Make bootable flash drive to install Windows 7/8 from DVD/ image file

In this tutorial, I am considering that you want to install a (genuine) copy of Microsoft Windows 8/7 or Vista operating system into your computer, be the installation a fresh one or done after formatting the hard disk. Also I assume that the copy of Windows is not corrupt and has all the relevant files in appropriate state.

After reading this, you will be able to install Windows 7/ Vista through USB flash drives from image file of the OS and without even requiring DVD drive.

Step 1: What do you require?

 

> USB Flash Drive (4GB+)
> Microsoft OS Disk or image file(Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 8)
> A computer running Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 8

 

Step 2: Format the Drive

We are using command line to format the flash drive properly using diskpart utility.

[Important: Formatting will erase all your data in the flash drive.]

> Plug in your USB Flash Drive
> Open command prompt as administrator (Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator” by right clicking it. )
> Find the drive number of your USB Drive by typing the following into the Command Prompt window:

diskpart
list disk

The number of your USB drive will listed. You’ll need this for the next step.  I assume, the USB
flash drive is disk 1.
> Format the drive by typing the next instructions into the same window. Replace the number “1” with the number of your disk below.

select disk 1
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=NTFS
assign
exit

When that is done you’ll have a formatted USB flash drive ready to be made bootable. You just converted the file format of your USB flash drive from FAT to NTFS.
 

Step 3: Make the Drive Bootable

Next we’ll use the bootsect utility that comes on the Vista or Windows 7 disk (we have the image file here) to make the flash drive bootable.

> If you have the image file ready, then proceed to next point. Otherwise, insert the OS DVD into your drive, and copy the files to a specific folder that contains no other material. Using an image file processing tool like MagicISO or PowerISO, add those files and save as an image file with “.iso” extension. This is very easy, you can do it seeing the toolbars.

> Now using some image mounting software like MagicISO or PowerISO, mount the Windows 7/ Vista image file in your computer to a virtual drive. The software will make the virtual drive for you. Just carefully note down its drive letter. I’ll assume it to be H:\.

> In the same command window that you were using in Step 2:
Change directory to the Windows image file’s boot directory where bootsect lives:

h:
cd h:\boot

Use bootsect to set the USB as a bootable NTFS drive prepared for a Vista/7 image. I’m assuming that your USB flash drive has been labeled disk G:\ by the computer:

bootsect /nt60 g:

You can now close the command prompt window, we’re done here.
 

Step 4: Copy the files to the USB drive

The easiest way is to use Windows explorer to copy all of the files in the image file (.iso file) on to the formatted flash drive. You can copy the files from DVD, or the drive with mounted image file or the image file opened in MagicISO/ PowerISO.  After you’ve copied all of the files the disk you are ready to go.
 

Step 5: Set your BIOS to boot from USB

This is where you’re on your own since every computer is different. Most BIOS’s allow you to hit a key at boot (F12 for example) and select a boot option.

Step 6: Rendering your USB flash drive it’s original state

 

Okay, now that you are done with installing a nice copy of Windows into your PC through USB flash drive, you can plug in the device and do a full format as you normally do by right-clicking and selecting appropriate options.

Restore your Windows: Create an Image

 

There are many alternatives available on how to repair or reinstall your Windows after any severe happening like system crash, hijack, or a virus attack, etc. One of the alternatives is to create a system image, and restore your Windows from it. Windows 7 has a in-built tool to create one for you, so there is no need of any external software.

What is a system image? Well, the answer is simple. Any instance of single or multiple drives of your computer is captures and saved, and that becomes a system image. The image is nothing but a replica of your system drives’ contents which were present on your system when the image was being created.
This image is of large size, considering the size of all the contents on the drive whose image has been created.

How can a system image help? When your system is severely troubled like got crashed, affected by virus/ worms, or even is unable to boot, you can use this system image to restore your Windows to earlier settings. These settings are nothing but the state of your computer when the system image was generated.

Where to save this image? You can save this image on any drive of the same computer, or any external hard drive, flash drive, or even network drive, whose free size must be equal or greater than the size of the system image. However, take note of that if you save the system image only on the drive of same computer, then it may not be retrieved in case any problem cripples down the computer. So, it’s advisable to use an external drive or network drive.

How to create a system image? We are providing you a detailed instruction set with the help of screenshots on how to create a system image with the help of in-built facility provided with Windows 7.
1. Go to Control Panel→System and Security→Back up your computer.

2. Click on “Create a system image”.

3. Now, select a location to save the system image. Take note of the size constraints, and read the information carefully.

4. Select the drives to back up now.

5. Confirm your selection. Take a note of the size required. Click on “Start Backup”.

6. Here, you can see Windows preparing for, performing and saving the backup of selected drives on desired location.



You can find the backup easily by navigating to the location.

Important Points:
1. It is advisable that you create a system image of your computer as soon as you install a fresh version of Windows along with other important drivers, and before installing any other program, so as to limit the size of the system image. A small size will be much more convenient to transfer.
2. Save the system image on some other drive. If possible, create copies and store on multiple devices, as on failure of one device, you can look forward to another device.
3. The backup restores a fresh (adhering to the guidelines mentioned above) Windows up and running. Any external software or program or documents, you might have to redo your work.