Need a hand on Installing Windows 7 Ultimate via USB/Pen Drive

Hiya, folks

My younger brother's notebook running Windows 7 Ultimate crashed due to a virus. He suggested me to reformat it since he wants a complete clean-up of his hard drive. Unfortunately, his notebook has no CD-Drive. I tried to search the net on how to install and programme a blank USB with a capacity of 4GB and above in order to run Windows 7 upon boot-up. However, there are several ways on how to execute that. One method I discovered was the diskpart in cmd mode..., another is downloading a software to do it all for you, etc. After all these, like press F9 or the desired key to change the boot-up device in the BIOS. I got all these but is there a simpler, easier, surer, and more guaranteed way of installing an OS; specifically Win7, from a USB drive? Could you kindly tell me the step-by-step process? Thank you very much

 

tutorial and tools available here:

WinToFlash - Install Windows from usb - Home page

 

Microsoft Store: Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool Help
Microsoft's own version of the usb tool.

Whatever method you choose, you still need to boot from the USB drive either selecting it in the bios or choosing it at boot with a hotkey (F9, F10, F11, F12... depends on laptop brand).

 

-i know that for sure. Thanks, anyway, for reminding me

 

I use UltraIso. Open the program>Select your iso>Bootable>Write Disc Image>Select your usb drive>Write. Works great!

 

-just simple as that? Should I download an ISO installer prior your instructions?

 

All you need is UltraIso
http://www.ezbsystems.com/ultraiso/

 

If you use UltraIso make sure on the Write menu you also have the Write Method set to USB-HDD+.

But, why not just use the Microsoft Tool KLF mentioned, and linked to, in his post above. The Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, it doesn't get any easier. Microsoft released this very simple tool just for the purpose of installing Windows 7 from a USB. I have used both methods for installing Windows 7 from a USB and they both do the job.

 

UltraIso is 29,95$
Microsoft's tool is free.

Whenever there's an option, I rather choose free tools for the job

 

I agree with you. Although, the trial version of UltraIso is free and it will work for this purpose. Microsoft's tool is easier though, and doesn't expire .

 

-where can I download this?

 

Format your pen drive with fat.Start the PE builder that is a .exe file and insert the windows7 cd then it will condense the set-up files into your pen drive.At the mail PE builder dialog select the pen drive option then hit the build button, now pe builder ask you to create a pe directory, answer yes.Now pe builder start building Bart-PE.Now lot files copy in your pen drive. If all the data verify was correct an if there no error report,then now you can boot the pen drive.Your installation will going on.

 

All the information you needed was in KLF's post (#3) but here it is again.

Tool Help Information:
Microsoft Store: Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool Help

The link to download the tool is in the installation instructions, but here it is again:

Tool Download: (Save it to a folder or your desktop)
http://images2.store.microsoft.com/prod/clustera/framework/w7udt/1.0/en-us/Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe

 

Yuk! Don't even consider this, please If you do, don't ask for help

 

-why, what with that message? Will that tip damage my pen drive or computer upon installation?

 

No it will not damage your drive. I don't know why you are still asking so many questions. You have been given all the answers to your questions. Just follow the instructions in my post #13 or other posts which give instructions with UltraIso.

Do you even know what PE builder is or what BartPE was designed to do? That is why I said Yuk! You will be back here asking 100 questions about it. If the posters instructions make perfect sense to you then go for it.

If you can't follow the simple instructions in Post #13 you need someone to assist you in your endevor.

 

or use the tool in post #2. Oh wait, that one required the reading of instructions as well.

I see............

 

Personally I have used the microsoft tool.So from personal experience I tell you it's a breeze to use, a complete novice can use it and I trust it because is from Microsoft.
http://go.notebookreview.com/?id=52...ing-windows-7-ultimate-via-usb-pen-drive.html

 

Just a point about microsoft tool, you can only create a bootable disk if the system you create on is similar to the OS to install (I'm talking bits here i.e.
32bits for 32bits, 64 for 64bits).
The bootsect.exe needs to match.

 

Edit: I stand corrected about not needing that file for 64-bit, please see my reply in post 25 in this thread/
http://forum.notebookreview.com/mic...ultimate-via-usb-pen-drive-3.html#post6228181

I have created both 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows 7 for USB install on my XP 32 bit desktop PC. Lets not confuse the OP anymore, he has all the information he needs in either posts 2, 3, 7, or 13 to achieve his goal if he wishes to proceed.

 

Alright, thanks again guys for all helpful tips Appreciate it alot

 

Ok, not for the OP since he already has his answer, but the usb key will not be bootable (as far as I understand and experienced) if the bootsect.exe isn't there. (32bit bootsect doesn't work to create a 64 bit bootable usb install)
From the microsoft site:
" When creating a bootable USB device, I am getting an error about bootsect
To make the USB device bootable, you need to run a tool named bootsect.exe. In some cases, this tool needs to be downloaded from your Microsoft Store account. This may happen if you're trying to create a 64-bit bootable USB device from a 32-bit version of Windows."

Not trying to show that I'm right, but as I ran accross the issue, I thought I would share.

 

-if no conversion from 32-bit to 64-bit, everything would be fine?

 

Correct.

I assume you already have your ISO of the Windows 7 file you will be using, is that correct. You will need an ISO file to use the MS tool to create your bootable USB.

Why not just create your USB using one of the methods and give it a go? You don't actually have to perform the install of Windows 7 as you can abort it, but you could at least create the USB and test it. I think it is time!

 

Well I have to conceed, you are correct .

I created two bootable USB drives to install Windows 7 just minutes ago and indeed the 64-bit create had a problem with the bootsect.exe file. I can only think that when I did this last year and had so many copies of Windows 7 files on my computer at once, trying them out, the MS tool found the correct bootsect.exe in a file path.

One thing I did determine is that you don't have to download the bootsect.exe file from Microsoft store. The file is actually present in the MS tool download install but the tool doesn't appear to locate it on its own. There were actually two versions of the MS download tool, the first one may not have included the bootsect file in its download, don't know. I have both versions but am not going to install the old one

In the directory where the file Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool.exe is located after install there is a UTIL folder. The UTIL folder contains the bootsect.exe file and if you copy it into the same location as the file Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool.exe the tool successfully creates the bootable 64-bit USB drive.

Thanks, learned something today.