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

 

[cmtk]

ok i see method 1 yet
but in the step 6 my ultraISO no write disk image...function...
i m using 8.6.2.2011 full verion of ultraISO...

 

[Brink]

Did you select the USB drive first before step 7? Could you post a screenshot of this to help see what may be happening better?

Thank you,
Shawn

 

[cmtk]

I fixed all ultraiso problem and make the usb bootable
but when put in netbook and boot it
it said INF file txtsetup.sif is corrupt or missing, status 18 @@

 

[Brink]

You may have a bad copy. Might try creating it again to see if will work this time.

 

[TrickNet]

Great Tutorial.

I'm having a unique problem getting it to work. I have a Samsung NC10 netbook with a 500gb Western Digital Scorpio Blue Hard Drive. I used method 1 (ultra iso) to create the vista usb on a LG 4gb USB stick. When I try to use the vista USB, it never completes it's install. It goes right back the installation screen. I'm using an vlite version of vista 32 utlimate.

 

[Dwarf]

Hi TrickNet and welcome to Vista Forums

I've not tried a USB install yet myself, but have you tried an unadulterated copy of Vista on the stick (in other words, just a straight copy of the Vista disk)?

 

[TrickNet]

Hey Dwarf,

Thanks for the welcome. No I haven't tried it because I was wanting a streamlined version of Vista on my Netbook. It's crazy, I had a 160gb (Seagate) drive and I didn't have any problems with my dual boot. I was running XP and Vista. Since I've upgraded to the WD Scorpio Blue 500 gb, I can only install winxp utilizing a winxp install on USB.

When I try to install vista, utilizing a usb, the install just loops and it takes out my winxp insatll in the process.

I will try to make the usb from my original Vista Disk. Thanks for your response

 

[TrickNet]

Hello All,

I tried using the original files, no joy. The install loops back to loading windows files. It never makes it to strating windows for the first time. This has been kicking my boot for a week. Th only difference with my dual boots before is I had a seagate SATA 160. Now I have a Scorpio Blue WD 500 gb SATA. I have s Samsung NC10 netbook. It will install win XP. I guess I will try to upgrade from xp to vista. If that works, than I will try to install xp. I will keep ya'll posted, wish me luck.

Missing my Vista

 

[Brink]

TrickNet,

I have noticed that with some motherboards or BIOS settings, that after you start the installation from the USB key and when it restarts the computer the first time, you will need to remove the USB key from the boot priority list in the BIOS to allow the computer to boot from the hard drive again instead of continuously booting to the USB key like your experiencing.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[TrickNet]

Hey Shawn,

I will try that again. The first couple of times, I just got a blinking cursor after I changed the boot order. My xp usb install goes with out a hitch. It starts it's initial install, shutdowns and restarts with no problems. I'm going to try the upgrade from xp to vista. When the computer shutsdown to reboot, I will try to remove the usb and see what happens. Thanks for your responses

 

[bratboy1]

Well I'd like to try and install Win7 RC using a thumb drive. I created and preped my thumb drive including making the partition Active and it is rdy once I get RC downloaded to copy the files over to it but I'm not sure how one gets the system to boot from it. I'm using an Asus P6T Deluxe V2 MB and when I look in the bios for boot order I have 3 options. Floppy, CD/DVD, & HD so not sure what I need to do once I copy the files over to the thumb drive so I can boot from it.

 

[Zaphire]

Well I'd like to try and install Win7 RC using a thumb drive. I created and preped my thumb drive including making the partition Active and it is rdy once I get RC downloaded to copy the files over to it but I'm not sure how one gets the system to boot from it. I'm using an Asus P6T Deluxe V2 MB and when I look in the bios for boot order I have 3 options. Floppy, CD/DVD, & HD so not sure what I need to do once I copy the files over to the thumb drive so I can boot from it.

It depends on the age of your machine and your BIOS.
Look for something like 'Boot Order' and USB
For example it might be:
USB Diskette on Key/USB Hard Drive
USB Floppy
USB CD/DVD ROM Drive
Set any of these before the Internal CD/DVD ROM Drive and Internal Hard Drive.
OR
On booting your machine there might be key to press to temporally set the boot order.
If you see no mention of USB or a way of setting a USB device to boot before the CD/DVD or Hard Drive then either your machine doesn't have this option or is older before this option became common.

 

[bratboy1]

well the p6t Deluxe V2 MB is one of the newest x58 chipset MB's by Asus that supports the I7 cpu. Only became available end of Jan or beginning of Feb this year

 

[The Cool Guy]

Hey Shawn, instead of Write (7. Click on Bootable (menu bar) and Wite Disk Image. (See screenshot above), you have typed in wite by mistake I guess.....

Cheers..

 

[Brink]

LOL, oops. It has been corrected.

Thank you,
Shawn

 

[bratboy1]

Butterfingers, lol

 

[inc2000]

my flash drive should be more than 4GB??? can i zip a few folders ?

 

[Brink]

Hello Inc2000,

If you mean to add a few ZIP folders to the USB drive after making it a Vista boot USB Key, then yes you sure can.

 

[The Cool Guy]

Welcome, Shawn

Cheers..

 

[hhara]

Hi Brink,

I came across this sticky through google and it is very helpful. I just have one question. Am I right in understanding that in order to make a bootable USB drive that installs Vista 64 bit I need to create the bootable USB within a 64 bit OS? Or, did I misunderstand that?

If so - why is that a requirement? All we are doing is writing a image file to the USB drive.