There comes a time when you are in need of installing windows on a system that doesn’t have a CD or DVD Drive. And more importantly, many of you might want to carry a setup of windows os in your pockets, for reasons best known to you! While its true that windows setup can be started from the installation files from within your pc, many a times situation arises where you cannot start the said PC or you want a clean install with option to format your hard disk. In such cases you need a bootable windows installation media. Since I am assuming that the DVD Drive doesn’t work, we will henceforth for such occasions make a Bootable USB with windows setup. So, instead of requiring a DVD Drive to boot into the installation you will use a thumb drive. Heres how:
Requirements:
Access to a working windows pc, Vista or above.
Windows setup files (Its basically the files on the installation dvd. Or can be an ISO format file)
Image mounting software (In case you are using the ISO file)
A Pen-Drive with atleast 4 GB Capacity.
Note: This method will not work for creating bootable installation media for Windows XP.
Procedure:
Insert the pendrive into a windows pc. Check the drive letter assigned to it by windows in My Computer.
Go to Start menu and type in CMD.EXE, right click on the result “Command Prompt” and choose “Run as administrator”. Accept the next warning by clicking “Yes”.
In the command prompt window type in: DISKPART and hit enter. Wait for CMD to show details about diskpart, ignore..
Next, type in : list volume. Note down the volume number associated with your pen drive. You can find out which one is your pen drive by either the drive letter associated to it or by the capacity. Lets say your usb drive is listed as Volume X (x can be 1,2,3 etc depending on your system. Remember this).
Next type select volume X, where X is your volume number.
Next type CLEAN and hit enter.
When the last step finishes, type in: Format FS=NTFS and hit enter.
Type: Create Partition Primary
Type: ACTIVE and hit enter.
Type EXIT.
For now keep the CMD screen open. Locate your windows installation files and put them in a folder on the desktop named “Windows”.
In the cmd windows, type in cd c:\users\YOURUSERNAME\desktop\windows\boot and hit enter. Remember to replace YOURUSERNAME in the command above to your own username.
Next, type in BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 X: and hit enter, (where X: is the drive letter assigned to your pendrive. Check it from My Computer as before.)
You will see a message displayed in the Command Promt saying that the Target volume bootcode is successfully update. If so you have completed almost 90%. No type in EXIT to close CMD. No more typing.
Last step : Copy the contents of the folder we created on the desktop a few steps back into the pen drive. Remember, copy the contents of the folder. Don’t just right click on the windows folder and copy it to the pen drive.
After copying all the files into pendrive, the pendrive should have files like: Setup.exe and Folders like BOOT.If this is correct, then you have successfully copied the files. Now you are done! Your drive is ready. Just Plug it in to the system where you need to install windows and boot it! Your system will directly boot into the windows setup.
Note: You must have External Boot enabled in your bios configuration. To do that, enter your bios menu during boot process. And configure it. But very rarely will it be otherwise. So, mostly you are in luck.
Voila! Proceed with the setup as you always do! It will be much faster and reliable than a CD or DVD!
Access to a working windows pc, Vista or above.
Windows setup files (Its basically the files on the installation dvd. Or can be an ISO format file)
Image mounting software (In case you are using the ISO file)
A Pen-Drive with atleast 4 GB Capacity.
Note: This method will not work for creating bootable installation media for Windows XP.
Procedure:
Insert the pendrive into a windows pc. Check the drive letter assigned to it by windows in My Computer.
Go to Start menu and type in CMD.EXE, right click on the result “Command Prompt” and choose “Run as administrator”. Accept the next warning by clicking “Yes”.
In the command prompt window type in: DISKPART and hit enter. Wait for CMD to show details about diskpart, ignore..
Next, type in : list volume. Note down the volume number associated with your pen drive. You can find out which one is your pen drive by either the drive letter associated to it or by the capacity. Lets say your usb drive is listed as Volume X (x can be 1,2,3 etc depending on your system. Remember this).
Next type select volume X, where X is your volume number.
Next type CLEAN and hit enter.
When the last step finishes, type in: Format FS=NTFS and hit enter.
Type: Create Partition Primary
Type: ACTIVE and hit enter.
Type EXIT.
For now keep the CMD screen open. Locate your windows installation files and put them in a folder on the desktop named “Windows”.
In the cmd windows, type in cd c:\users\YOURUSERNAME\desktop\windows\boot and hit enter. Remember to replace YOURUSERNAME in the command above to your own username.
Next, type in BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 X: and hit enter, (where X: is the drive letter assigned to your pendrive. Check it from My Computer as before.)
You will see a message displayed in the Command Promt saying that the Target volume bootcode is successfully update. If so you have completed almost 90%. No type in EXIT to close CMD. No more typing.
Last step : Copy the contents of the folder we created on the desktop a few steps back into the pen drive. Remember, copy the contents of the folder. Don’t just right click on the windows folder and copy it to the pen drive.
After copying all the files into pendrive, the pendrive should have files like: Setup.exe and Folders like BOOT.If this is correct, then you have successfully copied the files. Now you are done! Your drive is ready. Just Plug it in to the system where you need to install windows and boot it! Your system will directly boot into the windows setup.
Note: You must have External Boot enabled in your bios configuration. To do that, enter your bios menu during boot process. And configure it. But very rarely will it be otherwise. So, mostly you are in luck.
Voila! Proceed with the setup as you always do! It will be much faster and reliable than a CD or DVD!
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