Vista ISO - Download and Create Installation DVD or USB

How to Download a Vista ISO and Create an Installation DVD or USB
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   Information

Downloads are available for the 32 (X86) and 64 bit (X64) versions of Vista Ultimate only, in English, French and German, but if, during the install, you do not enter the product key when initially prompted for it then you will be asked to select the version of Vista you want to install. It can be any of these four:

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Windows Vista Home Basic​

Windows Vista Home Premium​

Windows Vista Business​

Windows Vista Ultimate​

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   Warning

You must have a valid installation key, which should be on the COA sticker on the computer, to activate the installation once it completes.

STEP ONE

To Download the Vista Setup Files

   Warning

The Vista downloads listed below seem to come and go. Right now, 10/12/2014 at 3:39PM EST they are available. I don't know of any other location they are legally available from, sorry.

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1. Downloaded the Vista X64 or X86 setup files.​

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X64 (64 bit):​

install.wim​

boot.wim​

X14-63453.exe​

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X86 (32 bit):​

install.wim​

boot.wim​

X14-63452.exe​

   Note

Both X14-63453.exe and X14-63452.exe will be downloaded as MicrosoftInstaller.exe. For consistency, please rename MicrosoftInstaller.exe to X14-63453.exe or X14-63452.exe, depending on which you downloaded.

   Warning

Wait for all downloads to complete before continuing

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2. Double click (or right click and Open) on the downloaded X14-63453.exe or X14-63452.exe. It extracts all the files into a Vista sub-folder.​

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3. If they are not already there, copy boot.wim and install.wim into the Vista\sources folder that is created when you doubled clicked on the .exe file in step 2.​

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4. Download the Windows Bootable Image Creator zip file, WBICreator.zip.​

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5. Extract the files in WBICreator.zip to a folder.​

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STEP TWO

To Create the Vista ISO File

   Warning

You can download the files on any computer but you must be running on a 64bit (X64) system to create a 64Bit install DVD or flash drive

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6. Open the folder and double click (or right click and Open) WBICreator.exe​

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7. Click Next​

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8. Select OS Type: Windows Vista (all the way to the bottom)​

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9. CD/DVD Label: VistaX64 or VistaX86​

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10. Setup Location: The Vista folder created when you double clicked on X14-63453.exe or X14-63452.exe.​

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11. Output Path: Somewhere with enough free space to hold the .iso file that will be created (X64 = 3,837,112KB, X86 = 3,013,816KB).​

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12. Click GO. When done a VistaX64.iso or VistaX86.iso file will be created in the Output Path you chose.​

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STEP THREE

To Create Vista Installation DVD or USB Flash Drive with ISO File

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13. You can use the generated .iso to create a Vista Install DVD.​

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13a. Download and install and run ImgBurn.​

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13b. Make sure you deselect anything other than ImgBurn during the install by always taking the Custom choice.​

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13c. Click on Write image file to disc​

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13d. Click the Browse for file button and selecta the ISO file you just created.​

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13e. Click Write. A nice little tune will play when the DVD create completes.​

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14. You can also create a bootable USB Flash drive (4GB or larger) to install Vista from.​

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14a. Download and run Universal USB Installer Easy as 1 2 3​

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14b. Select Vista from the first drop down list, all the way to the bottom​

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14c. Select the VistaX64.iso or VistaX86 .iso file​

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14d. Select your USB flash drive​

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14e. Click Create​

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   Information

I created a X86 flash drive and used it to install a clean copy of Vista Home Basic on my HP DV2200 Laptop. Worked great using the key on the COA sticker of the laptop.

Remember to activate after the install has completed.

Note: You may need to download drivers for the computer from the manufacturers web site so I would suggest getting the Network (LAN and Wireless) and video/VGA drivers ahead of time so you can install them as soon as you finish installing Vista.

Related Tutorials

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• How to Create a Bootable USB Flash Thumb Drive to Install Vista with

 

[raghavsood999@g]

These 3 Vista Enterprise 64 bit Files have been Windows Vista Direct Download Links unavilabel

 

[wither 3]

I should mention that the ISO from SIW2 does not have the Enterprise installer. My mistake.

