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

 

[bratboy1]

Well I got further along on my roomy's system made it thru the activate command at least but then when I tried to do the bootsect command I got an error mssg on his computer about it being the wrong version, x86 vs x64 and it won't do the command. Apparently this is because his system has the 32 bit version of vista installed and I'm trying to create a bootable drive of the 64 bit version.

Then figured since I had the drive at least to the point that it had the partion active would try the bootsect command on my XP system but when I try it on my XP computer I get a pop up window that says:
"K:\boot\bootsect.exe is not a valid Win32 application."

When I click the okay button then I get the following mssg at the cmd prompt:
"Access is denied"

Was a nice idea but think I'm just going to have to give up on the idea of making a convinent flash drive of vista unless you have another suggestion. Fortunatly its only $20 bucks down the drain.

 

[Brink]

You might see if booting into the Advanced Boot Options screen and select the Safe Mode with Command Prompt option will work for you. From there, see if you can run the command with Vista installation DVD in the drive.

 

[bratboy1]

Nope still gave me the mssage about X86 vs x64 so am afraid that unless I find someone with x64 installed I cant get past this point

 

[Brink]

Ok, last idea. See if you can do like this Startup Repair tutorial at boot, but select Command Prompt instead in step 6. From there see if you can do the instructions to create the USB drive.

 

[bratboy1]

should I be able to do this from my XP system? I wouldnt want to mess up my roomates computer.

 

[Brink]

You should be able to since you will be only running from the Vista installation DVD at boot in that command prompt.

 

[bratboy1]

Welp, I think I'll give up at this point. If I try to use the 64 dvd in my xp machine I get a message about my computer isnt able to run this version of Vista.

Went ahead and made a sys restore point on my roomies system and rebooted with the 64 bit dvd in the drive but when I get to the part where you get the window for choosing which OS it only lists the 32 bit he has installed so when I clicked next got a mssg saying the restore files are not compatable with his OS.

Seems like once I have Vista 64 installed I'll be able to make a USB disk, definitly have all the steps memorized now LOL, but untill I do that it seems like its impossible.

 

[Brink]

LOL, I bet you do have them memorized by now. I hope it goes smoothly after installing the 64 bit Vista for you.

 

[Akuanauta]

How Can i execute that command, can someone tell me please??
I tryed do:
x:\windows\system32>cd\
x:\F:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 G:\
And i got:
F.\boot\bootsect.exe is not recognized as..................batch.

thank you.

 

[Brink]

Hello Akuanauta, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Do you have the retail Vista installation DVD in the drive, and using the same 32-bit or 64-bit installation DVD as the Vista you have installed?

 

[Akuanauta]

What is retail Vista installation DVD? it's the common dvd of installation of vista, the one that come when we bye an computer??
Yes i have, but is the one that that i create with the recovery manager when i bought my computer, it is vista premium.

 

[Brink]

A retail Vista installation DVD is one that your purchase at a retail store and did not come with your computer. The ones that come with your computer are usually only a OEM Recovery installation disc as in your case, and do not work for this tutorial.

Sorry,
Shawn

 

[Akuanauta]

So i need to purchase?
It's no use, thank you.

Until the next.

 

[Brink]

Only if you want to create a Vista USB boot thumb drive.

 

[Akuanauta]

Bootmgr file it's a miracle

 

[disturbedfuel15]

To all those using a sandisk u3 flash drive

Okay I started the process but running into a snag. I get to the step where you type active but when I hit enter I get a message:

"there is no partition selected. Please select a partition and try again"

What am I doing wrong?

I tried following the steps you gave someone else:

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

but when I get to the "clean" command I get the following error mssg:
"There is no disk selected. Please select a disk and try again"

I have the answer you are looking for ! I'll use my given right to assume that you are using a Sandisk Flash drive with the U3 System Installed? I purposely made that part stick out because that is what is causing the commotion for you (I was running into the SAME EXACT PROBLEMS you were having, my friend). You see, Sandisk's pre-installed U3 system is seen as a separate volume on the computer (not your fault ) Does this look familiar?

To whom it may concern,

THE SOLUTION: Uninstall the Sandisk U3 Software

1. Load up the U3 Launchpad (open My Computer, right-click on flash drive, launch U3 software/launchpad; it will still be there after you formatted, cleaned).

2. Close the U3 pop-up window

3. Right-click on the U3 icon in the system tray and click "settings." (see below)

4. Depending on the version of U3 installed on the drive, after clicking settings, you may be greeted with this screen, or a newer one (but the removal actions are still the same). Either check (or click depending on version) "I want to remove the U3 Launchpad (and erase ALL data) on the device".

5. If you have the newer version, another nag screen will pop up (which looks very similar to windows installer if I may say so myself ), once again, warning you that all data will be removed. Simply follow the on-screen instructions by clicking next a time or two, and then finally FINISHED!

6. Using diskpart, you should now see just one volume, instead of two (U3 and the drive itself).

7. Now go ahead and follow the procedures provided to you by the magnificent Brink!

P.S. I can't thank you enough, Brink, for this wonderful website and your (I'm sure) timeless efforts to make this such an outstanding forum.

Take Care & Happy Holidays to All!

 

[bratboy1]

Nope, wasn't my problem. Ist off I was using Kingston USB drives.

On my XP system no matter what I couldn't get past running the
"Active" command.

When I used my roomys computer, which has X32 Vista installed, I got past that step without a problem but then at the next command
"x:\F:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 G:\"
It would rasie a stink about being the wrong type of OS on both machines.XP or Vista x32 boxes.

Once I have a working Vista x64 computer running I think I'll be just fine and will be able to create the drive without a problem. If I wanted a x32 drive I could of gone all the way as is via my roomy's computer but I planned on using x64 and wanted the drive to have the x64 version on it thats where I ran into a snag on both computers.

 

[VistaKing]

Brink ,
Can You put both of the versions of Vista x64 and x86 ? For example if I wanted to install either Vista x64 and Vista x86 from the USB FLASH DRIVE . If so how can you do that ?

 

[Brink]

Hello VistaKing,

It's the same method in this tutorial for either the 32-bit or 64-bit Vista, but you cannot do both on one USB drive. It's just that people have had problems when they tried to create a 64-bit USB flash drive from within their 32-bit Vista, or the other way around.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[bratboy1]

Brink ,
Can You put both of the versions of Vista x64 and x86 ? For example if I wanted to install either Vista x64 and Vista x86 from the USB FLASH DRIVE . If so how can you do that ?

I don't think its possible to create a dual option install on one USB drive. Has to do with the /nt60 command. The info it creates is different for each version of the OS. You can't even make a x64 bootable USB drive from a Vista x32 system, trust me I really tried, LOL

Your only option would be to buy/create 2 usb drives. One made on a Vista 32 bit system for a bootable install of x32 and a seperate USB drive made on a x64 system to host X64 install.