How to install Windows 7 through usb?

Because there are a variety of manuals for this specific maneuver explaining the similar process and none of them can explain the problematics, which some users have experienced. The Windows automatic tool to create bootable windows 7 usb-stick does not also work on every computer. The tool is the easiest solution, but won't work on every computer.

Through hard labour and testing different ways I finally found a way to install Windows 7 through usb.

What do you need:
- Two usb memory sticks.
o Main-stick, for installation
o Driver-stick, for drivers
- Windows 7 x64 or x86 installation image
- MBRwiz -program http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif


First, you need to format both sticks to NTFS-fileformat (Picture 1.).




Second, you mount the Windows 7 image using mounting software, like daemon-tools, and transfer everything from inside the image to one of the usb sticks. This stick will now be the main-stick, that withholds the setup and installation files.

Also transfer everything also to the other stick. We need another stick to withhold the necessary drivers, that will be unaccessible from the bootable main-stick. (For some reason, the temporary setup OEM client makes some of the installation files unreachable.)

Third, you execute the MBRwiz through the command line.

Execute command mbrwiz /list to see the list of drives on your computer (Picture 2.)




To enable boot from the usb stick, you need to define the main-stick bootable. Execute command mbrwiz /disk= (main-stick disk number) /activate

Fourth, through the command line you go to the boot folder inside your main-stick. In this folder there should be a executable named bootsect.exe

In this folder you execute a command bootsect.exe /nt60 (main stick drive letter) /mbr in order to create boot file inside your main-stick.

Fifth, no you should be ready to start installing the computer. Shutdown the computer and attach the usb sticks in to the usb holes.

Sixth, you need to enable boot from usb through your BIOS. You can enter BIOS by hitting ‘end’ at the start-up of your computer or you need to consult your mainboard manual.

In the BIOS you need to CHECK that both usb-sticks are found by the BIOS, for some reason some computers won’t identify usb-sticks on the start-up from all of the usb-drives. Reboot and change a usb-driver hole if BIOS did not detect both sticks.

Seventh, during the installation everything should go smoothly from here after, but if you still encounter problems, you should check couple of thing:

- Change the usb-stick hole, eventhough the BIOS had detected both. I myself experienced a similar problem and solved it by using testing other usb-stick holes. It seems there are some compatibility problems in Windows 7 USB 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 drivers.
- If the main-stick won’t boot, check the main stick, that bootmgr -file is found inside it. If its missing download a new one from the Windows 7 image and go over again the phase Four.
- Post on this wall and I may find a solution to it.