Microsoft's TechNet magazine has posted instructions on installing Windows 7 from a USB key - which will be very handy for anyone installing Windows 7 on a netbook, in particular.
Installing Windows 7 from a USB key will also be faster than installing it from DVD.
Dennis Chung, IT Pro Evangelist at Microsoft, posted a video explaining the process.
Here, according to TechNet, is what you need to do:
1. You should already have DiskPart installed on your Windows machine - you'll use this to prepare the USB drive. If this free disk partitioning app isn't already already installed, you can download DiskPart from Microsoft.
2. Launch DiskPart by typing diskpart into the Start search box.
3. Now run the list disk command to check the status of your drive.
4. Next, run select disk 1 where the "1" is actually the corresponding number of your USB drive.
5. Now run clean.
6. Once that's done, run create partition primary.
7. Now you can make the partition active by entering active.
8. Next, set up the file system as Fat32 by running format fs=fat32 quick.
9. Enter the assign command to give the USB drive a drive letter - this will make it easier to access from Windows Explorer.
10. Drag and drop the contents of your Windows 7 installation DVD onto the USB drive to copy the files across.
11. Stick the USB key drive into the machine you want to install Windows 7 onto and boot the system from the drive. The Windows 7 installation will now begin.
Via TechNet
Your comments (3) Click to add a new comment
gandharva81
June 18th
3. ys i also have done this step to install windows 7 is one of one of the best and much more reliable.
This is very easy if we take care about this then otherwise dangerous.
But I like this...
Have a good good day.
best of Luck.
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pimlicosound
June 12th
2. I spent ages trying to get this to work, so I could install W7 on my netbook. Then I realised I could just run the install process from within my WinXP OS, pointing the installation towards my new, spare partition. The installation took care of itself, and I never needed any sort of external drive!
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awire
June 12th
1. This will be slower than using an NTFS partition.
All you need to do is put the key into your pc, open My computer (depending on what version of windows or OS is) format the key to NTFS using the right click -> format mouse command. Then just copy all the files from the windows 7 disc directly onto the root of the USB key. Reboot then tell you pc to boot from usb key or removable drive or whatever your BIOS calls it.
To make sure the Key is a primary partition which it should be, *just go to the control panel -> administration tools -> Computer management, then in the next window that pops up double click on "Storage" then "Diskmanagement(local)". You should be able to see your USB Key there and it should have "Primary" next to it. If not delete the partition and create a new one and follow the onscreen wizzard making sure you make it a primary partition.
:-)
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