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USB flash drives have become very popular because of their robustness, reliability, compact size and cost effectiveness. Flash drives also known as pen drives are commonly used for storing and transferring files. But you can also install Windows from a flash drive. This article will give you a step by step instruction on installing Windows from a USB flash drive. There are many ways to create a bootable Windows USB drive but here I have used the easiest way of doing it.

Step 1: Download and unzip WinToFlash

WinToFlash is a free software used to extract the contents of a Windows CD / DVD and prepare the USB flash drive to a bootable drive. Download WinToFlash and unzip to any of the folders. You can either download through FTP or using a torrent. You can make a bootable flash drive for Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 2008 and Windows 7 with WinToFlash.

Step 2: Insert the Windows CD / DVD and the flash drive

Insert the original version of Windows CD / DVD into your optical drive and plugin the USB flash drive. Make sure you back up all the existing contents of the USB flash drive because WinToFlash will format your flash drive.

Step 3: Run WinToFlash.exe

• Open the folder that you have unzipped and double click on WinToFlash.exe.




• Click on Accept to accept the terms and conditions of WinToFlash.




• Click on Tasks to select the operating system in the "Task Type" field.




• Click on the Welcome Tab and click on the Green Tick mark and click Next on the following screen




• Select the path for the Windows CD / DVD and the USB drive and click Next.




• Accept the end user license agreement for Microsoft.




• Click OK for the below warning, as I said WinToFlash will format the flash drive.




• Sit back and watch, after few minutes your flash drive will be converted to bootable Windows drive.

Step 4: Set the Boot order in BIOS

This is the most important step which has to be done on the computer on which you are going to install Windows with this bootable flash drive. You need to configure the boot order in such a way that the computer boots from the USB device.

• Switch on the computer and during the boot up process, watch for the "Enter BIOS setup" message. Usually it should be "Press DEL to enter Setup" or "Press F2 to Enter setup". In some comupters, they differ according to the BIOS. Some of the common ways of displaying the BIOS setup message are

Press DEL to enter setup.
Setup: DEL
Enter BIOS by pressing DEL
Press DEL to enter BIOS setup
Press DEL to access BIOS
Press DEL to access system configuration





• You should get a screen similar to the below one. Here I have used Phoenix BIOS for demonstration but it should be similar for almost all the BIOS.




• Select "Boot" tab by using the arrow keys on your keyboard.




• Using <+> and <-> keys move the removable device up.




• Move to the "Exit" tab and Select "Exit Saving settings"




• Select "Yes" When it asks "Save configuration changes and exit now ?"

Now switch off the computer, insert the USB flash drive and switch on the computer, you should see your computer has boot up from the USB flash drive.

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Comments (4)

• |2009-10-21 04:19:10 Ash  - Great Info
  Hey this is is good information with best step by step details.
  
  Love this stuff. Keep up the good work.
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  ReplyQuote

• |2009-10-21 16:18:30 Arun Nair
  Thanks dude..
  • 0
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  ReplyQuote

• |2010-02-15 00:46:28 Raju
  Hi
  Arun Nair
  I read many computer books and also got help from many computer knowing persons, but i am not satisfied from their answers and confused.But today i lastly search in google n open busyping.com.and in the tips and tricks section i open Install Windows from USB and i think my problem has solved and It really works.
  Thanks,
  From:
  Raju
  (j&k)
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  ReplyQuote

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