Installing windows off of a flash drive

Well I found multiple guides on how to do it:
Note: The guide below is not my work in any way shape or form, all thanks go to KurtSH on Windows Live Spaces.

But now I would like to know if it is at all possible to use the steps above to have multiple windows installers on the flash drive.

By this I mean:

Windows 7 RC 1
Windows 7 Ultimate RTM (Obtained legally off of Microsoft TechNet)
Windows 7 Home Premium RTM (Obtained legally off of Microsoft TechNet)
Windows Vista X64 RTM
Windows Vista X86 RTM
Windows XP Pro
Windows XP MCE
Windows XP Home
and
Windows Home Server

I probably wont be able to fit all of them on a 16gb flash drive (or maybe I can... ) but I would just like to know if this is at all possible.

Please and thanks,
Dspr_02

 

I'm sorry, but am I really going to have to do all of that to install W7 from a flash drive or are there applications that will create a usb image for me?

 

To have 16GBs USB Flash Drive to become a fully bootable USB with all OSes is just not worthy. Why? We only need 1 OS at a time, you don't need to have all of it inside a USB. In addition, copying many OSes need a lot of time. format fs=NTFS is slower for 16GBs USB. If you're going to format the USB Flash Drive again when you're not using it as Bootable USB or you want to use it(copy stuffs, store stuffs and so on).
So, grab a 4GB USB instead. Make it bootable and copy the OS you want inside.
I know it is special to have 1 USB Flash Drive that have plenty of OSes inside. It is cool but it is not practical and wasting time and money.
For example(if you're planning not to use the USB Flash Drive on different area):
4 Discs can have 4 OSes and overall cost = 4 dolar.
16GB USB Flash Drive can have 4 Oses and overall cost = 10 dolar.

ohiomoto,
I like the manual method using CMD. Much more safer and easier.

I think this guide should be better.

 

I always format the flash drive with Fat32, I think that he made a typo since everyone else's guide says "Fat32".

Anyways, I deal with a poo ton of computers daily, some of which need windows re-installs and I would much rather have one flash drive than a case full of CD's and DVD's.

 

Okay, thanks. I'll keep these instructions. It doesn't look too bad, it's just that Ubuntu makes it sooooooo easy to create a bootable USB stick and I'm lazy.

Dspr_02, That's a good idea. Seems like all you would need is a boot menu on the USB that would allow you to chose which OS you need to install. Better yet would be to create something similar to "Live CD" like a lot of Linux distros use. They boot to the OS and allow you to explore the machine (i.e. check out the partition contents) and launch the installer for the OS. I don't see why you couldn't put more than one installer on the image, but I'm not sure how you would do it with Windows. (Maybe you can't???) Anyway, I hope it works for you.

 

It really isn't that hard in my opinion. The diskpart is the only "tough" part. And you only have to do that once. After that it will pretty much boot up with anything.

 

Yep! It is as easy as hell. Actually, you can skip the "format fs=NTFS part".
Just go to Computer, right click on the USB flash drive and click format. Then, select quick format with NTFS. After a few seconds, it should be done.
Then, proceed back to "assign" and "exit". "format fs=NTFS" used too much time(SLOW like HELL).

 

I hate typing actually. I wish I could just send brainwaves to my compy386.

 

What is even easier is to just change the command line to "format fs=NTFS quick" or "format fs=FAT32 quick"

Once the partition is marked ACTIVE in Step 1, you don't have to perform Step 2 to make the drive bootable (although it does work but not required). Believe me I have done this many times. I believe the Step 2 instructions were made for those making a Bootable USB drive from within XP where diskpart will not work and you cannot mark a USB partition as active. By the way if you do want to do Step 2 it must be done from the 32 bit image of W7, the bootsect command from within the 64 bit image will NOT make your USB bootable.

When Step 1 is complete all you have to do is either extract the Windows 7 ISO (for example) to your prepared USB drive OR Copy and Paste the extracted files to the USB drive OR Copy and Paste the files from the Installation DVD to the USB Drive.

Edit: Ok, I see in the instructions at the very beginning W7/Vista, but worth repeating.
The Diskpart program will not work on a USB drive from within Windows XP. Must be Vista or W7.

 

OMG! I didn't know that >.<!!
Thanks for the information and guide.
+ REP!!

 

An ultra-fast USB is NOT required, save your money. Any 4GB capacity or more USB drive will work. I have installed from a Sandisk and HP 4GB USB Flash Drive which I got on sale a couple of weeks ago for $9.99.

 

Is it possible to have only a flashdrive? ( I mean remove the hard drive and only have the Solid state drive)

I have a Toshiba Tecra M4 that I bought in 2005. Would I be able to get rid of my HD and replace it by a Solid State Drive

Thanks

 

yup. You sure can boot a harddisk-less machine with either a Jumpdrive or a SSD.

 

If one is installing windows 7 and you are using windows vista before, just copy the data from windows 7 dvd or disk image to your flash drive, and boot. No need of those extra step.

 

i use xp but what about my BIOS. Would it be compatible?