Install Windows 7 From USB Drive [Requires 2 Simple Steps]

By Nakodari on May 19 2009 93 Comments

I have found a much easier way to install Windows 7 from a USB Flash drive. Unlike other methods where you have to write complicated commands, this method can be completed even by those who have very little computer background.

The whole process takes only two steps, run UNetbootin, load the Windows 7 ISO file, and finally restart your computer. See how we installed Ubuntu from USB using UNetbootin here.

Before you begin, you will require the following:

  • USB Flash Drive (4GB minimum)
  • Windows 7 ISO Image file
  • UNetbootin

Note: If UNetbootin doesn’t work, try out the Microsoft’s official tool called Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool.

Now insert the USB drive, run UNetbootin, and select Disk Image as ISO. Browse your local drive for Windows 7 ISO that you downloaded and click Open. Now Select Type as USB and choose the drive. Once done, it will look like a bit similar to the screenshot shown below.

UNetbootin main windows 7

Click OK and it will begin extracting all installation files to the USB drive. The whole process will take some time(10-15 minutes), so have patience.

unetbootin installing windows 7 iso

Once the installation is complete, reboot your computer. Now while your system is starting up press the appropriate button(usually F1, F2, F12, ESC, Backspace, or Escape) to bring up Bios Boot Menu. Change the startup order to boot USB by default, usually you will have to press F6 to move the selected USB device on top. Once done, save changes and restart the system.

windows 7 install screen - boot

Windows 7 installation screen on my HP Dv5t laptop.

Wasn’t that easy? Enjoy!

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  • http://gam3rsparadis3.blogspot.com Vimal Bhaskar

    Actually speaking this method sometime works or sometimes gives me error @ the bootscreen itself.Truth is it worked for me @ first.Dunno whats wrong now!Anyway there are a few more alternatives to this like using microsoft tool or use WintoFlash utility like the one mention here:http://sunil-bhaskar.blogspot.com/2010/08/windows-7-installation-from-usbflash.html

  • Dave

    This is so great thank you!!! I’ve read so much BS and this is by far the best advice on the Internet for installing windows from a jump drive!! I installed Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool , not the unetbootin and it’s working great!! My problem was some code 5 error when I tried to install Windows 7 from the DVD drive on a brand new hard drive. Every website I read NEVER gave an option for installing Windows 7 from a USB drive onto a brand new hard drive! Sure if I had XP already on there using the DVD would be no problem! But I can’t believe there is really nothing out there for people who are installing windows on a brand new hard drive with no OS! Any how thank you again! I’ve installed Windows on probably 100 different computers over the years and it’s CRAZY how it ALWAYS different!!!!!!!! Well I guess I should not complain…I work for a company who provides tech support for businesses with windows environments…and if windows didn’t suck and have so many issues…we would not be in business! :)

  • Anish

    Hey, how should i create a bootable os disk without the help of a floppy drive successfully?

  • Spudly

    i followed all the instruction got win7 loaded up all working fine then restarted and boom it kept going to msi recovery manager, only options were wipe hard drive, but am trying a ne install again, any ideas how i can avoid it going to recovery manager everytime i restart

  • jayfox

    thanx u so much for the software..it realy works like a charm…simply change d usb format from fat32 into NTFS…den run as admin unetbootin den follow d steps..thanx a lot..

  • http://www.alittlegeek.com/ A Little Geek

    Well a nice post with simple guidelines, but you can make this more easily by using a tool called WinSetupUSB, you can visit http://www.alittlegeek.com/how-to-make-multiboot-usb-with-windows-7-xp-livexp-and-linux/ for more detail and full walkabout and video guideline. This article also describe how to make windows seven/xp and live xp multiboot usb disk.

  • http://www.scriptbazaar.com scriptbazaar

    Nice method. this really worked but when i boot via usb i get an error called ntrdl file is missing why i am seeing this error!!!

    • Megan

      In English, you always capitalize the first person personal pronoun. This is correct: Why am I getting this error?

  • Stephen Hutchison

    Hi guys,

    Was thinking of trying this. But one question. Do I need to backup all my files? I have a netbook. Will I have to reinstall the drivers as well.

    • Megan

      Don’t worry abut it. Just do it. If it f’s up you can always redo it.

  • Ashish Sharma

    You can also use the following utility for the same:

    https://sourceforge.net/projects/setupfromusb/files/

  • Dnyanesh

    This procedure doesn’t work for me.
    When I boot from USB it show countdown of 10,when it completes it again start countdown.
    It is not starting windows 7 setup…
    what now..

