How to Create Bootable USB Stick for Windows 7, Windows Server 2K8 and Windows Vista.

I recently had the need to install Windows 7 from a USB stick. This was because I didn't have a working DVD drive to hand. I found a couple of tutorials online explaining how to create the disk.They generally explained this technique:

Requirements : USB Pen Drive (Minimum 4 GB), Windows Operating System DVD or ISO image (32 bit or 64 bit)

Go to COMMAND prompt, Type C:\> diskpart

(You may see an error sometimes. Therefor don't forget to run COMMAND prompt

using Run as Administrator option)

DISKPART> list disk

Select the USB device from the list and substitute the disk number below when necessary

DISKPART> select disk 1

DISKPART> clean

DISKPART> create partition primary

DISKPART> select partition 1

DISKPART> active

DISKPART> format fs=fat32

DISKPART> assign

DISKPART> exit

xcopy X:\*.* /s/e/f Y:\

where X:\ is your mounted image or physical DVD and Y:\ is your USB device

However it appears diskpart is unable to see USB sticks under Windows XP. Therefor those using Windows XP I have found an alternative method.

Firstly find the bootsect.exe tool on the Windows 7 disc (in the boot directory). Then run this command where Y is the drive letter of the USB stick.

D:\boot> bootsect.exe /nt60 Y:

Now copy all the files from the Windows 7 disc onto the USB stick. This can be done by dragging in the GUI or using the xcopy method shown previously.

Thursday, August 25, 2011 // // 0 comments //