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Question
How to create a bootable Windows USB drive.
Answer
A common use of a bootable USB flash drive is to use it for booting into
Windows. This can allow you to perform diagnostics on a computer that
has hardware issues or can't boot into Windows. You can also use the
flash drive to install Windows, instead of using the Windows installation
CD.
This guide will outline making a bootable USB flash drive with Windows
XP, Vista, and 7. Before we begin, it's important to note that the
computer you want to use your bootable USB drive in will need to have
the capability of booting to a USB drive. Most recent computers built
since Windows Vista was released are capable of booting to a USB device.
Prior to the Windows Vista timeframe, it's hit or miss with motherboards.
Tip: You will need a Windows Vista or Windows 7 disc for these
instructions to be successful.
1. Open an elevated Windows command line window by clicking Start,
typing in cmd in the search text field, then pressing CTRL + Shift +
Enter on your keyboard (at the same time). You can also access this by
navigating to Start, All Programs, Accessories, right-click with your
mouse on the Command Prompt menu item and select Run as
Administrator.
2. At the command prompt, type cd c:\windows\system32 to change
the directory to the Windows system32 directory. Ensure your USB drive
is plugged in and type DISKPART and press Enter. Then typeLIST
DISK and press Enter.
EXIT
Keep the command prompt window open, but you can minimize it for a
little bit.
5. You will now need your Windows Vista or 7 Installation DVD. Put the
DVD in your computer's DVD drive. Open up My Computer and note
which drive letter is assigned to your DVD Drive and your USB flash drive.
6. Go back to the command prompt window and type in D: CD
BOOT (substitute your DVD drive letter for "D:" if necessary) and press
Enter. Type CD BOOT again and press Enter. Lastly,
type BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 H: (substitute your USB flash drive letter
for "H:" if necessary) and press Enter.
7. The last step is to copy the entire contents of the Windows DVD to
your USB flash drive.
Your USB flash drive is now set up to be a bootable USB drive for
Windows Vista or 7.
Windows XP users
To make the bootable USB drive for Windows XP, it is recommended that
you have a flash drive of at least 4 GB in size, in order to store all the
necessary files. You will also need to download Windows Server 2003
SP1 and a program called PE Builder (also known as Bart PE).
Bart PE
Before you start, plug in the USB drive and backup any files you have
stored on the USB drive, to ensure you do not lose any of them.
1. Install PE Builder on your computer. For the sake of ease, install the
program to a C:\PEBuilder folder. After you've installed PE Builder,
create a folder titled SRSP1 in the PEBuilder folder.
2. Now you need to extract two files from Windows Server 2003 SP1. The
filename is quite long, so it is recommended that you rename the file to
Additional information
See our USB thumb drive definition for further information and related
links.