Program for writing Windows 7 on a USB flash drive. Operating system on a flash drive

Since the introduction of USB flash drives in the IT market, it has not been that long. Refusing to "optical dependence", practical users, and in large numbers, switched to compact and highly efficient storage devices - flash drives. However, few of you, dear readers, know that Flash-drive can be used as a removable disk with the operating environment pre-installed on it, say, the seventh version from Microsoft. What do you need to implement a portable project? You will not believe it, but just one program to burn Windows 7 to a USB flash drive. About what you are talking about, you will learn from the material of the article. However, you will know how to use it. Yes, by the way, readers who notice a double meaning in the title, expect a pleasant surprise: you are sure to find the answers to your questions. Detailed instructions and practical recommendations are waiting for you!

Usability System: "Compact USB Windows"

It is human nature to simplify your life. And in this age of speed and technological achievements, this is particularly noticeable. Thanks to a compact flash drive, the process of storing and exchanging data has become much more comfortable than when using a CD / DVD drive. Some modern modifications of USB Flash-drives can have quite a serious capacitive memory potential. In our case, to "put" Windows 7 on a flash drive, enough 8-gigabyte reserve. After you create a portable version of the OS, you can work on any computer in your usual environment. And the necessary settings, parameters and software will be available (in terms of use) just a few minutes after you insert the Flash-drive into the USB-connector of the computing device.

Operating system on a flash drive: a step-by-step action plan

Before you begin to directly follow the instructions for setting up and installing the operating system on a USB mass storage device, review some of the technical requirements:

• It is recommended to use Flash-drive with specification 3.0. Since in our case the speed of data exchange is a very important indicator.
• The required disk space is at least 8 GB. If you are going to use additional software, then the disk capacity should be much larger.

Step # 1: Download and run special software

So, to install the OS on a USB-drive, you need a corresponding program for writing Windows 7 to the USB flash drive and the operating system distribution itself. Ideal assistant in this situation will be a free application PWBoot. Despite the fact that the utility has an English-speaking interface, the process of working with the program is not at all difficult. This software tool does not need to be installed, and therefore is ready to work right after you activate it.

Step # 2: Working with the program and installing the distribution

• In the main utility window, check the first item Install Windows - click Next.
• After you click on the Browse button, you must specify the path to the Install.wim file that is stored in the Sources folder. As you understand, at the initial stage the OS distribution should be unpacked or downloaded to a virtual disk (Daemon Tools).
• In the downstream checkbox, select the desired revision of the system. Since the described program for burning Windows 7 to a USB flash drive does not support Cyrillic, the next point is likely to cause an error. So be very careful!
• Specify Flash as the data receiver and click Next again.
• In the system boot volume check the USB drive again.
• After you tick all the checkboxes, activate the Install button.

After a short recording process and the service message Finish your removable Flash-drive will be ready for use.

As an add-on

With the help of the same PWBoot utility, you can install Windows on a USB flash drive and in another way - create a VHD virtual disk. Undoubtedly, this method will be in demand by users, who in the future envisage the use of a large number of programs, or they want to "put" a large-scale assembly of the OS with the subsequent ability to work with data on the physical disk of the computer. It is difficult to perceive at first glance, the method is actually implemented quite simply. With the means integrated into the OS, you need to create a virtual hard disk. Next, using the same PWBoot, install the Windows distribution on the USB flash drive. The only "but": this method is suitable only for Ultimate or Enterprise editions of the OS.

Optimization of the "portable system"

Even if you use a flash drive that supports the USB 3.0 specification, you are unlikely to be satisfied with the performance of the flash system. Therefore, it is necessary to make the OS as easy as possible: disable non-critical Windows services, remove unused system components and so on. You can resolve the question of the paging file in the following way:

• Select the required disk space on the physical hard drive of the computer you are using.
• Use a special software solution DiskMode.

In general, after you can install Windows 7 on a USB flash drive, perform a complete optimization process.

Multiboot USB Flash Drive: the promised understatement

If at some point your OS has stopped running or a different kind of emergency has occurred, then you are unlikely to manage without the "saving" software tools. At the same time, do not forget that with the same USB-media, you can make a comfortable process of repairing a crashed Windows-system, or perform a clean installation of the required version of the OS. Well, about everything in order.

