How to Create a Bootable Windows 7 USB Installer Drive

Windows 7 Logo
How to create a bootable Windows 7 installer USB Drive

We are finally rolling out Windows 7 to upgrade all our XP machines.  We have 25 lab computers that do not have DVD drives and Windows 7 comes on a DVD.  You can install it off of a USB drive and this is the steps you need to take to create one.

How to Create a Bootable Windows 7 USB Installer Drive

Hardware:

Step 1: Locate a Windows 7 installation iso file.

We got our software through Techsoup since we are a not-for-profit so I just simply downloaded it.  The iso filename we are using is SW_DVD5_SA_Win_Ent_7_32BIT_English_Full_MLF_X15-70745.ISO

Step 2: Download the Microsoft Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool.

You can download it here for free: Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool.

Step 3: Install the download tool.

You will need to be at least running Windows 7 to run it.  Luckily we already have some machines running it.

Step 4: Launch the installed download tool from the Start menu.

After you install it you can find the Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool in the start menu

When you launch the tool this is the window you will see:

Choose the Windows 7 Install disk ISO file

Step 5: Select the iso file.

I had saved ours on the desktop.

Locating ISO File on Desktop
Picking the iso file for the Windows 7 Installer

Once you have selected the iso file click the “Open” button or double click on the iso file.  This is what you’ll see.

The iso file has now been selected, click “Next”

Click on the green “Next” button.

Step 6: Choose the media type.

In our case you will click on the blue “USB device” button.  But you could make a DVD as well if you have a DVD burner and a blank DVD disk.

Do you want to make a bootable DVD or USB device?  Click on “USB Device”

Step 7: Insert and select your USB drive.

If you have already inserted your USB drive it will be listed in the drop-down.  If not, insert it now.

Select your USB Drive that you wish to make into a bootable Windows 7 Installer

Step 8: Click the green “Begin copying” button.

You will get a warning about deleting the USB drive like this:

Warning that you are about to erase the USB Drive

You do know that you are about to erase your USB drive so make a backup if you need anything that you have on it.

Step 9: Click on the “Erase USB Device” button.

You’ll then get this second cryptic warning entitled “Not Enough Free Space”…

Double-warning for erasing the USB Drive

Click on the “Yes” button.

Step 10: Wait for the tool to do its thing.

First it will format the USB Drive:

Formatting the USB Drive

And then copy the files to the USB Drive:

Copying files onto the bootable USB device

Step 11: Bootable USB device completed.

It took around 7 minutes, which included formatting the drive to begin with.  I was using 8 GB drives so if you have a larger drive it may take longer.  You must have at least a 4 GB drive to do this.

Bootable Windows 7 Install USB device created successfully

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