The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Windows 7 on flash drive?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Chango99, May 8, 2009.

  1. Chango99

    Chango99 Derp

    Reputations:
    258
    Messages:
    2,186
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I plan on purchasing a 16GB USB Flash drive. I don't really know too much on how to install windows 7, but that i will learn later.

    My question is will the flash drive be big enough and will I need to format it (no idea how, or the repercussions of it)?
     
    Chango99, May 8, 2009
    #1
  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    7,857
    Messages:
    16,212
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Most computer flash drives are SLOW compared to hard drives. 20MB-30MB/s at best. Even the slowest hard drives run at 50MB/s (typically 80-120MB/s now). Then you need a computer that supports booting from USB.

    Oh, and each time you'd want to run on a different computer, you'd have to re-activate and find new drivers. Assuming that computer's BIOS support booting on USB.

    Basically, I don't see a reason why you'd want to do this.
     
    Greg, May 8, 2009
    #2
  3. gengerald

    gengerald Technofile Extraordinaire

    Reputations:
    674
    Messages:
    1,961
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I agree with Greg, waste of time. If you want to load the flash drive to be an installation medium, then yes. If you want to run it like a live version of linux, then no. Even running live versions of minimized linux on my EEE have been a lag fiesta, so W7 will probably be worse.
     
    gengerald, May 8, 2009
    #3
  4. Chango99

    Chango99 Derp

    Reputations:
    258
    Messages:
    2,186
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Sorry, what I meant was, could I use it to install Windows 7. Putting the ISO file in there and booting up from it and installing it to my HDD.

    There's is a lot of spare detail in between i'll ask about or learn about later if I should decide to install windows 7 RC. Feel free to correct me if what i'm explaining is wrong.

    Good night for now. 1:40 AM.
     
    Chango99, May 8, 2009
    #4
  5. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,972
    Messages:
    7,788
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    davepermen, May 8, 2009
    #5
  6. jackluo923

    jackluo923 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,038
    Messages:
    3,071
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    105
    If you want to install Windows 7 on your current laptop, just copy the content of the dvd to a flashdrive. I meant literally, open, copy and paste. Nothing special. Your dell e6400 laptop supports usb booting.
     
    jackluo923, May 9, 2009
    #6