How To Install Windows 7 On USB Flash/Hard Drive [Easy Way]

Malay: Cara Install Windows dalam USB drive/Flash Drive

As you likely know, unlike its successor, none of the Windows 7 editions allow you install Windows 7 on a USB flash/hard drive and then boot Windows 7 from the USB. For the uniniated, installing Windows from a USB is completely different from installing Windows on a USB. In the first scenario, we use the USB as a bootable media to install Windows, and in the second one, we install Windows on to a USB drive and boot Windows from it.

If you want to install Windows on a USB flash drive or USB hard drive, this is the easiest way to install Windows 7 on USB and boot from it. You don’t need to download complex scripts or execute commands in order to install Windows 7 on to USB.

In this guide, we’re going to show the easiest way to install Windows 7 on a USB flash drive or USB hard drive and boot Windows 7 from it.

Things you need:

# Windows 7 ISO image file (32-bit or 64-bit)

# WinToUSB (check Step 2 for download links)

# 16GB+ USB flash drive or hard drive (8GB drive should do fine but can’t confirm)

Installing Windows 7 on to USB flash drive or hard drive

Step 1: Kick start the procedure by connecting your USB flash drive or hard drive to your Windows 7/8 PC. Please backup all data before continuing further, as the drive will be erased.

Step 2: Next step is to download WinToUSB software by visiting this official page. WinToUSB supports both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7/8. Run the downloaded setup file and then follow the straight-forward on-screen instructions to complete the installation. You can install WinToUSB either on Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Step 3: Launch WinToUSB software. On the home screen, click the button next to ISO file box to browse to Windows 7 ISO image file and click OK button to open it. And then select the edition of Windows 7 that you would like to install on the USB.

Click Next button to proceed to the next step.

Upon selecting the USB drive, you’ll see a warning dialog with “Selected device needs to be formatted. Are you sure you want to continue?” message. Click Yes button to continue.

Step 5: Finally, you’ll be asked to select the system partition as well the boot partition on the USB drive. If you haven’t partitioned your USB drive, you can simply select the same partition (full drive) as system partition as well as boot partition (refer the picture). And if you have two or more partitions, please select a partition to use as boot partition and then another partition with at least 16 GB of space as system partition.

Click Next button to begin installing Windows 7 on to the USB drive. This process might take hours depending on your USB drive’s speed and overall system performance. That’s it!

In order to boot from this bootable Windows 7 USB, you need to enable boot from USB feature in the BIOS/UEFI.

sources: http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7-on-usb-flashhard-drive-easy-way/

How To Install Windows 7 To USB External Hard Drive [Must Read]

As you likely know, while one can install Windows 7 from an external hard drive, one can’t install the same to an external hard drive with default settings. For all those users waiting for a good workaround to install Vista, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 to an external hard drive, here is the complete solution.

Even though Windows recognizes and displays the USB hard drive in the installation screen, it doesn’t allow you install Windows on the same. When you attempt to install Windows 7 on external drive, you get “Windows cannot be installed to this disk” error.

So, if you want to install Windows 7 on an external hard drive you need to follow the steps given below. The procedure is simple but you need to install Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) first to get some files. We would like to thank fujianabc @ boot-land forum for this workaround.

Requirements:

# An external hard drive formatted with NTFS

# Windows 7 installation files (if you have Windows 7 ISO use Virtual Clone Drive freeware to mount it)

# Windows Automated Installation Kit (free download from Microsoft)

NOTE: Make sure that you have a minimum of 15 GB free space on your external hard drive before starting the procedure. Although we are not going to delete the contents of external hard drive, we recommend backing up your external hard drive contents before trying this guide.

Install Windows 7 on a USB drive with ease

Step 1. Create two folders named Windows Files and WAIK Files on your desktop or any other drive which has a minimum of 5 GB free space.

Step 2: Download the ZIP file from here and extract the contents to WAIK Files folder. Before starting the actual installation procedure, you need to have three files: Bcdboot.exe, Bootsect.exe and Imgex.exe. These files can only be obtained by installing Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7 on your Windows PC. After installing WAIK, simply search for these files in the Windows installation drive to get them. Once you have these three files, copy them to WAIK Files folder that you have created in the above step.

Step 3: Copy all the contents of Windows 7 installation DVD to the Windows Files folder.

Step 4: The next step is to run Installer.cmd file as Administrator (Right-click on installer.cmd and select run as administrator). In the first screen, you will be asked to press Enter to continue.

Step 5: Press Enter key to browse to the install.wim file present in the Windows Files folder. The Install.wim file can be found under Sources folder (Windows Files/ Sources/ install.wim).

Step 6: Now, you need to select the Windows 7 edition that you want to install on external hard drive. You can select the edition by entering the index number shown in the screen. For example, type “5” (without quote) and hit Enter key to select Ultimate edition.

Step 7: The next step is to enter your External drive’s drive letter. Enter the drive letter (ex: L) and pressEnter key.

Step 8: Now, type in the drive letter of your ACTIVE partition and hit Enter key. Generally “C” is the active partition. You can find the active partition by opening Windows Disk Management tool (type diskmgmt.mscin Start menu search area and hit enter to launch it).

Step 9: Finally, the installer will ask you the drive letter that you have entered to install Windows 7 is a USB hard drive or not. As you are installing Windows 7 to an external hard drive simply type “Y” without quote and press Enter key.

Finally click Enter key again to start extracting the Install.wim files. This might take a few minutes. Once done, you will be asked to reboot your PC to continue the normal Windows 7 installation procedure.

Step 10: Reboot your PC and follow the usual Windows 7 installation procedure to complete Windows 7 installation on external hard drive. Your PC will be restarted twice or thrice during installation.

Please note that the installation procedure might be slower as you are installing Windows 7 to an external hard drive.

Step 11: Once done with the installation, you are good to go. You can install all drivers and other software to start using the best Windows version on your PC.

Note: We have tested this method to install x86 flavor of Windows 7 to Seagate USB external hard drive. But should work fine with x64 as well. Users who would like to carry Windows 7 on a USB flash drive can follow our how to carry Windows 7 on USB flash drive guide.

sources: http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7-to-usb-external-hard-drive-must-read/