USB Bootable Vista Installation Flash Thumb Drive

How to Create a Vista Installation USB Key​

   Information

This will show you how to create a USB flash key drive that you can boot from to install Vista with.

   Tip

If the USB flash drive is of sufficient capacity, say 8GB, then after copying the Vista installation DVD onto it, you can create a new folder (ex: Device Drivers) in the USB key and place all of your latest driver installation files in it. This way you will have them handy to manually install the drivers after installing Vista from the USB key.

   Warning

• You can only create a 32-bit Vista USB key from within a 32-bit OS (ex: Vista or XP).
• You can only create a 64-bit Vista USB key from within a 64-bit OS (ex: Vista or XP).
• The USB key needs to be at least 4 GB in size.
• You must have a Retail Vista installation DVD, not a OEM Vista recovery CD.
• This will delete everything on the USB key. Be sure to save anything that you do not want to lose on it somewhere else.
• Before installing Vista from the USB key, you will need to:
  • Enable Legacy USB storage detect in the BIOS
  • Temporarily set the USB FDD (USB Flash Disk Drive) to be listed right before the hard drive (or partition) that you will be installing Vista on in the hard drive Boot Priority order list in the BIOS.
  • After you are finished installing Vista from the USB key, make the Vista hard drive (or partition) listed first in the hard drive Boot Priority order list in the BIOS.

METHOD ONE

Create Vista Installation USB Key using Vista ISO

   Note

You will need to have a Vista ISO file to do this option.

If you like, you can use the Create image file from disc feature of the free program ImgBurn with a retail Vista installation DVD to create a Vista ISO file.

If you do not have a retail Vista installation DVD, then you can download and create an official Vista ISO file using the tutorial here: Installation & Upgrade - Vista ISO - Download and Create Installation DVD or USB

1. Download and install the trial version of UltraIso.​

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2. Plug in your USB key.​

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3. Right click on the UltraIso shortcut, and click on Run as administrator.​

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4. Click on File (menu bar) and Open. (See screenshot below)​

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5. Navigate to your Vista ISO file and select it and click on the Open button. (See screenshot below)​

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6. In the bottom Local pane, select your USB flash key drive. (See screenshot below)​

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7. Click on Bootable (menu bar) and Write Disk Image. (See screenshot above)​

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8. Make sure the locations are correct, and check the Verify box and click on the Write button. (See screenshot below)​

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9. Click on Yes to confirm writing to the USB drive.​

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10. When it's done, click on the Close button. (See screenshot below)​

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11. You now have a Vista installation USB flash key drive. ​

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METHOD TWO

Manually Create Vista Installation USB Key

1. Plug the USB key in.​

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2. If AutoPlay opens a pop-up for the USB key, then just close it.​

NOTE: Make note of what the drive size is for the USB key for step 6 below. You can also open Computer (step 21) to see what the drive size is to. For example, mine is 3920 MB.​

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3. Open an elevated command prompt.​

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4. In the elevated command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

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5. In the elevated command prompt, type list disk and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: Make note of what disk # your USB key is listed as for step 6 below. You can also look for the drive size (step 2) for the USB key to help ID the disk number. For example, mine is listed as Disk 1 here for the 3920 MB disk.​

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6. In the elevated command prompt, type select disk # (your USB disk #) and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: You can also look for the drive size (step 2) for the USB key to help ID the disk number. For example, my USB key is listed as Disk 1, so I would type select disk 1 and press Enter.​

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7. In the elevated command prompt, type clean and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

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8. In the elevated command prompt, type create partition primary and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

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9. In the elevated command prompt, type select partition 1 and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

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10. In the elevated command prompt, type active and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

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11. In the elevated command prompt, type format fs=ntfs and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: This may take a few moments to finish formatting the USB key.​

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12. If AutoPlay opens a pop-up for the USB key, then just close it. ​

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13. In the elevated command prompt, type assign and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: This will assign a new drive letter to the USB key. Make note of the new USB drive letter for step 19 below. For example, mine is now H.​

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14. If AutoPlay opens a pop-up for the USB key, then just close it.​

NOTE: Make note of the new USB drive letter for step 18 below. For example, mine is now H.​

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15. In the elevated command prompt, type exit and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: This will exit you from DiskPart from step 4.​

