The below steps are no longer required.
Microsoft now has an official tool that can be downloaded from here: http://images2.store.microsoft.com/prod/clustera/framework/w7udt/1.0/uk/Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe
Microsoft now has an official tool that can be downloaded from here: http://images2.store.microsoft.com/prod/clustera/framework/w7udt/1.0/uk/Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe
Works with Windows 7!
I member asked me to outline to him how I installed Vista from a flash drive onto my AAO, and I thought it might me of some use to other members here. My goal is to just have it written out somewhere on [H] so if people search for it here they will find a straightforward guide.
This method has worked for me many times and for many different people. It is an incredibly easy process, especially if you consider the pain it is to install XP from a flash drive....
Ok, here we go, follow closely.
1. Format the flash drive (at least a 4GB) as NTFS, NOT FAT32! Important!
2. Put the Vista disk in the drive, and open the command line with Administrator privileges.
3. Enter the text below directly into the command line, replacing the first drive letter with the drive letter of the Vista DVD, and the second drive letter with the letter of the flash drive.
The "D:" being your optical drive where the Vista DVD is, and the "E:" being the flash drive. Change the letters to suit your setup. This might take awhile as it copies all the files on the Vista DVD to the flash drive. Just doing this from the explorer misses some hidden files.Code:xcopy D: E: /e /h
4. Once that is finished, open a new command line window and enter the flash drive's directory. Do this by entering the drive letter of the flash drive. If the flash drive is drive E, just enter:
After that, typeCode:E:
You are now in the boot directory.Code:cd boot
5. Now to run the bootsect command that makes the flash drive bootable. Enter the following, and just like before, replace the E: with the drive letter of the flash drive.
If you accidentally put the wrong drive letter there, you could be in trouble so pay attention!Code:bootsect /nt60 E:
You will get what looks to be an error, but ignore that. All you are interested in is if it says: Bootcode was successfully updated on all target volumes.
If you know how to boot from a USB device you are all set, if not, consult you're mobo's documentation.
I tried this method many times on many different PC's with a FAT32 formatted flash drive, but the install would always fail.
I am completely open to any more suggestions anyone may have, lets hear 'em!
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