Create a Bootable USB Installer Windows

USB flash drive is also often used to install Windows. In fact, installing Windows via USB proven faster than using DVDs. Bootable USB can be created without 3rd party software, it’s a build-in feature, just only with Windows command prompt. Not only Windows 7 and Windows 8 that could be made using this method, Windows server 2008 and Windows Server 2012 can be.

Update

It also works for Windows 10, Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server 2019.

Here’s how to make a USB Bootable Windows 7 and Windows 8 without Tools:

Format the USB Flash Drive

The first step that you need to do, of course, is to plug a USB stick into your port.

Next, go to your command prompt by typing cmd from Start Menu. Right-click and select Run as administrator. Remember to be run as administrator because if cmd not be run as administrator, some commands may cannot be executed. This step is used if the USB drive you’ve never used as a bootable USB installer. If you’ve ever used a USB flash drive as a USB installer you may directly go to step 6 to record reformat your USB flash drive.

Open cmd
Open cmd

Type diskpart command, the prompt will change to DISKPART>

diskpart
diskpart

Next type list disk to display disks available in our computers now.

list disk
list disk

Clear USB first, also backup the existing data in the USB if available. Then format the USB. Type the following command below:

select disk 2
select disk 2
select disk 2

Number 2 is for USB disk placed.

clean
clean
clean
create partition primary
create partition primary
create partition primary
select partition 1
select partition 1
select partition 1
active
active
active
format fs=NTFS quick
format fs=NTFS quick
format fs=NTFS quick
assign
assign
assign
exit
exit
exit

Make USB Flash Drive Bootable

After successfully at format, then we will make our USB bootable using utility assistance ‘bootsect’ which is found in Windows Vista and Windows 7 (also in Windows 8). Insert the Windows 7 DVD (or you may mount ISO of Windows 7), then change to the directory where the DVD is located, with the command:

h:
cd boot
cd boot
cd boot

where h: is my Windows 7 DVD drive letter

Use bootsect to make us into a bootable USB. The trick is to type the command:

bootsect /nt60 n:
bootsect /nt60 n:
bootsect /nt60 n:

where n: is my USB drive letter

Now you can close your windows command prompt. Copy the one all the installation files in your DVD drive into your flash. If you have finished, you have been created bootable USB Windows installer!