Windows Boot Sticks

[Kylesims]

Hmm.. So, a few days ago, I'd read a post here (I think it was here?) that was talking about some computer stuff, and Windows 7/8. Someone had mentioned not having a DVD drive anymore, and instead using a program to make a USB drive bootable once you loaded the ISO of said OS onto it.

I can't find that thread. Anyone know the program I'm talking about?

 

[Kylesims]

Aha! Found it. Program was called 'YUMI'.

 

[c627627]

Use this directly from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

[This program works with Windows 7 and Windows 8 installation ISOs.]


Copy Windows 7 or 8 .iso file and USB-DVD-tool.exe file to USB Flash drive. Double click on Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe to run the program.

If you are inside WinXP and want to make Win7/8 USB then Microsoft .NET Framework version 2.0 or higher is required and Image Mastering API 2.0 is also required. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17073

But that's just if you are making them from inside WinXP.



You can also make a WinXP USB: http://wintoflash.com/download/en/
Use WinToFlash and on the boot menu, SELECT: 1st, text mode setup:

WinToFlash 0.7.0051 beta


Double click on WinToFlash.exe to start the program. 


If the program is blocked from accessing the internet - it will still work.


When creating Windows XP 64-Bit installation, the following error may be displayed when installing Windows XP 64-Bit:
".SIF file used by setup is corrupted or missing:
Value 0 on the line in section [SourceDisksFiles] with key "SSA.EXE"


To prevent this error from showing up, before creating a Windows XP 64-Bit USB drive:

WinToFlash > Process Steps TAB > UNCHECK: Add additions files for installation process (SSA)  



If adding Windows XP to a multiboot which includes Windows Vista/7/8, manually editing BOOT.INI file will only be relevant to Windows XP since later OS do not use BOOT.INI files. 


• To edit the boot menu on a separate hard drive [drive disconnected from its system and temporarily connected to another system], use EasyBCD to correctly set the booting process on the newly cloned hard drive
http://neosmart.net/download.php?id=1
[Scroll Down and use any Name & Email to Download]
or
http://neosmart.net/forums/showthread.php?t=642


EasyBCD > File > Select BCD Store >

1. First Browse to the ROOT directory of the newly cloned drive
2. Then type BOOT\BCD > Open

This will open the *.bcd file inside the hidden BOOT folder on another drive and inside its BCD subfolder.



• To edit the boot menu on existing Windows installations: EasyBCD > Edit Boot Menu > Delete existing entries

Add New Entry > SELECT: Windows Vista/7 then SELECT its current drive letter on the existing system being used right now > Add Entry

and/or for Windows XP:

Add New Entry > SELECT: Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3 > 
UNCHECK: Asthmatically detect correct drive > 
SELECT its current drive letter on the existing system being used right now > Add Entry


Confirm they are there by going to the Edit Boot Menu > Save Settings.

Do not set Bootloader timeout to 0, set it to at least 2 seconds, otherwise you won't be able to change OS at bootup by repeatedly pressing keyboard arrows to pause at the bootup OS screen selection so you can make a choice if needed at bootup.


Simply CHECKING default Operating System - saves default OS. There is no need to click on Save Settings to change default OS.