How to create bootable Windows 8 USB Stick using DISKPART

August 20, 2012 by 24 Comments

Gone are the days, when we used to burn CD and DVDs to install operating systems. Now all modern operating systems lets you install using PEN Drive / USB Storage Device / USB Stick. And this article describes step by step guide to format and create bootable Windows Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 8 USB Stick.

Prerequisites:

  • Windows Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 8 ISO or installation files
  • A 4GB USB 2.0 Storage device (Its recommended to use USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 device for optimal performance)

How To:

  1. Plug your USB storage device. and run Command Prompt and execute the following commands one by one.

    2. Diskpart
    Run Disk partition utility

    List disk
    To get disk index that is used to perform disk partitioning.

    Select disk n
    Selects disk n to perform disk partitioning. n is the number for your USB flash drive you obtained from above command.

    Clean
    Flush your existing all USB drive’s partitions.

    Create partition primary
    Creates a partition as primary partition.

    Active
    Set the partition as active to hold bootmgr.

    Format FS=NTFS QUICK
    Perform a quick format on the USB Flash drive

    Assign
    Assign a drive letter to the partition

    Exit
    To quit Diskpart utility

  2. Now copy all setup files to USB storage device… and that’s All.
  3. Re-boot your PC with it, you will be able to boot and install Windows Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8 using USB Stick.

Note: If you face any trouble to boot with it or unable to boot, try this FIX.

I:\Boot\Bootsect.exe /NT60 I:
Where I: is the drive letter of USB Stick

Filed Under: Windows Tagged With: , , ,
About RKonit

He is a technologist, writes code for fun and work out of his home office, and has been Microsoft MVP for 4 years, specializing in Windows and also became Microsoft .Net Rockstar.

  • Dan Vali

    and after installing Windows on your PC you can format the USB stick and reuse it?

  • http://www.facebook.com/LAKKIMSETTY.BABA Lakkimsetty Sai Teja

    found it thanku!!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/LAKKIMSETTY.BABA Lakkimsetty Sai Teja

    HEY!, @facebook-1607456235:disqus

    after registering i cant find copy button. but there is open?. did u mean that?
    and i cant find the write to usb!. please help!

  • http://www.facebook.com/andrew.komlos Andrew E. Komlos

    Here is a very ezway to setting up a USB device to install an operating system.

    1.) install gburner (PURCHASE REQUIRED).
    2.) after install and software is registered, click the “COPY” button and then browse for the ISO image file.
    3.) click on the “WRITE USB”, (IF FOR SOME REASON THE PROGRAM DOES NOT SEE YOUR USB DEVICE,, REINSTALL GBURNER AND THEN RERUN.
    4.) once the program see’s your USB device, it will need to be formatted, (LET IT DO THIS).
    5.) once formatted it will start writing files to the USB device, let it finish, now you have a bootable USB device with either XP, Vista, 7 or 8.

  • PommieMJ

    awesome!  thanks for the clear and easy steps to follow

  • brainy

    its because its already active :)

  • Philory

    I tried this several and it doesn’t work because I can’t set the USB drive to Active. That option is grayed out. So how do you guys do it?

  • K.A.

    there is only 1 disk listed in cmd..and is necessary to the operation of the computer.what do i do?

  • Levent

    This is very easy for everybody.

    Also you may this from your Windows Control Panel.

    Administrative Tools
    Computer Management
    Storage
    Disk Management

    Select your USB disk and Format (quick)
    Right click on the USB Disk
    Set as Active

    Copy your files from DVD directly,
    or
    Copy your files from an ISO file by WinRar or IsoBuster or Daemon Tools or similar programs…

  • baroque_obama

    I tried a number of other disc-less vista installation options, including flashboot, and this was the only one that worked. Thanks a lot!

  • mostafa

    WHAT IS MEANT BY UPDATED FAT32 FILESYSTEM BOOTCODE. THE UPDATE MAY BE UNRELIABLE SINE THE VOLUME COULD NOT BE LOCKED DURING THE UPDATE:
    ACCESS IS DENIED.

  • war6000

    you can do it on the command promt.
    -just click start and type cmd (windows vista/7)
    -once u r on the black screen just change the letter “I” for whatever your usb drive letter is.

  • L

    Umm, where can you start the FIX?
     

  • Jimmy Dee

    Is it possible to have Windows 7 and vista on a usb and choose which one to install from a menu?

  • nitin tandon

    this info is rally thankful

  • Ansh Jack

    Thanks for your excellent information. It worked well with windows 7
    Thank you

  • Mindawry

    I almost never post replies on sites. This was a very well explained article and the screenshot is awesome. Thank you for saving me a lot of time. Much appreciated.

  • Dwight Stegall

    Thanks for the great tutorial. It worked just like you said except I had to select drive 2. I have it on a Memorex 4 GB USB 2.0 and the files load 3 times faster than they ever did off of the CD Installation Disk.

  • https://login.live.com/login.srf?wa=wsignin1.0&rpsnv=11&ct=1327688668&rver=6.1.6206.0&wp=MBI&wreply=http:%2F%2Fmail.live.com%2Fdefault.aspx&lc=1033&id=64855&mkt=en-US&a aleemsyed

    I simply admire unsung genius. heroes like you. Thank you so much, I wish a big offer from Microsoft comes your way.

    aleemsyed

  • leofelix

    Excellent tutorial as usual

    Regards

  • Max

    I can’t believe i just did it .
    It was looking hard but it was’nt , it was easy !

  • Raz

    Hi,
    One small comment, if the original source is large, like in AIO disks (over 4gb), then you better format fs=NTFS to allow larger than 4gb files.

    • http://www.windowsvalley.com Author

      Absolutely right Raz ! Thank you for pointing this issue.

  • http://www.msigeek.com Vijay

    Well eXplained Article..!!

    Cheers’
    Vj