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You probably know Microsoft’s free Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (WUDT). Despite its name, it can also be used to create a Windows 8.1 USB setup USB stick. A better tool is Rufus, and the best tool for this purpose is undoubtedly WinSetupFromUSB.
The latest version, 1.4, also supports Windows 8.1. Of course, you can also use WinSetupFromUSB to build flash drives for previous Windows versions, including Windows 2000. In addition, the tool supports all major Linux distributions and various popular rescue, antivirus, and backup tools. You can even install MS-DOS 7.1 with WinSetupFromUSB. For a complete list of all supported sources, have a look at the tool’s website.
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WinSetupFromUSB
You create a USB stick with multiple Windows 8.1 images by adding the corresponding ISO files one after the other. That is, once you create your first bootable USB stick, you just add another ISO. WinSetupFromUSB will automatically create a boot menu that enables you to select the image when you boot up. You can also add multiple operating systems in one step if the operating system types are different (say, Windows XP and Windows 8.1).
There is hardly a feature that you need for creating a USB setup drive that WinSetupFromUSB doesn’t have. The free tool knows how to deal with FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS and it supports UEFI.
You can launch the FbinstTool that allows you to format your drive in any possible way, restore the partition table from a file, and many more things. I googled the tool, which appears to come from China, but I couldn’t find a homepage. VirusTotal says that it is probably harmless. If you know the tool, please post a comment below.
FbinstToolAnother tool that is included is BOOTICE. You can manage the MBR with it, and it comes with a BCD editor.
BOOTICEAnd, last but not least, you can also launch RMPrepUSB, a utility that allows you to install all kinds of boot loaders.
RMPrepUSBI have only two complaints about WinSetupFromUSB. On Windows installations with an increased font size, some of the text in the WinSetupFromUSB user interface is cut off. My other critique is that no real documentation exists. The closest thing to a how-to guide is the FAQ page, which also gives you an overview of what you can do with the tool.
I also had an issue with one USB stick. After I used WinSetupFromUSB, I was no longer able to use the flash drive for Windows setup on a particular laptop. Even though I could previously install Windows setup with other tools, this was no longer possible after I treated the USB drive with WinSetupFromUSB. However, it is most likely a hardware issue with the USB stick and not WinSetupFromUSB’s fault. The tool worked fine with other flash drives.
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How to keep Windows Admin Center up to dateInstalling Windows XP to a USB flash drive can be useful in case your hard drive ever crashes or your computer becomes infected with a virus.
To install Windows XP to a USB flash drive, however, you must prepare the drive for installation. You cannot simply insert the drive into your computer and begin installing to it Windows XP. Instead, you must make a copy of Windows XP and use special software to install that copy your USB drive.
Step 1
Restart your computer and access your BIOS setup screen. Check your boot settings to make sure 'USB-HDD' is listed as an option. If a USB boot option is not available, you may need to update your BIOS firmware, or you may not be able to boot to USB on your computer at all.
Step 2
Check the USB drive manual, or contact the drive's manufacturer, to make sure the drive is bootable. Your drive should also be large enough to hold Windows XP. A USB drive at least 2GB in size is ideal.
Step 3
Download the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. Run the software, then select your USB drive from the list of devices. Select to format to the FAT file system, then click 'Start' to format the drive.
Step 4
Click 'Start,' 'All Programs,' 'Accessories' and 'Run.' Type '%systemroot%' into the dialogue box. Press 'Enter.' The system root folder will open.
Step 5
Click 'Tools,' then 'Folder Options.' Click the 'View' tab, and then select the 'Show Hidden Files and Folders' option. Click 'OK.'
Step 6
Copy 'boot.ini,' 'ntldr' and 'ntdetect' from your system root folder. Paste these files into your USB drive.
Step 7
Download, install and run PEBuilder to your computer. PEBuilder will allow you to make a bootable copy of Windows XP. Write down the set of numbers following 'PEBuilder v,' located on the top of the window. This is PEBuilder's version number.
Step 8
Insert your Windows XP Install CD into your CD or DVD drive. Click the '...' next to the 'Source' field, then select your Windows XP install files from your CD.
Step 9
Leave the 'Custom' field blank and the 'Output' field as 'BartPE.' Click 'Build' to create the Windows XP installation copy.
Step 10
Click 'Start,' 'All Programs,' 'Accessories' and 'Run.' Type 'cmd.exe' in the box, then press 'Enter.'
Step 11
Insert your flash drive into your computer. Type 'cd' to go to your PC's root directory, then type 'cd pebuilder#pluginpeinst', replacing '#' with your PEBuilder version.
Step 12
Type 'peinst', then press 'Enter.' A menu will appear. Type '1' to access the 'Change source path' option. Type 'c:pebuilder#BartPE', again replacing '#' with your PEBuilder version.
Type '2', then press 'Enter.' Type your USB drive letter, followed by ':', then press 'Enter.' Type '5' and press 'Enter' again. Windows XP will be installed to your flash drive.
Tips
- To install applications to Windows XP, you must use the 'Plugins' option on PEBuilder. This must be done before you install Windows XP to your USB drive.
- To create a bootable USB copy of XP, your Windows XP CD must include SP2, or you must slipstream SP2 into the CD.
- If you are not sure how to access or configure your BIOS settings, contact your motherboard's manufacturer or consult your computer's manual. BIOS settings vary based on make and model.
Warnings
- Do not install Windows XP to your USB drive unless you are the legal owner of that copy.
- Formatting your USB drive will remove any files stored on it.
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