How about installing Windows 7 or Windows Vista without using any DVD or Pendrive / USB drive? Yes this is possible. Users who don’t want to burn the Windows 7/ Vista ISO image to a DVD or those who don’t have a windows startup disc can now install Windows 7 on their PC. Installing Windows from the Hard Drive is much faster than installing from DVD/CD.This tutorial is made on the assumption that the new Windows 7 or Windows Vista is going to be installed and replace the current one. The instructions can be slightly modified if you want a dual boot system.
- On your existing Operating System install a virtual DVD/CD drive first. Magic Disc virtual DVD/CD rom can do this and is free. If you can get winrar then you can directly extract the iso files and there by skipping steps (1-3).
- Now mount the ISO image of Windows 7 or Windows Vista.
- Then copy all the files from this Virtual drive you mounted now to a drive in which you don’t want to install Windows. for example if you want to install Windows on C drive copy them to E:Windows7 or so.
- Now copy the bootfolders and bootmgr seen inside the copied folder (here E:windows7) to your main booting drive probably C:.
- Vista users must follow this step ie. you need to copy the bootmgr folder from (E:windows7) to C: root directory. Copy E:Windows7bootboot.sdi and bootsect.exe from E:Windows7boot folder to C:boot folder and C: drive respectively.
- The boot folder is hidden by default check the option to show hidden files and folder and also show protected system files from “Folder Options“.
- Now under C: root folder create a new folder named sources.
- Copy the boot.wim file from E:Windows7sources to the sources folder created in the above step (7).
- Now right click the Command Prompt in the start menu and select “Run as Administrator“.
- Type the following command C:bootbootsect.exe /nt60 C: for vista users who did the step 5 should type the command as C:bootsect.exe /nt60 C: .
- Now change the name of the boot system partion to any name you prefer (in command prompt use label command). for eg. type C: label mycdrive. Remember the name you have given.
- Now restart the System.
- After that Windows will automatically run the setup process. On continuing with the installation steps when you see the option to Install Windows do not click it instead click the option to Repair my Computer (seen at the bottom left).
- Now in the WinRE System Recovery Options window open the Command Prompt.
- Now type the following command format c: /q .
- /q switch is used to do a quick format option it is optional.
- If you want to convert the drive to NTFS system type the command as c: /q /fs:ntfs.
- Just before the formatting begins you may be asked to enter the name of the partition as mycdrive enter it accordingly.
- After the formatting completes Start the Windows setup from the copied folder ie E:Windows7sourcessetup.exe.
- Now continue with the process as usual.
14 Comments
i tried the upgrade, not working, i have also win xp on the same pc, is the command C:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 C: making the partition bootable? i think i can do this with a bootsect.exe from the win7 x86 iso file
p.s. sorry for my previous post, there is no such thing like x32 and i know this
Yes. Bootsect.exe updates the master boot code for hard disk partitions in order to
switch between BOOTMGR and NTLDR. You can use this tool to restore the boot
sector on your computer.
hi buddy
I installed win 7 x32 on my pc, and now i want to install win 7 x64 (my pc is 64 bit), but i have no dvd and the pc cant boot from usb, and it cant work that way, is that possible to make it?
Yes there might be a way. First try an upgrade over the current installation of windows 7 32bit. Make sure you have a backup before going with any thing.
if he has a 32 bit Computer he cant install a 64 bit software
One suggestion:
You can skip steps 1-3 if you just extract the ISO with WinRAR.
Thanks Lionel.
A few days ago I bought Windows 7 Original Software at a computer store. When I install it all to successful, but I’m a bit disappointed because there are some programs that are not compatible with.
Yes but there is option to run those programs too. You can use the compatiblility mode and set the program to run as if it was running in XP, Vista or server or even 98.
It is installing right now….very cool!
BUT there is a problem…I can’t launch the setup if it’s not in the root folder of the hard
Its because we have set every thing to work from the root drive. If you want to use other drive the settings needs to be changed accordingly.
how i can get iso image
You can create the iso image from the Windows 7/ vista dvd. Just use nero for creating the iso from DVD.
for some strange reason i ended up swapping my drives, meaning that my old C drive is now D… how that happen? o.O