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This guide explains how to use a USB drive to install a version of the Windows operating system on your computer. A USB drive is particularly useful when your computer lacks a CD drive or when you don’t have an installation disc for the operating system.
Steps
Create a Bootable USB Drive for Windows 10
Check Your Computer's Specifications. Before downloading the installation tool for your preferred operating system, you need to determine whether the computer you’re installing Windows on uses a 32-bit or 64-bit system.
- Make sure to perform this check on the computer where Windows will be installed.
Ensure you have a USB drive with a minimum capacity of 4GB. Windows requires at least 4GB of free space to store the operating system installation files.
- USB drives are relatively inexpensive; you can purchase a 16GB USB drive—four times the required capacity—for under 230,000 VND.
Connect the USB drive to your computer. The USB should fit snugly into the rectangular USB port on your computer.
Format the USB drive to FAT32 or exFAT. When formatting, click on the File system dropdown menu and select either FAT32 or exFAT from the list.
- Formatting the USB will erase all data stored on it.
Download the Windows installation tool. Visit the Windows 10 download page and click on Download tool now at the bottom of the page.
Launch the installation tool. Double-click the "MediaCreationTool" EXE file, click Yes when prompted, accept the terms, and fill in the required information until you reach the installation section.
- As per the tool's instructions, you’ll need to select the language, Windows edition, and system architecture for the installation. Ensure these settings match the information you gathered in the first step.
Create a bootable USB drive. When the Media Creation Tool setup screen appears, click on the "Create installation media" option, select Next, choose the language, edition, and system architecture, click Next, select your USB drive, and then click Next again.
Wait for the USB installation process to complete. This may take a few minutes. Once all the installation files have been copied to the USB, you can proceed to change the boot order on your computer.
Create a Bootable USB Drive for Windows 8.1
Check your computer's specifications. Before downloading the installation tool for your preferred operating system, ensure you know whether the computer you’re installing Windows on uses a 32-bit or 64-bit system.
- Make sure to perform this check on the computer where Windows will be installed.
Ensure you have a USB drive with at least 4GB of storage. Windows requires a minimum of 4GB of free space to store the operating system installation files.
- USB drives are relatively affordable; you can purchase a 16GB USB drive—four times the required capacity—for less than 230,000 VND.
Connect the USB drive to your computer. Ensure the USB is securely inserted into the rectangular USB port on your computer.
Format the USB drive to FAT32 or exFAT. During formatting, click on the File system dropdown menu and select either FAT32 or exFAT from the options.
- Formatting the USB will erase all existing data on it.
Download the Windows installation program. Visit the Windows 8.1 download page, scroll down, select a version of Windows 8.1, click Confirm, choose your language, click Confirm again, and then select either 32-Bit Download or 64-Bit Download in the middle of the page. This will download the installation file (also known as an ISO).
Create a bootable USB drive. To install Windows 8.1, you’ll need to use Command Prompt or another bootable USB creation method to ensure your computer recognizes the USB as a software installation drive.
Add the ISO file to the USB. the downloaded ISO file by selecting it and pressing Ctrl+C, then open the formatted bootable USB and press Ctrl+V. The ISO file will appear on the USB within minutes, and you can proceed to change your computer's boot order.
Create a Bootable USB Drive for Windows 7
Check your computer's specifications. Before downloading the installation tool for your preferred operating system, ensure you know whether the computer you’re installing Windows on uses a 32-bit or 64-bit system.
- Make sure to perform this check on the computer where Windows will be installed.
Ensure you have a USB drive with at least 4GB of storage. Windows requires a minimum of 4GB of free space to store the operating system installation files.
- USB drives are relatively affordable; you can purchase a 16GB USB drive—four times the required capacity—for less than 230,000 VND.
Connect the USB drive to your computer. Ensure the USB is securely inserted into the rectangular USB port on your computer.
Format the USB drive to FAT32 or exFAT. During formatting, click on the File system dropdown menu and select either FAT32 or exFAT from the options.
- Formatting the USB will erase all existing data on it.
Download the Windows 7 installation file. Visit the Windows 7 download page, scroll down, enter your Windows 7 product key, and click Verify, select your language and click Confirm, then choose either 32-Bit Download or 64-Bit Download in the middle of the page.
- If you don’t have a Windows 7 product key, you’ll need to purchase one to download Windows 7.
