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]

Yep, frrom within the "Computer" window.

 

[Kamakzie]

I'm currently running Vista Ultimate 32 but I'm getting a new PC on Monday and want to install 64 bit. I have both discs that came with Vista. Anyways I'm formatting a 16 gig USB flash drive and I just tried doing the C:\>i:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 l: command and got...

This version of i:\boot\bootsect.exe is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running. Check your computer's system information to see whether you need a x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version of the program, and then contact thesoftware publisher.

Anyway around this?

Thanks

 

[Kamakzie]

Ugh, I see that you can't now that I read closer. Anyway I could boot from the 64 bit disk and get to a recovery console and type that command to make the USB flash drive bootable that way?

UPDATE: I booted off the Vista 64 disc and did a recovery. I went to a cmd prompt and ran that command again. Of course the drive letters were different so I had to look for them.. It told me access was denied but it said it successfully made it a boot drive. I booted back into Vista 32 and copied the 64 bit files over to the flash drive. I booted off the flash drive and it began the install process so I cut out. I think I'm all set for Monday!

 

[Brink]

Hello Kamakzie, and welcome to Vista Forums.

I'm happy to hear that it seems that you have sorted your problem out. Thank you for sharing your results.

Shawn

 

[Kamakzie]

I'll let you know if it works tomorrow when I install on the new PC.

 

[adams2866]

Umm I might be lost but I think you could help me out. I am running Vista Home 32bit on my laptop and want to create a bootable USB thumb drive containing XP-Pro to put on my netbook.
So I have an XP-Pro CD actual CD and a .ISO of it, I want to use my Vista laptop to prep the USB, then copy the files over.
So far I have followed these steps:

1. diskpart
2. select disk 1 (your primary hard drive is denoted disk 0)
3. clean
4. create partition primary
5. select partition 1
6. active
7. format fs=fat32
8. assign
9. exit

I downloaded bootsect.exe and placed it in my Vista \windows\system32\ directory.
Next I ran cmd-line> bootsect /nt52 :J

I know that the Vista forums say run /nt60 :J however the XP-Pro advise says use /nt52 :J . I feel that my situation is slightly unique and I'm a little confused on which is correct.

Now I'm copying all the data from my XP CD to the thumb drive using Copy -> Paste in Vista. I'm a little concerned my flash drive might be bad because it is only transfering at 450kb/sec, => 3.5hrs to go.


Is there a better way to do this ?

hmm.
After copying all the files over and restarting I got the following error: "NTLDR missing".

What am I doing wrong.
Thanks
-Brian

 

[GaMt]

27. You now have a Vista 7 Installation USB key.

A Vista 7? :D

 

[Brink]

LOL, nice catch GaMt.

I was doing some updating, and copying over some stuff from our Windows 7 version of this. Guess what I missed while editing.

Fixed.

Thank you,
Shawn

 

[GaMt]

hehe.. :P
nice guide btw. Though I'm not sure if theres a txt version of the install?
Because I tried to install it on another computer, and well the video card sucks on that one, and everything else on it :P
Slower then dial up hehe

I'll try Ubuntu next.

 

[adams2866]

Hi Shawn,
new to the forum. So is it possible to prep my XP install using this method or does running bootsect from a c:\ containing vista specifically prep the USB for Vista.
I tried the tutorial and got "ntldr not found" instead of xp setup screen I was hoping for.
Thanks
-Brian

 

[Brink]

Hello Brian, and welcome to Vista Forums.

I have not tried XP before on Vista, so I do not know. However, I do not believe that you will be able to though.

It will most likely need to be done from within XP instead.

Shawn

 

[adams2866]

I fear I might be out of luck then.

All the XP tutorials I've found involve using USBprep8 and PEtoUSB to accomplish the format and prepare.

Unfortunately for me both require formating with Fat-16 which can only format up to 2 GB. My XP install is actually a custom and its larger than that.

If I can't figure it out soon, I will end up purchasing a USB dvd-rom drive.

thanks
-Brian

 

[SOKOOL]

Hi Shawn,

I have this question and you can help.
I followed every step from the start up to exiting "diskpart" up this step

"In the elevated command prompt, type F:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 H: and press Enter".

As my installation disk is for SONY VAIO, I could not find bootsect.exe file in Boot directory. Do you have any idea which of the files in VAIO disk is the equivalent to bootsect.exe file.

I also tried getting this file from standad Vista CD. However, the version is 6.0.6000, and it is different from my VAIO ver 6.0.6001. Any suggestion?

Thanks
So

 

[Brink]

Hello SOKOOL, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Since you VAIO disc is a OEM Vista installation disc, it will most likely will not be able to be used to make the USB boot flash drive.

If the standard Vista CD you have is a retail version, then you could install it and then be able to use it to create the USB boot flash drive. Of course, this is if you do not mind reinstalling to create this. An alternative is to create this from a friends computer that has the same version of Vista installed as your standard Vista CD.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

 

[SOKOOL]

Hi Shawn,

Sad to hear that SONY VAIO can't be used... . Any, thanks for your help.

I thought of this feasibility: instead of copy bootable files from Installation CD, can I copy from the computer system which is already installed with VAIO disk? In this case, I will be able to maintain the same version of the bootable DOS. What do you think?

BTW, does it really matter to have different version of DOS?

Also, what exactly this command "F:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 H:" does in this case?

Sorry, so many questions to ask!!! D:D

Thanks
SoKool

 

[Brink]

SoKool,

I have not tried copying them in that manner. I'm not certain that it will work like that.

The "F:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 H:" adds the boot files to the USB drive from the Vista installation DVD to make the USB bootable.

 

[Zaphire]

Your tutorial is excellent and shows the fundamental way to create a bootable install USB key. However I have found a way to achieve the same much quicker and also have created a x64 install key from within Vista x32.

Simply use UltraISO.
You load the install DVD or an iso of the install DVD you may have downloaded into UltraISO. Then simply use the 'Bootable' menu option to 'Write Disk image...' and having set which drive your USB Key is, press 'Write'.
You can also check the box to 'Verify' your write.

You are effectively doing what you do when you burn an ISO to a DVD but in this case it's a one step operation to 'burn' a bootable USB key without having to format it and use Diskpart etc. You can overwrite a used key or do this on any new key.

I have been creating keys to install Windows 7 betas this way too.

My next challenge is to find a way to say put two operating systems (or more) onto one key. Then on booting from the key with a menu to be able to select which operating system to install.
This would be great to say have the x32 and x64 bit versions of the one operating system, to be able to install either from the one key!

 

[Brink]

Thank you Zaphire,

That method has been added to the tutorial.

Shawn

 

[cmtk]

help....i got stuck on this

first at all I m using vista home permium 32bit and i want to make a bootable usb XP for my netbook
I did followed all the step (except step 18-20) coz it cannot find the path of boot folder ( and i find out my window xp image didn't have boot folder)
then i skipl 18-20 and copy the window xp all the files to usb flash drive
and try it on netbook , unforuntalety I press F11 boot from usb
netbook said media disk and press key to restart
what can I do...........thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello Cmtk, and welcome to Vista Forums,

You might see if METHOD ONE may work better for you instead.

Shawn