Whether you're installing Windows on a netbook or an office full of PCs, a bootable flash drive will make the task much easier. Julian Prokaza explains how
it's done. Installing Windows 7 from DVD is usually a smooth procedure, but it's not so easy if the PC lacks a DVD drive. Given the rising popularity of netbooks, this is an increasingly common problem. An external DVD drive is the obvious answer, but it's frustrating having to buy one if you'll only need it once or twice. A far better option is to create your own Windows 7 USB flash drive installer. This will work with any computer that can boot from a USB port and, as an added bonus, Windows will install quicker than it would from the DVD. You'll need your genuine Windows 7 installation DVD and a PC with a DVD drive to create the USB flash drive. The flash drive needs 4GB capacity; if you don't have something suitable, you can buy one online for around ukp8. 1 First you need to download some free software. If you're running Windows XP on the PC with a DVD drive, download and install the Microsoft .NET Framework version 2 and Microsoft Image Mastering API 2 from http://bit.ly/938w and http://bit.ly/DD8AP respectively. Windows XP, Vista and 7 users also need to download and install the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool from http://bit.ly/22D26J, and ISO Recorder from http://bit.ly/oGO4. 2 The Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool is intended for people who buy Windows 7 as a download and need to convert the resulting ISO file into a bootable DVD. We'll use it in reverse to create an ISO file from the Windows 7 installation DVD. This is where the ISO Recorder utility comes in. Put your Windows install disc into your PC's optical drive. If the disc runs, click the X in the top-right corner to cancel it. Click the Windows Start button followed by Computer (My Computer on Windows XP). Right-click your DVD drive and select Create image from CD/DVD from the drop-down menu. 3 ISO Recorder prompts for a location to save the ISO image by default, this is your Documents folder. Click Next to start the ISO creation process. This takes several minutes, depending on the speed of your DVD drive. 4 Once the Windows 7 DVD ISO file has been created, launch the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool and click the Browse button to locate and select the ISO file. Click Next and the tool will prompt for a media type; plug your USB flash drive into a USB port and click the USB device button. The USB flash drive should be correctly identified and selected; if not, choose it from the drop-down list of available drives. 5 The USB flash drive is formatted as part of this process, so click the Begin copying' button only when you're ready to proceed. If the drive isn't empty, you'll be prompted to confirm this before the format is performed. Once the file copy is finished, close the Windows 7 USB/ DVD Download Tool by clicking the X button. 6 How you use this Windows 7 USB flash drive depends on the PC. Some let you choose a boot device at startup by pressing a certain key; Otherwise, you must change the PC's BIOS to select a USB device as the first bootable device. The way the BIOS is accessed varies from PC to PC, but pressing F2, F8 or Del as it boots up should do it. Use the keyboard's cursor keys to navigate the options, choose USB as the first boot device and select Save and Exit. Connect the flash drive and Windows installs. If you adjust the BIOS setting, remember to change it back. Switch in time - How to enable partitioning Since a Windows 7 DVD occupies less than 3GB of space on a USB flash drive, you could create a drive with two partitions one for the operating system installation, and one for the installation files of frequently used applications. This is a fine idea, but it's stymied by Windows' refusal to partition removable storage devices. One way around this is to flip the firmware switch for the drive that identifies it as a removable drive in Windows, thus enabling partitioning. You'll find a guide at the Corsair blog (http://bit. ly/9d3TdX). It won't work for every USB flash drive, but there's no harm in trying it. Technical telepathy: 09969636745 I am more inspired by Newton's apple tree than Adam's forbidden apple. Get numbers right this time, help the census with correct disability info!
