Install Windows 7 Or Windows Vista Without The Dvd Media

[Guest Reimar]

Install Windows 7 or Windows Vista without the DVD Media

This tutorial guide assumes that the new Windows 7 or Windows Vista will be installed and replaced the original existing operating system currently installed. The instructions can be modified slightly (mainly on hard disk partition used) to fit into need of readers who want to have a dual-boot, multi-boot, or simply just to upgrade install to new OS.

1. Install a virtual CD/DVD drive on existing Windows operating system.

2. Mount the Windows Vista or Windows 7 installation DVD ISO image using the virtual drive.

3. Copy all files inside the virtual CD/DVD drive mounted with the ISO into any folder on any partition or hard disk drive not going to be used to install the Windows OS. For example, copy into E:\Windows7.

4. Copy the bootmgr and boot folders nested inside the copied folder (i.e. \Windows7) to root directory of system boot drive, typically C:\.

Note: For Windows Vista, users may need to use this step: Copy the bootmgr folder from E:\Windows7 to C:\ root directory, copy E:\Windows7\boot\boot.sdi file to same folder in C:\boot folder, and then copy bootsect.exe from the E:\Windows7\boot\ folder to C:\ drive.

Note: boot folder in system boot drive is hidden system folder.

5. Create a new folder named sources under the C:\ root folder.

6. Copy the boot.win file inside \Windows7\sources folder to the source folder created in the system boot drive, normally C:\.

7. Open a command prompt as administrator.

8. Run the following command (change the C to your drive path letter if applicable):

C:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 C:

For Windows Vista users who copied bootsect.exe to C:\ root folder, use the following command instead:

C:\bootsect.exe /nt60 C:

A successful message is the command completes successfully.

9. Change the name or label of the boot system partition local disk to BDCP or any name you prefer that easier to remember and type (in DOS command promot, use label command).

10. Restart the computer.

11. After booting up, the system will start the corresponding Windows installation process. Select the applicable language to install, time and currency format (regional settings locale) and keyboard or input method in the installation wizard dialog.

12. On the next screen, user will be presented with option to Install Windows. DO NOT press on Install Windows button, instead, click on Repair My Computer link on the bottom left corner.

13. In the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) System Recovery Options dialog window, click on Command Prompt to open a DOS Prompt window.

14.Run the format command to format the primary hard disk or partition to clean state:

format c: /q

Note: /q switch, which perform quick format can be omitted to full format. And if existing hard disk partition is of FAT32 filesystem format, use format c: /q /fs:ntfs to convert the file system to NTFS while formatting. Before formatting begins, the command may prompt for hard disk drive or partition label name, if so, enter accordingly (i.e. BDCP).

15. After format completed, start the Windows Vista or Windows 7 installation process again by manually running the setup.exe located in the copied. Note that the setup.exe is not the one located on boot system drive which copied at later step, as the boot drive has been formatted. For example:

E:\Windows7\sources\setup.exe

16. Continue with installation procedures by following on-screen instructions as per normal practice.

[zzdocxx 59]

I don't exactly get what this is about, but sounds interesting. I just posted my experience with an XP install over a Vista setup, seems like it might maybe possibly be related to that. But honestly this is over my head.

OK thanks for your patience with my off topic posts! ! !

[Obiwan 5]

This is a great hack! thanks Riemer! Probably much easier than burning and installing from a dvd. I can recommend this to everyone: just follow the instructions..

One question though: I set win7 up on a old HD. I disconnected the original HD with XP on it when Ii installed.

Now I think of reconnecting it and choosing which OS to use with the boot options in the Bios.

Will this work or will things go haywire, i mean with the driveletter assignment. I think is would be a safer way of having two OS's to choose from than using dual boot options. (Don't like these pre-boot screens that slow down start up..and where you'll never get rid of even when you remove one HD)

[Guest Reimar]

This is a great hack! thanks Riemer! Probably much easier than burning and installing from a dvd. I can recommend this to everyone: just follow the instructions..

One question though: I set win7 up on a old HD. I disconnected the original HD with XP on it when Ii installed.

Now I think of reconnecting it and choosing which OS to use with the boot options in the Bios.

Will this work or will things go haywire, i mean with the driveletter assignment. I think is would be a safer way of having two OS's to choose from than using dual boot options. (Don't like these pre-boot screens that slow down start up..and where you'll never get rid of even when you remove one HD)

You shouldn't have any problem if using the Bios Bootmanager!

Cheers.

[Tywais 12,067]

Do you have a link to the source of the above tutorial?

Another way that is probably simpler:

"How to Install Windows 7 From USB Drive without Windows 7 ISO DVD"

How to Install Win 7 from USB Drive

Another one:

Intalling Win 7 without DVD

Same article as the first one here > mydigitallife

[Guest Reimar]

For to clarify: All procedures I had posted in the past regarding Windows 7, I had test by myself and they were working for ME!

Procedures I haven't test, I would not publish.

I had read a lot and tested some of other procedures but they were not working for some instances and I had some other problems with others. As I'm not the guy for to publish what I haven't tested or I had which makes me problems, I wouldn't like to get complaints that I had posted "rubbish"!

As every scientist very well know: Practice and Theory are two different worlds.

Cheers.

[Guest Reimar]

This is a great hack! thanks Riemer! Probably much easier than burning and installing from a dvd. I can recommend this to everyone: just follow the instructions..

One question though: I set win7 up on a old HD. I disconnected the original HD with XP on it when Ii installed.

Now I think of reconnecting it and choosing which OS to use with the boot options in the Bios.

Will this work or will things go haywire, i mean with the driveletter assignment. I think is would be a safer way of having two OS's to choose from than using dual boot options. (Don't like these pre-boot screens that slow down start up..and where you'll never get rid of even when you remove one HD)

You shouldn't have any problem if using the Bios Bootmanager!

Cheers.

[Tywais 12,067]

As every scientist very well know: Practice and Theory are two different worlds.

Actually as a scientist, I consider them going hand in hand. I supplied links for those who are interested in alternative methods from writers who have also "done it".

[Guest Reimar]

As every scientist very well know: Practice and Theory are two different worlds.

Actually as a scientist, I consider them going hand in hand. I supplied links for those who are interested in alternative methods from writers who have also "done it".

That should be!! But in practice?

Fine if you like to do that! But I like just to test by myself and compare the result with the given one and to be sure it works! I wouldn't deny that I may had done something wrong if the test I had done NOT show the same result but than I would even test it more than one time!

For me it's important that I can show on MY hardware that the test I had done works because I didn't like complaints that I'm not able to show by myself that works from which I told it would!

Cheers.