Booting OS

[james.daly91]

Very stupid question but Google isn't helping too much (probably asking the wrong questions). Doing a new build and I have a disc of Windows 7 premium I want to install. Do I have to have a CD reader (is that an optical drive...?), or is there another way to boot the OS?

[herulach]

Assuming its running on a new system (with a UEFI) then you should just be able to copy the contents of the disk to a fat32 formatted memory stick and it will boot. Although you may find you need to actually rip the ISO from the disk and use something like rufus to create your boot key.

[Agent]

Unless you have a fancy drive that allows you to mount ISO images from a HDD and emulate a optical drive, just use Microsoft's official tool: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store?...usbdvd_dwnTool

In some cases it can be slow from USB pendrives, as they have pretty tragic random I/O, but it'll install and work. Just grab a extra cuppa.

[badsyntax]

Microsoft have a utility available to do this - pick the image/source and it'll make the USB flash drive to install from.

[james.daly91]

Thanks

[Zerox]

Not sure how helpful this will be, but from here you can download Windows 7 (with SP1 integrated) ISOs from DigitalRiver.

http://www.w7forums.com/threads/offi...wnloads.12325/

They are perfectly legal and can be used in conjunction with the program Agent & badsyntax have linked to. It's an alternative to ripping an ISO from your installation DVD.

[james.daly91]

If the ISO file is on USB, do I just plug that into the computer before booting for the first time and it will load automatically?

[Dooms]

Depends on the board / BIOS options. If it doesn't automatically boot from the USB you may have to do one of the following:

When you first boot you may have some options at the bottom of the screen (example: press ESC for options, DEL for BIOS, F9 for Boot options etc) in that situation you can press F9 and it will give you a list of devices you can boot off.

You may need to go into BIOS (see: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixthe...saccess_pc.htm for what key that will be on) and change boot order to USB HDD first.

[james.daly91]

Got my license key for the Windows 7 but been looking around some more and slightly confused. The guides all seem to assume that you already have an OS to boot, but if it's a new build then how can I access the CMD option to boot?

Rephrasing the question, I have a laptop to download the windows 7 load files on to, but the new build PC will never have been turned on before. When I first turn it on with the USB plugged in, what will I see on the screen? Will it automatically go to the BIOS place and get me to select boot order?

Thanks all =)

[Dooms]

As I said above mate if you need to get into BIOS you need to use one of the F keys (or Del) on boot (check the link I posted). The computer may auto boot off USB if there is no boot sector on the HDD however if it doesn't then pop into BIOS and change the boot order to USB first.

[james.daly91]

Ah, ok. Wasn't sure if that BIOS screen still appeared if it was the first time the computer was booted but I'm being a bit stupid again. Thanks for the help !