Can Windows 7 be installed on a mini Netbook from a flash drive?

Sure, use Novicorp WinToFlash to create the flash.

Sure, use Novicorp WinToFlash to create the flash.

Well, with all due respect to Novicorp WinToFlash, and just for the record, there are also other ways:

http://www.msfn.org/board/install-xp-usb-f157.html

http://www.msfn.org/board/install-usb-wins...ui-t120444.html

What it can be used for adding to your USB stick/disk:

- multiple Windows XP/2kX sources in the same partition (up to 10). They have to be in the first partition of the disk! Existing folders ~BT and ~LS and TXTSETUP.SIF will be renamed, and SETUPLDR.BIN and SETUPDD.SYS patched against the new names. Checksum checks are also corrected. BTS OEM folders are supported and renamed accordingly.

- BartPE/WinBulder/UBCD4Win/WinFLPC (NOT ramdisk versions) to any primary partition. Multiple BartPE for example, in the SAME partition are NOT supported. Neither is the mix of them on a single partition.

- Vista/Windows 7 setup to different primary partitions. Multiple Vista sources in the SAME partition are NOT supported. Place your second Vista setup in another partition. It can be placed on any primary partition.

- PartedMagic, a friendly Linux distro including GParted- open source partition manager.

- SyLinux bootsector, and optionally a directory, containing (Linux) distro booting off SysLinux. For example you may extract UBCD411.ISO, and point it to this folder. Entire contents will be copied and entry for SysLinux will be added to the boot menu.

and another plainer but still experimental way:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...=5041&st=26

jaclaz

Even simpler - this worked like a charm for me. All you need is a computer with DISKPART. I installed Win 7 RTM on both my desktop and my laptop with this method:

http://windows7news.com/2009/04/06/how-to-...usb-hard-drive/

How To Install Windows 7 From A USB Drive

   1. Find a standard 4GB USB Drive and plug it into your machine
   2. Click Start in your enter ‘cmd’ in the run field. Once cmd is open type in ‘diskpart’ and a new window will open
   3. In the new diskpart window type:

	* ‘list disk’ : This lists all the disk drives attached to your machine
	* Look for your USB drive and note the number and then type: ’select disk #’, where ‘#’ is your USB disk number
	* then type ‘clean’
	* then type ‘create partition primary’
	* then ’select partition 1′
	* then ‘active’
	* then ‘format fs=fat32 quick'

Once you’ve finished these steps you then need to copy your Windows 7 files to the USB.

This particular guide recommends installing a program called MagicDisc to mount the Windows 7 .ISO file to extract the files; however, any virtual disk drive software, or compression software that works with .ISO files will work. I used WinRAR. Just copy all the files from the .ISO file to the flash drive. You don't need to do any more configuration to the flash drive beyond copying the files from the .ISO onto it.

Then, just make sure your computer is set to boot from USB first (you may need to plug the drive in before changing the boot order in BIOS - I did on my laptop). Installation will start and runs quite quickly compared to a DVD install - it installed on my desktop in about ten minutes and about fifteen on my laptop.

Edited September 18, 200916 yr by jrf2027