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16. Insert your retail Vista installation DVD into the DVD drive.​

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17. If AutoPlay opens a pop-up for the retail Vista installation DVD, then just close it.​

NOTE: Make note of what the drive letter is for the DVD drive that has the retail Vista installation DVD in for step 19 below. You can also open Computer (step 21) to see what the drive letter is to. (See right screenshot below)​

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18. In the elevated command prompt, type cd\ and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

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19. In the elevated command prompt, type the command below, and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

WARNING: Subtitute the letter F with your actual DVD drive letter (step 17), and substitute H with your actual USB key drive letter (step 13).​

F:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 H:​

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20. When it finishes, close the elevated command prompt.​

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21. Open the Start Menu, and right click on the Computer button and click on Open.​

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22. Right click on the DVD drive (ex: F: ) that has the retail Vista installation DVD, and click on Open. (See screenshot below)​

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23. Highlight all of the contents, right click on the highlighted contents, and click on Copy. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: You will need to copy all of the files and folders on the retail Vista installation DVD to the USB key.​

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24. Go back to Computer, right click on the USB key drive (ex: H ), and click on Paste. (See screenshot below)​

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25. The contents of the retail Vista installation DVD will now start copying over to the USB key.​

NOTE: This may take a few moments to complete.​

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26. When finished, you can close the Computer window and unplug the USB key.​

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27. You now have a Vista installation USB flash drive.​

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   Warning

Before installing Vista from the USB key, you will need to:

   Warning

• Enable Legacy USB storage detect in the BIOS
• Temporarily set the USB FDD (USB Flash Disk Drive) to be listed right before the hard drive (or partition) that you will be installing Vista on in the hard drive Boot Priority order list in the BIOS.
• After you are finished installing Vista from the USB key, make the Vista hard drive (or partition) listed first in the hard drive Boot Priority order list in the BIOS.

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Download a Vista ISO and Create an Installation DVD or USB
• How to Create a Vista SP1 Slipstream Installation DVD
• How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc
• How to Do a Clean Install of Vista with a Upgrade Version
• How to Do a Clean Install with a Full Version of Vista
• How to Do a Dual Boot Installation with Windows Vista and XP
• How to Do a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Vista
• How to Create a YUMI MultiBoot USB Flash Drive for Windows

 

[Brink]

update
i used a recovery dvd from hp which has windows vista home premium
and i guess it has no bootsect.exe on it
.... so any other idea about how to make it
bootable on my usb flash drive
thanx

That would be why then. It must be a retail Vista installation DVD for it to have the bootsect.exe file.

You can borrow a friends retail Vista installation DVD to use to create this though.

 

[kfm]

i just did that from another windows vista cd .. but my question now is it possible to copy original recovery dvd contents on the usb after i created this bootsect.exe from my friend vista cd
thanx

 

[Brink]

Sorry, but no.

 

[kfm]

thanx again and sorry for me again ...as you know most laptops now come with recovery cd not a retail vista cd .. so can i make an image of hp recovery cd and then make it bootable on the flash drive..any help appreciated
coz i suffer alot with recovery sets (either lost,scratched ...etc)

 

[Brink]

I'm sorry kfm, but I do not know how to do it for a OEM recovery CD.

You might post this question in the General Discussion forum to see if by chance someone may know of a way to create a bootable USB flash drive with a OEM Vista recovery CD.

 

[hclarkjr]

EXCELLENT GUIDE!!!! many thanx to you Brink :D just created install DVD with vlite and integrated all the updates till now for vista with sp1. worked great

 

[Brink]

You're welcome H.ClarckJR.

Shawn

 

[dinesh]

hey shawn, i got the same error message like UndeFinitiOn. i also tried the next step that you provided. it still gives the same error, no partition selected.

 

[Brink]

Hi Dinesh,

Do you have a retail Vista installation DVD to use?

If so, did you try these steps with the tutorial instead?

 

[dinesh]

No Shawn, i do not have a retail vista installation disk. I have installed the OEM vista OS (cracked). May be this is the reason for this issue. Anyways, thanks for the help dear. . .

 

[leif2]

Will my oem vista dvd work to create usb flash image from my xp machine?