 

[raghavsood999@g]

If the Windows Vista Enterprise Edition is not available, then can I use the installer for ultimate edition?
I was told on another forum that i can use the installer for ultimate edition. By the way, i got the ISO of Vista Eneterprise so cant i simply use rufus to write iso to pen drive & make it bootable? Why do i need to extract WIM Boot & The other WIM file in folder with enterprise specific installer:? & use WBMC to make another ISO?

I understand some new native PC need NVME drivers like mine, but i will simply slip stream the drivers.

 

[SIW2]

The consumer editions of vista ms iso files contain Ultimate edition but do not contain enterprise. Enterprise edition was always separate.

I am not aware of any reliable nvme drivers for Vista.

 

[raghavsood999@g]

How to get microsoft installer.exe How to Download a Vista ISO and Create an Installation DVD or USB - from iso file of vista or dvd

 

[raghavsood999@g]

Windows Vista Direct Download Links - how to download windows setup files from here? & when I load vista setup, the setup is stuck on windows is loading files or setup is loading files, I tried ventoy. I have the newest ASUS laptop ROG series A15. Then... you know this laptop i& its drivers is means for windows 7 & later but not for vista so guess i need some native generic nvme express controller drivers.

 

[raghavsood999@g]

Hey man - how to make my own windows vista enterprise setup files using simply an iso? I can't find microsoftinstaller.exe anywere.

Please can you reply fast.

 

[SIW2]

What do you mean by "microsoftinstaller.exe"

 

[wither 3]

I wonder if he's talking about the Windows Installer? As I understand it, that's for installing/uninstalling software from within Windows, not Windows. If I'm wrong, please enlighten me.

 

[lmacri]

What do you mean by "microsoftinstaller.exe"

Hi SIW2:

See Step 1 of Ztruker's's original Dec 2013 instructions <here> in the first post of this thread. I believe that's the MicrosoftInstaller.exe file that raghavsood999@g is referring to.

If you click the first blue Download button in Step 1 of Ztruker's instructions you will be redirected to the HeiDoc.net page Windows Vista Direct Download Links, which states:

Windows Vista used to be available for public download on servers owned by Digital River, Microsoft's service provider for e-commerce. As of February 2015, these downloads have been pulled. "Free" access to the OS disk images is no longer possible.

 

[raghavsood999@g]

What does it mean free access to the OS disk images is no longer possible.

Were do I get msinstaller.exe for enterprise then>?


cant i simply use cmd to write data to disk instead of using ms installer?

 

[wither 3]

Windows Vista Enterprise

Vista Enterprise is an advanced edition of Vista Business edition. It contains all features included in Business edition, plus more features which are

windowstan.com

 

[raghavsood999@g]

bro, i used rufus to write vista enterprise iso - from archive.org to usb drive. I tried to download windows ultimate vista setup files like boot.wim & install.wim & Microsoft Installer (for enterprise edition of vista) but i know it will work...with enterprise.

Can you tell me if the is an alternative to microsoft installer such as univerisla installer.... something for linux or any program - can it work?


If i simply get an installer wizard porgram like delphi install shield will it work

 

[lmacri]

What does it mean free access to the OS disk images is no longer possible. Were do I get msinstaller.exe for enterprise then>?

cant i simply use cmd to write data to disk instead of using ms installer?

Hi raghavsood999@g:

It means that the official Windows Vista ISO files are no longer available from Microsoft. If you read that HeiDoc.net page Windows Vista Direct Download Links it advises that you now need to purchase a retail Vista installation DVD, but that page has not been updated since 2015 and I don't know of any reputable retailer that still sells Vista installation DVDs.

Since the instructions in this 2013 tutorial for using a Vista ISO to create an installation DVD or USB no longer work I've posted additional comments in post # 15 of your Feb 2023 thread Cannot Boot From USB Drive Using Vista.iso.

 

[wither 3]

Kind of interesting. Probably 10 years ago, I called Microsoft and got directed to the Microsoft Parts Department and they sold me the Vista discs for about $3. Of course, I had to have a valid product key. For some reason, I retained that phone number- 800-360-7561.

 

[rnamdar9@gmail.]

I have an older computer using Vista Home Premium.. The computer had the windows on it so I got no disc. Yesterday I turned comp on and I got a message "System registry File is Missing". Can anyone suggest a fix

 

[rnamdar9@gmail.]

The number is automated and I cant get through

 

[wither 3]

There is no support from Microsoft for Vista.

Do you know what the product key is for your system?

Do you have another system from which you could burn a ISO file?