable.

 

How big does the USB needs to be for W7 ?

 

4 GB,,,,,,,,