USB Bootable Vista Installation Flash Thumb Drive

Dwarf · Sep 17, 2008

Shawn,

Do you know whether this works with both the full and upgrade versions of Vista?

Brink · Sep 17, 2008

Hi Dwarf,

It will work with either the Full or Upgrade retail versions

, but you still have to do the two installs with a upgrade version though.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/68767-clean-install-upgrade-vista.html

UndeFinitiOn · Sep 26, 2008

how come when i select the volume then type in active, it tells me to please select a partition and try again? should it work the same way with a XP boot disk or it has to be vista?

here is a screen shot...

Brink · Sep 26, 2008

Hi UndeFinitiOn,

Yeah, it needs to be from Vista. Did you format the USB key from within Vista?

UndeFinitiOn · Sep 26, 2008

Brink · Sep 26, 2008

Ok,

Try typing these commands instead starting at step 11 in the tutorial. It will delete all partitions on the USB flash drive and create a new one.

diskpart
select volume 9
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=fat32
assign (note that this changes the USB drive letter)
list volume (to see what the new USB drive letter is)
exit

Now continue on with the rest of the steps in the tutorial starting with step 20 to finish creating the Vista installation USB flash drive.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

UndeFinitiOn · Sep 26, 2008

Thanks, it formated the flash drive... but the thing is that XP does not have the boot folder... or the version of XP I have does not have the boot folder with the bootsect.exe file, i think ill just put vista on the usb drive... should be alot easier.... thanks for all ur help Shawn =D

Brink · Sep 27, 2008

You're welcome UndeFinitiOn.

Dwarf · Sep 27, 2008

Hi Shawn,

Another question. If the USB flash drive is of sufficient capacity, say 8GB, can you add another folder to it after you have followed the procedure in your Tutorial? I would like to create a folder called 'Vista Support', and I would keep this folder updated with the latest drivers so that when it comes to reinstallation, everything would be in one place. Could I also place RAID drivers in this folder (assuming that I can locate them) and use them during the initial installation of Vista if the necessary drivers aren't included with Vista itself. It would also be useful to have other programs on there as well, such as Adobe Reader and possibly Microsoft Office 2007 with SP1, together with other documents, information and files. Is this possible or not?

Brink · Sep 27, 2008

Dwarf said:
Hi Shawn,

Another question. If the USB flash drive is of sufficient capacity, say 8GB, can you add another folder to it after you have followed the procedure in your Tutorial? I would like to create a folder called 'Vista Support', and I would keep this folder updated with the latest drivers so that when it comes to reinstallation, everything would be in one place. Could I also place RAID drivers in this folder (assuming that I can locate them) and use them during the initial installation of Vista if the necessary drivers aren't included with Vista itself. It would also be useful to have other programs on there as well, such as Adobe Reader and possibly Microsoft Office 2007 with SP1, together with other documents, information and files. Is this possible or not?

Oh yes absolutely. Great idea, but you would still have to manually install them after Vista of course. :geek:

I will add a TIP box for this to the tutorial.

ripbox · Sep 29, 2008

Superb Tutorial... and that fact that all the drivers can also be stored on the flash drive too will save a shed load of time on my next format... when i stop being lazy... lol

Edit: can you add a little piece on how to data write protect the USB key to prevent accidental formatting

Brink · Sep 29, 2008

You're welcome Ripbox.

I'm not sure about how to go about that so that the USB key will be write protected for any computer it is plugged into.

ripbox · Sep 30, 2008

No im not sure my self.... i do here there are usb key that have a write protect switch like the old floppy discs but are limited to a select few...

mind you i did google up this and it sound ok maybe you can check it out and tell us what you opinion is of it

Write Protect (Read only) Your USB Drive with USB Write Protector | Shivaranjan.com

Brink · Sep 30, 2008

Unfortunately, it only prevents the computer you install it on unable to write to the USB drive and not write protect the USB drive itself. Plus, you can easily edit the registry for this without having to install a 3rd party program.

If you like I can create a tutorial on this, but without the USB drive itself being write protected, I do not see much need for it.

ripbox · Sep 30, 2008

Np brink... i can always make some other backup... i only asked because sometimes i have my blonde moments and end up deleting things i had no intention of deleting
And i wasn't sure of how to protect data stored on a flash drive... no big ussue though
I'm in need of a larger USB stick so ill look for 1 with the protetion switch on :geek:

Edit: 1 more thing... Is there a way to embed your/my serial key into the USB stick so that i/we don't have to enter it on install?

Brink · Sep 30, 2008

There is a way using vLite with the Unattended button. I have not done this myself, so I'm not sure on how to do it. You might post this in the General Discussion forum to see if someone knows how for you.

kfm · Oct 7, 2008

thanx for your help
i get "the system can not find the path specified " after step 21
plz i need your help coz it is important to me to have this bootable usb flash

note my usb flash (8GB) come with u3 application preinstalled ...
also i formated the drive from windows vista home premium32 and second time using your reply cmd
for another user here ....

Code:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Windows\system32>diskpart
Microsoft DiskPart version 6.0.6001
Copyright (C) 1999-2007 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: KOTEIBA-PC
DISKPART> list volume
Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
Volume 0 D 11 CDFS DVD-ROM 4658 MB Healthy
Volume 1 C NTFS Partition 99 GB Healthy System
Volume 2 F New Volume NTFS Partition 29 GB Healthy
Volume 3 G NTFS Partition 29 GB Healthy
Volume 4 H New Volume NTFS Partition 29 GB Healthy
Volume 5 E FAT32 Removable 7666 MB Healthy
 
 
DISKPART> select volume 5
Volume 5 is the selected volume.
DISKPART> active
DiskPart marked the current partition as active.
DISKPART> exit
Leaving DiskPart...
C:\Windows\system32>cd\
C:\>D:\boot\bootsect.exe/nt60 E:
The system cannot find the path specified.
C:\>

kfm · Oct 7, 2008

update
i used a recovery dvd from hp which has windows vista home premium
and i guess it has no bootsect.exe on it :cry:

.... so any other idea about how to make it
bootable on my usb flash drive
thanx

Brink · Oct 7, 2008

Hello kfm, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Are you using a retail Vista installtion DVD?

Do you have more than one partition on the USB flash drive?

The reply link will change the drive letter again. Do the list volume command again to see if the USB flash drive letter is now different than the E: you have used in the command.

USB Bootable Vista Installation Flash Thumb Drive

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