Want to install Windows 7 on your calculator without an optical drive? Perhaps you're using a laptop without a congenital-in DVD drive, or even an old netbook or Windows tablet. Any the case, you'll need to make a USB installation disk.

You can do this without whatever extra software, or y'all tin can employ tools provided by Microsoft and third parties.

Notation: Despite the legacy that Windows 7 left behind, it's fourth dimension to upgrade to Windows ten! With Windows xi on the way, Windows 7 isn't desirable equally a personal operating system. Still, for older hardware, or for those who just like Windows 7, read on.

Two Ways to Make a Bootable USB Windows 7 Installation Disk

You have two choices for making a bootable USB drive that can install Windows vii.

  1. Create a bootable disk using Windows tools: this requires no additional software
  2. Download the install from Microsoft: this is a far simpler solution

Let's take a look at each selection.

What Y'all'll Demand to Install Windows 7 From a USB Drive

Without an optical bulldoze on the target computer, installing Windows seven as your preferred operating organisation is impossible. Simply if y'all accept the original installation media and a USB flash drive, you can arrive work.

To get started, yous'll need:

  • A working Windows 7 computer with a DVD bulldoze and ambassador rights.
  • A Windows 7 installation DVD.
  • AUSB wink drive with 4GB of space or larger.

This will also piece of work with external USB hard drives instead of a USB thumb drive. Still, all the data on the drive will be formatted and deleted.

The post-obit steps can be completed on a Windows 7 computer. Even so, they're almost the same whatever operating system you're using, including Windows 10.

i. Open an Elevated Control Prompt

To offset, insert your USB flash bulldoze in your main PC---the 1 with the optical drive. You should also insert the Windows vii installation DVD.

Click Beginning > All Programs > Accessories and correct-click on Command Prompt. Select Run As Administrator. Of grade, y'all demand to exist able to authenticate as the administrator on the PC yous're using.

On Windows 10, click Start so blazon "control". Right-click the commencement result and select Run every bit administrator.

In the black control prompt window, open the disk partitioning tool with the control:

          diskpart

This will open in a new command prompt window. Here, call up a list of disks attached to your PC.

          listing deejay

1 of the drives listed will exist your USB drive. You'll probably be able to spot it based on the drive's capacity. Make a note of the disk number of the USB drive.

screenshot of disk part in windows 10

This is important to get right; otherwise, you lot'll stop upward losing data on other drives.

Next, partition the disk. Brainstorm by selecting the disk and cleaning it.

Where yous run into the # sign, substitute it with the disk number of your USB device.

          select disk #
clean

You lot can then create a new partition.

          create partition primary
select sectionalization ane

Make the sectionalization active, and then format equally NTFS:

          active
format fs=ntfs quick
screenshot of formatting usb for windows 7 iso

Next, issue the single command to set the deejay every bit drive Eastward:

          assign letter due east

Finally, exit the DiskPart tool.

          get out

The USB flash drive is now ready for Windows 7's installation files.

two. Make Your Windows 7 USB Bootable

The format step may take some time, depending on your figurer's specification.

In the command prompt type

          d:/boot/bootsect.exe /nt60 e:

(This assumes D: is your DVD drive with the install DVD inserted, and you named E: your USB drive. This may differ on your PC, and then check earlier entering the command.)

This will make your USB drive bootable.

3. Copy Windows 7 Installation Files to the USB Drive

The terminal footstep can be done from My Computer. Just open the installation DVD, highlight everything, and elevate it across to the USB bulldoze.

This can also accept a while. When consummate, you should exist all set. Insert the USB disk into your new PC, then enter the BIOS to adjust the kick order. Your target calculator may even take the Choose Kicking Device selection during start-upwardly.

If you want a simpler solution to installing Windows 7 from a bootable USB bulldoze, try Microsoft'south defended, downloadable tool.

The tool is no longer hosted on Microsoft's official servers, so nosotros will find a mirror to the same program hosted on annal.org.

Download: Windows vii USB Download Tool

The main download is just 2.8MB in size, and then this should complete speedily. While you lot wait, insert your USB flash drive into your main PC. A 4GB drive should be large enough.

Meanwhile, you'll also need an ISO version of Windows vii. Like the USB Download Tool, these files are no longer easily accessible from Microsoft's official servers. Below are two versions hosted on archive.org.

Download: Windows vii Ultimate Edition

Download: Windows 7 Professional person Edition

Note: You will however need a valid product key to actuate these products!

While y'all wait for the download, install the installer tool, so launch from the Start menu.

You'll be prompted to find the ISO prototype file for Windows seven. Find the ISO file on your hd, then click Next.

screenshot of the windows 7 usb dvd download tool

Here, select USB device for the media blazon you programme to create. In the adjacent screen, use the dropdown bill of fare to select the USB drive, and then Begin Copying. Expect while the procedure completes.

When the bar reaches 100%, you'll spot some status data. Any problems that occurred are listed here. If yous demand another bootable USB Windows 7 installation disk, click Starting time Over to repeat the process.

Otherwise, click the X in the height-right corner to close, before safely ejecting your USB deejay. Information technology is now ready to install Windows seven on a suitable computer of your choice.

It's Easy to Create a Windows 7 USB Installation Deejay

If you've been stuck trying to get an operating system gear up on your former laptop or netbook, you lot'll be relieved to see how simple it really is. Indeed, Windows 7 and later already have the tools built in to help you lot make a bootable USB installer.

Failing that, y'all can take the elementary selection by grabbing Microsoft'south ain USB installer tool for Windows 7 and later. And if y'all love the portability of the USB drive, be certain to check out all the other portable apps you tin put on 1 too.

100 Portable Apps for Your USB Stick for Windows and macOS

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Almost The Author

Jason Currie (37 Manufactures Published)

Jason is a former freelancer and tech blogger. Driven and knowledgeable about all things tech, he has a want to brand things simple and digestible. When Jason isn't writing for MakeUseOf, he will normally exist flexing his artistic muscles in other forms of writing.

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