 

[UndeFinitiOn]

I got that error message because i had a xp disc... but it worked fine with vista... and i did not have a retail installation disk either, it was cracked...

 

[Brink]

No Shawn, i do not have a retail vista installation disk. I have installed the OEM vista OS (cracked). May be this is the reason for this issue. Anyways, thanks for the help dear. . .

Dinesh,

Try the steps below along with the tutorial again to wipe clean and create a new partition on the USB flash drive. I have added more to them that may help.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/1...-flash-thumb-drive-post846439.html#post846439

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[pbelim]

DISKPART> list volume

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
Volume 0 R USB DRIVE FAT32 Removable 1898 MB Healthy
Volume 1 Q U3 System CDFS CD-ROM 31 MB Healthy
Volume 2 K LRMCFRE_EN_ UDF DVD-ROM 2555 MB Healthy
Volume 3 C NTFS Partition 23 GB Healthy System
Volume 4 D NTFS Partition 23 GB Healthy
Volume 5 E DISK1_VOL3 NTFS Partition 28 GB Healthy
Volume 6 F DISK1_VOL4 NTFS Partition 28 GB Healthy
Volume 7 G DISK1_VOL5 NTFS Partition 28 GB Healthy
Volume 8 H My Media NTFS Partition 28 GB Healthy

DISKPART> select volume 0

Volume 0 is the selected volume.

DISKPART> active

There is no partition selected.
Please select a partition and try again.

DISKPART>




Please Help Me....

 

[Brink]

Hello Pbelim,

You will just need to follow the steps here: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/1...-flash-thumb-drive-post846439.html#post846439

You will use clean after select volume 0 instead, then the rest of the instructions above.

 

[MrThunderbird]

Hello guys! It seems that this place is my last hope..

I have a laptop with a broken DVD drive, and I have no USB-DVD drives at the moment, I wanted to install Vista at that laptop using this awesome method, it worked all okay, Vista Setup started.. It opened the drive manager, and I deleted all my partitions (previously XP), and split my hdd up in two partitions (150GB each), after formatting both, I pressed "next", but then I got some error which said "your current harddisk does not support the critea to be applied as system volume".. So I started trouble - shooting this problem with a borrowed Vista laptop(also the one I am using right now), I've found zero users having the same problem as me, and when I finally found something, i found a KB article @ MS which said that it's not possible to install Vista from USB key (which I see is not true since you guys have success)..

ANY and all form for help is highly appreciated!

Cheers, Mr. Thunderbird

EDIT:

Comp specs: T8300 Intel Dual 2 Core 2,6Ghz
4GB RAM
320GB HDD
No dvd drive
able to boot from USB
and it has been running Vista before..

EDIT 2: The message it gives me is actually:
"Windows is unable to find a system volume that meets its criteria for installation."

 

[Brink]

Hi MrThunderbird, and welcome to Vista Forums.

This error usually indicates that the Vista installation could not find a hard drive to install Vista on. Since you were able to format the hard drive from installation, it may indicate that your hard drive may have failed and died.

As a test, you can see if you can plug your hard drive into a friends computer to see if you are able to format and install Vista from a Vista Installation DVD.

 

[MrThunderbird]

hello and thanks for the welcome
well, I used some more time with it and did this:

booted from the usb, made a 6GB partition, and used Xcopy to copy files off my usb to the new partition on the harddisk (also installed bootloader on the drive first using bootsect) then booted from the harddisk (the usb drive must be inserted with the same files as on the boot harddisk or it will give missing dvd drive error), and then tried to install vista, funny enough it began to install vista on another partition (150gb on the harddisk) now it just gives me missing files at 83%, internal setuplog says install.wim is missing but it isn't.
thanks a lot for your answer and I hope you can help
me more

cheers, MrT

 

[Brink]

MrT,

I have found this KB article relating your previous error message. You might take a read to see if anything may apply to you for why you are getting that error.

You cannot select or format a hard disk partition when you try to install Windows Vista

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[MrThunderbird]

Well I've already seen article, and tried every solution, but still no difference, and the reasons does not match my computer.. I can't see what the problem could be..

BTW: I just noticed something about in the setuplog "Windows cannot find boot disk on BIOS-based computer" - or something like that, I can't really remember.

Cheers, MrT.