Installing Windows 7 From a USB Stick From Windows XP (Bootable USB)

Installing Windows 7 onto a USB drive in Windows XP is harder than Windows Vista. This is because the “diskpart” tool that is used to prepare the USB drive is different to Vista and 7. So after looking threw a few tutorials and trial and error I installed Windows 7 onto my EEE 1000H. Here is my method:

Required:

  • Usb Drive 4gb or more Buy
  • Daemon tools (or other ISO emulator)
  • The Windows 7 Disk or .ISO Buy

USB Install Method

  • Insert the USB Drive
  • Format the USB Drive with NTFS (Check this guide if NTFS is not an option)
Format NTFS
  • Open a Command Windows (start->accessories->command prompt)
  • type in diskpart (download diskpart here)
  • type in list disk and find the ID of your USB disk
Format NTFS
  • Next type in select disk 1 where 1 is the Disk ID
Format NTFS
  • Next type in select partition 1
  • Finally type active (You will get a confirmation)
Format NTFS
  • Mount the Windows 7 ISO with Daemon Tools (make note of drive letter it assigns)
  • Copy all files from the Windows 7 DVD to the USB Drive
Windows 7 Disk Files
  • Run the following command (Where D:\ is the Windows 7 DVD and E: is your USB Stick)

D:\boot\bootsect /nt60 E: /mbr

bootsect nt60
  • Set your Netbook or PC to boot from USB and your away!

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54 Comments (Newest on top)

  1. landon greer says:

    it worked perfectly, thank man! :)

  2. Tom says:

    Thank you :)

    Worked really well and installed really fast!

  3. Gordon says:

    Thansk again – worked a treat.

  4. Harm Frans says:

    Worked like a frans!

  5. David Morales says:

    I formatted the USB drive to NTFS but when I run list disk, it does not show up in the list. I insertted another USB I had been using that used FAT and it showed up fine. Any thoughts?

    • Ben says:

      is it in disk management? maybe it needs a drive letter?

      • David Morales says:

        Here’s what I’m seeing. On my Windows 7 PC the NTFS USB I’m trying to work with does not show up on “list disk” but it does with “list volume”. The FAT USB shows up on both. When I move to an XP PC, both USBs do not show up on “list disk” but both show on “list volume” They both show up with XP Disk Mgmt with a drive letter. Now, disk mgmt says that the NTFS USB has an active partition setup already so can I skip the steps leading up to working with the Daemon tools?

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