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

 

[Zaphire]

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.

No, you can create the x64 bit operating system install key in x32 or x64 bit WinXP, Vista or Win 7.
But the x64 bit setup.exe will not run in a x32bit operating system.

For a machine with other operating sysyems on various partitions (multi-boot).
If you wish to install Win 7 from a key and keep your drive assignments you must run the install from a x64 bit operating system.

If you boot from the key and install it to any partition it will always install with the drive assignment as C: whether it be any partition on the drive.
If you run the setup in a pre-existing running x64 operating system then you can do an upgrade install to that system and it will have the drive assignment of that system.
If you run the setup in a pre-existing running x64 operating system and install it to another partition then it will inherit the drive assignments you have for the operating system you installed it out of.

 

[hhara]

Hey Zaphire, thanks for the response.

Just to be sure though, so there isnt any confusion. Theoretically I could follow Brink's guide and within Windows XP 32 bit I could create a bootable USB drive for Windows Vista 64 bit, correct?

I read elsewhere that you cannot because 'bootsect.exe' differs between a 32 bit OS and a 64 bit OS.

 

[Zaphire]

Hey Zaphire, thanks for the response.

Just to be sure though, so there isnt any confusion. Theoretically I could follow Brink's guide and within Windows XP 32 bit I could create a bootable USB drive for Windows Vista 64 bit, correct?

I read elsewhere that you cannot because 'bootsect.exe' differs between a 32 bit OS and a 64 bit OS.

I have always used the Ultra ISO method to make my keys and have successfully used this method to make a working x64 key from within Vista x32.
I have used this key to both 'upgrade' and do 'clean installs' of Win7 x64.

I cannot comment on the other method.

 

[Brink]

Hey Zaphire, thanks for the response.

Just to be sure though, so there isnt any confusion. Theoretically I could follow Brink's guide and within Windows XP 32 bit I could create a bootable USB drive for Windows Vista 64 bit, correct?

I read elsewhere that you cannot because 'bootsect.exe' differs between a 32 bit OS and a 64 bit OS.

Hello Hhare, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You can create a 64-bit USB key in a 32-bit OS using METHOD ONE with Ultra ISO, but not everyone has been able to with METHOD TWO.

Shawn

 

[hhara]

Thank you very much for the help guys! I just recently bought a brand new computer, and it will be my first with 64 bit. Newegg is giving me a couple free USB sticks with some of the purchases I made so I thought I might do it this way instead of wasting a dvd. Thanks again!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Hhara. Post back if you have any problems.

 

[amders]

i wondering how about if i want to put windows xp, windows vista and windows 7 installation in one USB, since now many usb capacity is more that 10 gigs..

anyone have tried to do that?

this is 2 or more windows installation in one usb disb

 

[bratboy1]

Think the problem would be each os has its own boot files so not sure how you would manage it. Doesnt mean it can't be done just sounds impossible to me.

 

[nonpasaran]

hi shawn
some people just do copy and paste vista or seven dvd contents in usb flash memory and they install vista or seven whit it.
why we are doing this steps
is there any reason?

 

[The Cool Guy]

hi shawn
some people just do copy and paste vista or seven dvd contents in usb flash memory and they install vista or seven whit it.
why we are doing this steps
is there any reason?

Hello nonpasaran, and welcome to vista forums. The people your referring to, might copy the DVD contents to the USB drive and perform the install while still on the primary OS (eg: Perform the install from within XP). But the directly copied files are still there in the USB drive; but the USB drive isn't bootable. So if you need to boot from it (suppose you are using a newer version of windows you can't install an older one from within the OS) it can't be bootable. So you need to perform these steps.

Hope this helps

 

[Brink]

Hello Nonpasaran,

In addition to The Cool Guy's post, doing a installation from a USB key that uses the USB 2.0 standard will install much faster than from DVD.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[rschap1]

I was lead here by Vista's tech support and told to make a USB bootable "Anytime Upgrade" disc. I had followed the instructions at the beginning of this thread, loaded my Disc, downloaded UltraISO and so on, somehow I couldn't get the disc to be read. Any ways, I have since done a full recovery on my machine that I needed the USB bootable for. Finally that is done. Now I would like to get the .ISO files off my USB drive and be able to use it as I did previously. Everytime I try to plug it in to erase these files, it seems as though it is freezing and crashing the machine I plug it into. I have tried 4 different machines now. I did get one to show that the files were read only and could not be removed. How do I get these off of the USB flash drive??? THANKS

 

[Brink]

Hello Rschap1,

Check to see if your USB key as a switch on it that makes it read only or not. Some include this feature.

Next, try METHOD ONE in this tutorial below to see if you are able to delete the USB key, then be able to format it and use it as normal. If not, then I have a more involved method that should work for you instead.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/95418-disk-management-delete-extend.html

 

[rschap1]

Thanks very much for that info. The flash drive does not have any type of switch on it. I had tried to access the drive by opening the UltraISO program, File NEW, and trying to explore the flash drives contents, hoping to erase them that way. That is when I got the read only error message. Was there something else in Method 1 that I did not pick up on? Also, looking at the link to extending or removing partions from drives, is this to say that I can use Disk Managment to extend or delete the drive and that will clear the drive of it's contents or format it? Appreciate the help. THANKS AGAIN!

 

[Brink]

Rschap1,

You would want to see if you are able to delete the USB drive in Disk Management, then format it to hopefully be able to use it normally again.

 

[hclarkjr]

brink, i tried booting with F12 instead of changing it in bios and it did not work. why does it need to be changed in the bios? doesn't F12 do the same thing?

 

[Brink]

Hello Harry,

I've always set in the BIOS to make sure that it boots to the USB key. I haven't tried using F12 before though.

 

[hclarkjr]

i am wondering if my motherboard will not boot to flash drive? i tried with it set to USB FD and USB HD, it sets there about 5-10 seconds then loads windows normaly.

 

[Brink]

I have a Gigabyte motherboard, and it has two separate settings for the boot order. One for the "Hard Disk Boot Priority" and another for the "1st, 2nd, 3rd, Boot Device". If your's has something similar, then you will need to set both of them for the USB drive. You may also need to try the different USB (ex: FD, HD) options to see if one may work instead of another.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[hclarkjr]

thank you, i will look into those