Windows 7 install with USB

I am about to replace my laptop's hdd with my new SSD, but the problem is I don't have an OS disc with me (nor an empty disc to burn). This might have been a repost or answered already, but can someone guide me through a step-by-step procedure how to make a bootable USB and how to boot them .

Thanks in advance.

 

Post 7 of this thread has one option, that looks promising to me
http://forum.notebookreview.com/windows-os-software/555860-create-usb-system-repair-disk.html
Hope this helps, Josea

 

Even better solution, if it's not to later (or for next time):
Windows 7 USB tool, freely available on Microsoft Store website. It will do everything automatically for you. All you need is an ISO image of Windows, and of course, a USB key.

Microsoft Store: Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool Help

A fast USB 2.0 memory key, should allow you to install Windows 7 in 7min (no advertisement.. just a coincidence, based on my personal tests)

 

Windows 7 USB tool works great much faster then disc!

 

I used this step by step guide this morning to re-install my OS. I've used it before and in my opinion it's the quickest way to get your data from the CD to a USB. The USB tool from M$ takes forever to copy files... this works fine, doesn't require you to download anything and is easy as.

 

Surely you're better off just cloning the drive onto the new one?

Then it'll boot up exactly as before but at ten times the speed.

 

SSD are completely different to a mechanical hard drive. Though I don't know myself personally if that makes a difference to how the drive would perform after a cloning. On top of that SSDs are generally much smaller, than that of a mechanical drive. I highly doubt that the OP has an SSD the same size as the mechanical drive he just replaced. I'd recommend anything anyone said above, from the USB tool from Microsoft to the quick Command Prompt tutorial I linked to.

 

There are some settings you should be careful with (AHCI, auto defrag and such), but that wouldn't affect the data on the drive, just the way the drive is used once it's turned on, if you see what I mean.

Only being able to image drives onto ones of the same size hasn't been a problem for years; disk imaging tools these days allow you to make an image that is the same size as the used space rather than the whole drive. If that's too big for his SSD then he will have problems even with a fresh install!

If the OP wants a clean install of Windows, then there's probably a hidden recovery partition/nuke & pave functionality built into the laptop that doesn't need optical discs, so just run that to get a clean install on the HDD, then image to the SSD.

 

True but still if the OP has a 500GB drive that is full of data he might as well just move all of the music, movies etc to an external backup drive. He's going to probably have to change the entire way he uses his computer. Games, Windows Files etc on the SSD and everything else off it. I'd just go with a new install, I did one this morning and in under 2 hours I got 200gb of data back on my drive and it's only a 5400rpm mechanical drive. On an SSD it'd take probably minutes. Cloning the mechanical drive would take longer.

 

I agree with sssssss. Since you don't have your Windows OS CD nor an ODD, I suggest you make a back-up or clone your OS to your new SSD (with an enclosure with it) using Acronis or Norton Ghost. This is a lot easier since you don't have to reformat anything and keep all your configurations, settings, installed drivers, and files in tact in your new SSD.

As for your other option, as long as you have the ISO image of your OS, download UltraISO or PowerISO. If you already did, i can teach you the steps in having a bootable usb drive as easy as 1,2,3.

 

FWIW, my current recommendation for free, idiot-proof (i.e. a nice GUI/wizard) disk-imaging software is Macrium Reflect.

 

I'd have to agree with Commissar, Acronis is easily the best program I've ever used.

If the OP doesn't have a Windows Disc and he has a product key he can download an Operating System .iso from Microsoft. I'd recommend a clean installation.

 

didn't acronis have issues with copying the alignment of partitions? which is not that nice for ssds.

i'd suggest a clean install. download iso from our legal windows 7 download links, use the usb tool linked in post 3 i think, and done. (oh, and download network drivers for your laptop and copy them onto the stick after you made it a win7setup stick, too.. just in case it doesn't find them you can just install them manually to access the web and download all updates and drivers that might be needed)

 

I have no idea how it behaves for SSD's. Don't have one. But for a regular mechanical drive and backups it runs beautifully.

 

If you want to install windows 7 on laptop without cd/dvd drive, just mount copy the iso and mount it, or download a free iso and mount. Elby CloneDrive works charms. Installed windows 7 and vista with it multiple times.