How to make a Live USB

Under the above name, it should be understood that this is not only a full-fledged mini-operating system on a flash drive, but also a number of various diagnostics and recovery software that are integrated into the boot environment. In order to create a multi-boot USB drive, you will need: a utility MultiBoot USB, the necessary Windows-distributions and, if desired, installation files of additional software.

Running and working with the program

• Click on the installation EXE file.
• After the MultiBoot USB menu is displayed on the screen, select the first item of the Hp Usb Disk Storage Format Tool.
• After you format the disk space of the Flash drive, close the utility window of the utility.
• Now click on the Grub4dos Installer link.
• In the boot loader window, check the Disk check box, in the Refresh field, your removable drive should be displayed - click Install.
• After the message in the command editor successfully ... - use the Enter key.
• Exit the bootloader - Quit.
• Activate the WinsetupFriomUsb item.
• Now you need to "pour" the distribution of Windows 7 on the USB flash drive.
• In the checked Win / 7 / Server 2008 checkbox, specify the ISO installation file for the operating system.
• The final action is pressing the GO button.

If you want to install additional programs and repair utilities, then use the current build of Alkid.live.cd.

The process of integrating the above program package

After you have downloaded the Alkid.live.cd image to your computer's hard drive, mount it using DaemonTool to one of the virtual drives.

• Copy the unpacked files to the root of the USB drive.
• A folder named A386 needs to be renamed to minint.
• Then from its directory to the root of the Flash-medium you need to copy the file NTDETECT.
• The next stage, so to speak, creative. Using the standard Windows notepad, open the file named menu.lst located in the root of the disk.
• Enter the following entry: title Alkid Live (without SCSI / RAID)
  Find --set-root /minint/setuplns.bin
  Chainloader /minint/setuplns.bin
  Title Alkid Live
  Find --set-root /minint/setupldr.bin
  Chainloader /minint/setupldr.bin.
• Save the changes and exit the text editor.

So, you not only installed Windows 7 on a USB stick, but also created a full recovery flash drive.

The most comfortable tool for reinstalling the seventh OS

If the user urgently needs to make a bootable USB-disk with the distribution of Windows 7, and there is no desire to "bother" with the multi-faceted multimedia script of the program MultiBoot USB, then you can use an incredibly simple method, which will be discussed later.

Rufus - the most correctly working utility.

• Download and run the above software.
• The program automatically detects a removable drive inserted into the USB connector.
• If this does not happen, specify the path to the Flash storage device.
• Next to the "ISO image" checkbox, activate the button in the form of a disk.
• Specify the directory in which the OS distribution is located.
• Then boldly press the "Start" button.

This program to burn Windows 7 to a USB flash drive perfectly copes with the task assigned to it. However, the functionality of this application can be used for other versions of the Microsoft OS, including the new "eight".

Before you finish: the new WTG technology in action

Perhaps one of you, dear readers, is thinking about how to "switch" to the new operating system Windows 8. But it was in this OS that a new opportunity to create an image of the operating system specifically for USB-drives appeared. In other words, now the G-8 owners can create bootable Flash-media with the necessary set of programs with the help of standard Windows-tools. However, the capacity of the USB drive must be at least 32 GB.

How it works

• Press the Win + W key combination and enter Windows To Go in the search window.
• After activation of the found service, a special configuration wizard will be launched.
• In the primary window, you need to select the USB-medium on which the image of the system will be installed.
• Next, you will need to specify the image directory that the WIM extension must have.

The next steps in the wizard before primitivity are simple, so do not need a description. Any user can easily cope with this task.

Finally

We hope that the question you are interested in: "How to burn the image of Windows 7 on a USB flash drive?" Is exhausted. Of course, the article includes only the most common, and at the same time, the most reliable methods, in the implementation of which almost any USB-drive can be used as the main loader of the operating system. However, on the web, you are bound to encounter not one dozen such solutions. Is it advisable to use them, you decide. After all, the choice is always yours. Well, let's hope that you will succeed. All the best to you and remember: you can not overload the flash drive!