How to create and install Windows 8 using bootable USB Stick

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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.

Requires:

  • Windows Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8 ISO or DVD 0r installation source (setup backup files)
  • A 4GB USB 2.0 Storage device (Its recommended to use USB 2.0 device for optimal performance)

How To:

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

Diskpart
Run Disk partition utility

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

Select disk 1
Selects disk to perform disk partitioning.

Clean
Flush your existing all USB drive’s partitions.

Create partition primary
Creates a partition as primary partition.

Format recommended
Format your USB drive with recommended parameters. (No need to worry about file system format)

If you have customized WIM image and its bigger than 4Gb than you’ll have to format your USB flash drive in NTFS file system, therefore the command would be: Format FS=NTFS

Active
Set the partition as active to hold bootmgr.

Exit
To quit Diskpart utility

  1. Now copy all Windows Vista/7 files to USB storage device…that’s all.
  2. Re-boot your PC with it, you will be able to 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:BootBootsect.exe /NT60 I:

Where I: is the drive letter of USB Stick
Applies To:

  • Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Windows Server 2008
  • Windows 7
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows 8 Developer Preview
  • Windows 8 Server

Updated – 119/15/2011

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19 Comments

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.

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.

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

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…

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

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?

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