  • Zameer Khan

    This procedure really doesn’t work for me.
    When I boot from USB it show countdown of 10,when it completes it again start countdown.
    It is not starting windows 7 setup…
    what now..what………i should do?

    • fazzayafuzzu

      Use NTFS fhan FAT32 when you are formating your USB drive.

  • sarang mahajan

    madarchod tere gand me plug karake dekh lavade

  • thirdwheel

    For those allergic to GUIs:

    Requires: admin rights, 7-zip, thumb drive, ISO image

    1) Open a command prompt with admin privileges.
    2) Type diskpart
    3) Type “list disk”
    4) Locate the entry that corresponds with your USB thumb drive, and type “select disk ”
    5) Type “clean”. This will wipe the partition.
    6) Type “create partition primary”
    7) Type “select partition 1″
    8) Type “format”.
    9) Type “active”.
    10) Type “assign”.
    11) Type “exit”, then close the command prompt.
    12) Open the ISO file in 7-zip. Extract the contents to your thumbdrive.
    13) Remove and boot.

    • thirdwheel

      Make step 8 “format quick” otherwise it may take awhile depending on the size of the USB disk.

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  • tanveer

    at first i used FAT32 file system. then it didn’t work. after that i used NTFS , then it worked.
    thanks a lot.
    but booting from usb takes way more time than from dvd drive.

  • john

    IMPORTANT STEPS
    1. Make sure that your USB key is formatted in NTFS and not FAT32 (thanks fazzayafuzzu for the tip!)
    2. Run UNetbootin with administrative rights
    3. Use UNetbootin as described above

  • Héctor

    He creado un pendrive booteable con el windows 7 y al bootear desde usb me aparece un mensaje que dice unetbootin auto boot in 10 seconds, despues de pasar los diez segundos, vuelve a empezar la cuenta regresiva y asi sucesivamente, ¿que puede ser?

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  • Felippe Gazio

    Very nice indeed loved the little program and you helped me alot! thanks so much!!

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  • Danny Michel

    i cant do this because when i format my usb stick from os x to ntfs, unetbootin cant install windows to the thumb drive

    • Megan

      You shouldn’t be using OSX anyway.

  • boat parts

    HANK YOU! I was having problems getting the boot sector to work…
    and you fixed it. Definitely better than any other guide… SCREEN SHOTS = TEHWIN!, they help sooo much when you can’t see what you’ve done wrong, even picked up a few new cmd tricks.

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  • KidJedi

    The problem I run into is that when Win7 Install restarts to complete the install, the machine won’t reboot with the install media (I have the BIOS on my ASUS board set to boot to removable device, and all other boot devices disabled -but you have to use alt-F8 to boot from USB). If I hit the keys to boot from USB (alt-F8), the install process wants to start all over again from the install start screen (it won’t *complete* the process).

    If I change the bios to boot into the hard drive, I get an error stating that the install is not complete and I need to restart with the install media in the drive.

    Bottom line: though I have a good copy of the Win7 install properly created on a USB stick, the USB method of install doesn’t seem to be a viable option.

  • aditya

    After the installation is over, can i use my usb drive as a normal drive? I mean can i delete that win7 iso file and store other file?

  • pradeep

    when i boot via usb i get an error called ntrdl file is missing why i am seeing this error. pls tell the solution

  • Social Media Marketi

    Useful one install windows 7 from usb drive requires 2 simple steps is given here.

  • cleveridiotus

    use bootice.exe from the net to recover your corrupted disks!

  • Facebook Marketing

    It is good one for who have computer at home to install windows 7 from usb drive

  • orie1212

    work to booting and start the installation but may be my iso image broken…

  • orie1212

    so i’m not successfully with this method… :)

  • Zaindy

    When i try to boot through the USB containing the Win 7 setup files, I get an ‘invalid or damaged bootable partition’ message. I followed the instructions on this page perfectly, yet I am getting this error. What could be the problem?

  • Faroe

    How can i “unformate” the USB, so it’s how it was before i formated it?
    -Yes, i’m not that good with computers

  • zohaib

    Its really works
    FS should NTFS

  • zohaib

    Works for Hired CD too….

    • zohaib

      Hiren CD*

  • vitalik

    thnx. no problems whith installiation all working fine. :)

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