Hi guys, Tomorrow my new computer will arrive (in bits) along with an OEM copy of windows 7 64bit. I want to know exactly how to boot up my new computer with windows 7 and install it WITHOUT a disk drive (as my new build doesnt have one). How should i go about this. I have a USB pen drive (8GB) and access to a windows XP 32 bit machine. Any help is appreciated as information on this topic is extremely muddied.
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7vista-from-usb-drive-detailed-100-working-guide/ This worked for me (the MS tool didn't).
Didn't like the ISO image i created. Didn't matter, i used the manual approach, it worked for me . Here is the guide using the MS tool : http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-c...-usb-flash-drive-using-windows-7-dvdusb-tool/
Use Microsoft tool. It's simple and works (assuming you have a bootable USB memory key (ie: a descent USB one, and not dollar shop ones), and have a properly made ISO. To make a proper ISO, you can use a variety of software, I recommend imgBurn (free). Microsoft tool can be acquired from Microsoft CodePlex website (Microsoft Open Source Community site): http://wudt.codeplex.com/ It's really easy to use. Simply insert the USB key to your computer (if you have to use a hub, use one that is powered, to ensure no data loss), and run the software. It will ask you the ISO file, and which removable drive you want. It will format it, do it's magic, and you are ready! You can do this on any computer, such as your laptop, or your friend computer for example. Once done, simply attach your USB key to your computer you want to install Windows 7, and tell your BIOS to boot from it (see boot order, or boot menu), and voila, the setup runs. Very straight forward as you can see. It's all about following the 2-3 step wizard, and boot form it, and follow the Win7 install. I installed Windows 7 in 7min using the USB key method (I have the 8GB Patriot XT Rage USB - 26MB/s write, 30MB/s read)
We use that to prepare images at work (upgraded from XP to Win7), and I use it at home. Not once it failed.
The mstool worked fine with me. The only requierement is to use a 64bit windows to create a 64bits Win7 USB stick .... it won't work on Windows XP (32bits). Since I had the 32bits XP, I've used VirtualBox to install Win7 64bit inside a VM and I created the bootable win7 USB stick from this VM.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/ Yes, it does Windows Vista and 7.
Not to be the odd one out, but don't rely on this if you've ordered top-end hardware, as Win 7 installer support is lacking. My motherboard has 0 USB 2.0 ports. They're all USB 3.0, including the front panel on my case - Windows refused to install with this method, luckily I have an ODD, so reverted to installing from disc as per the old days. TSB
Uhm... Are you sure ? http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/Maximus_IV_ExtremeZ/#specifications The vertical USB port on back panel is USB2.0. Plus you have 4 USB2.0 headers on the motherboard itself.
Well noticed, rep given, there are problems though you see. Sorry OP at going a little offtopic, but just to explain that I wasn't knocking my motherboard, it's actually great and I love it, and that yes it can be done if you take the time/have the resources. I apologise I should have explained better in the first instance, but it was just a quick post at work. Briefly: 1. Yes the board is USB 2 capable, I just don't have any actual USB2.0 ports to plug into the on-board headers (which would work fine). 2. I should have explained my USB drive (fat bad-boy pictured below) is USB 3.0 and I wanted a nice quick install, and had assumed with the quoted read speeds of 100mbps, installing Windows off the USB drive would have been much faster than using the streamlined DVD I made many moons ago (Obviously, at present this is not possible without installing the drivers from disc, in which case, you may as well just install Windows from disc too). 3. Yes, if I'd have had a USB 2.0 memory stick, it would have worked fine in a USB 3.0 port, but the only ones I own are less than 1Gb in size, also I had hoped for the speed (as said above). 4. Just to quickly explain why I didn't just use the misleading/sneaky solitary 'USB 2.0' port listed under the specs as Faugusztin said. If you'll kindly see the below image I've taken, It's actual intended use is for ROG Connect, as labeled, and as such is kept on a separate tab and I/O is controlled separately in the BIOS. ROG Connect is disabled by default, because if anything is connected to this port at boot when it is enabled, it seems to expect input/data from a second computer (or something) over this connection, and does not get past the POST. As such I left it off, as I had no desire to use it for this purpose (who overclocks before installing their OS!?) - and even now as I type, while this particular port is powered, there is no data capability within Windows (presumably it will work correctly if I enable it in the BIOS). Of course, this board is relatively young, and as such - I appear to unusually have a beta BIOS shipped as default See my thread on this here, and have actually been told by an Asus rep to downgrade to the latest stable release, so it's possible all the above will be fixed with a new stable BIOS release, and other manufacturers/boards/chipsets may not have this problem, so as with everything PC related, take my advice with some salt as YMMV! Apologies for wall of text, TSB
