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    Installing Windows 7 off USB Flash Drive = "Invalid Partition Table" HELP!

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by HTWingNut, Nov 6, 2010.

  1. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    This is driving me insane. I'm trying to reinstall Windows 7 from a flash drive. I've done this a dozen times before, but now its not working. I tried two different flash drives and tried to create the bootable flash from two different machines and still it gives me there "invalid partition table" error.
     
    HTWingNut, Nov 6, 2010
    #1
  2. -L1GHTGAM3R-

    -L1GHTGAM3R- Notebook Deity

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    -L1GHTGAM3R-, Nov 6, 2010
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  3. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    No, on my desktop actually. I am going to soon on my HannsBook soon when I change the SSD.

    Now that I have been fussing with it, it seems it may be the Linux bootable I was trying to run off it. I tried it on both USB sticks and Linux wouldn't boot now Windows won't either.

    Seems like there'd be a way to reset the partition table. I dunno.
     
    HTWingNut, Nov 6, 2010
    #3
  4. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    ? When the Microsoft Tool puts the ISO on the USB Drive it formats the USB Drive.

    If you can't get the USB Drive to boot, try going into the BIOS and disabling the HDD boot option. Make it _just_ the USB Mass Storage and the ODD. That has worked for me on many, many occasions.
     
    H.A.L. 9000, Nov 6, 2010
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  5. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    Man, I tried everything, wasn't working.

    Used this Microsoft tool on both flash drives. Then finally it showed up as a hard drive in the BIOS but wouldn't boot as a USB HDD. Finally got it to work but as a hard drive. Weird. Never had to do that before. I have boot order as DVD, USB HDD, System Hard Drive. I've always just plugged it in and it worked. Either way rep to both of you.
     
    HTWingNut, Nov 6, 2010
    #5
  6. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    I never used any tools for USB boot Windows 7. And I install Windows 7 from a USB on a monthly basis.

    Format the USB to NTFS, extract everything from the ISO to the USB, that's all you have to do.
     
    Han Bao Quan, Nov 7, 2010
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  7. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    That's what I always did, but didn't work this time around. This Microsoft utility did the trick.
     
    HTWingNut, Nov 7, 2010
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  8. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    or a bad flash drive......
     
    newsposter, Nov 7, 2010
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  9. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    Tried two flash drives. With the MS utility everything is back to normal... Not bad flash drives.
     
    HTWingNut, Nov 7, 2010
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  10. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    I need to look and see just what the MSFT util does different.
     
    H.A.L. 9000, Nov 7, 2010
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