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

By Nakodari on May 19 2009 118 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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  • Tacsk

    thank you very much, I was looking for this 

  • Si Flanagan

    So I have tottally lost my windows o.s and it won’t boot from.c.d,due to broken drive will this method be useful for a totally clean set up ? Literally can’t load anyhing?? Help plz

  • http://www.crushclubgame.com/ Tao Of Badass

    Whoa this was really helpful thank you. I need to do this since I don’t have a dvd drive on the pc i was working on

  • Siddique

    I made bootable usb using windows xp…but it didnt work
    usb was ntfs formatted…it gave error “NTLDR is missing” press ctrl alt del to restart
    but then I followed same steps in windows 7 and it worked :)

  • Ivan Ivanov69

    will this erase my d partition?? i want to install it on my c partition

  • oasis

    Worked perfectly for me, and yes you need ntfs instead of FAT32. Thanks

  • dlla

    After going through half the installation process, Windows restarts (as usual in any Windows installation) but after rebooting, the original installation process begins because it is reading from the USB instead of continuing with the installation where it left. What can I do?

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/VL54EJ57DNJ2S4TZMUQEPQ5LAQ Ahmed

    thankssssssss so much

  • Pingback: Installing Windows 7 From USB Drive 3 Steps Easy Process | Pranay Prakash Chapagain

  • Saminets11

    Not working for Windows 7 method

  • Me

    Fuck it!

    Doesn’t work !

  • AssassinX

    Well many commented that the drive needs to be NTFS.If thats true then make sure to give it on the requirements because all the flash drivers are by default as FAT32 -_- BTW nice tutorial :)

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