Open the Windows Download Tool page. This tool allows you to install ISO files, such as Windows 7 or 8.1, onto a USB drive and make your computer recognize the USB as a software installation drive.
Scroll down and click on Download. This is the orange button near the bottom of the page.
Select the language you want to set for the download tool. Check the box next to the version of the download tool you wish to use.
- For example, you would select a tool with a name ending in "EN" to download the English version.
Click Next. This option is located at the bottom of the page.
Install the tool. Double-click the installation file you just downloaded, then follow these steps to complete the setup:
- Click Next
- Click Install
- Click Finish when prompted.
Open the tool. Double-click the Windows 7 Download Tool icon on your computer's desktop, then click Yes when prompted.
Select the downloaded ISO file. In the open window, click Browse, then select the Windows 7 ISO file and click Open.
Click Next. This option is located at the bottom-right corner of the window.
Select your USB drive. Click USB device, then choose your USB from the dropdown menu in the center of the window if it doesn’t appear automatically.
- If your USB isn’t listed, ensure it’s properly connected to your computer and click the Refresh button on the right side of the dropdown menu.
Click Begin copying. This option is located at the bottom-right corner of the window. This action will install the Windows 7 ISO file onto your USB drive.
Allow the tool to complete the process. Once the progress bar in the center of the window reaches 100%, your USB will be formatted as a Windows 7 installation drive, and you can proceed to change your computer's boot order.
Change Your Computer's Boot Order
Turn on the computer where you want to install Windows. If you’re installing a new version of Windows on your current computer, you can skip this step.
Insert the USB drive. Connect the USB drive to a USB port on your computer.
Restart your computer.Start
Power
Restart- If the computer is powered off, press the power button to turn it on, then proceed to the next step. If the screen lights up when you open the lid (for laptops) or move the mouse, you still need to restart the device before continuing.
Quickly press your computer's BIOS key. As soon as the computer's startup screen appears (after the computer powers off and begins restarting), press the BIOS key. The BIOS key varies depending on the manufacturer but is typically one of the function keys (such as F2), Esc, or Del.
- You can find the BIOS key by searching online or checking the computer's manual.
- Many computers will flash a message like "Press [key] to enter setup" or similar at the bottom of the screen during startup. This is the key you need.
- If you miss this step and the computer finishes restarting, you'll need to restart the computer and try again.
Locate the "Boot Order" section. This is usually found under the Advanced or Advanced Options tab, but each BIOS menu is different. The "Boot Order" section will list multiple installation drives, including your hard drive and CD drive.
Select the name of your USB drive. Use the arrow keys to move the highlight bar down until it selects your USB drive.
- On some computers, you may need to select Removable Storage or Removable Drives or a similar option.
Move the USB drive to the top of the list. Typically, you'll do this by pressing the + key until the USB drive appears at the top of the list, but check the instructions at the bottom or side of the BIOS screen for your computer's specific controls.
Save changes and exit the BIOS. You'll need to press a specific key to do this—check the instructions to see which key to press.
- You may also need to press an additional key to confirm your decision.
Restart your computer again if necessary. If the computer doesn’t display the "Press any key" screen and the restart process completes, you’ll need to restart the computer again to run the program from the USB. This will initiate the Windows installation process.
Install Windows
Press any key when prompted. When you see the "Press any key" message, press any key on your computer’s keyboard to begin the Windows installation.
Select your language and region. Once the Windows setup window appears, choose your language, region, and any other listed preferences.
- You may also be asked to select your keyboard layout here.
- On Windows 7, check the "I agree" box, then proceed to the "Select a partition" step.
Click Next. This option is located at the bottom-right corner of the page.
Enter the product key. When prompted, input the product key that came with your computer or installation disc, then click Next.
- On Windows 10, you’ll need to click Install now. You can also skip entering the product key at this stage by clicking Skip.
- On Windows 7, you’ll be asked to enter the product key after the installation process is complete.
Agree to the terms of use. Check the "I agree" box, then click Next.
Choose a custom installation. Select the "Custom" option, then click Next.
Select an installation partition. Double-click the partition where you want to install Windows, then confirm your choice when prompted. You can also select an empty partition and click Next to begin the installation process.
- On Windows 7, you’ll need to select the partition to use, click Delete, confirm your decision when prompted, click on the empty hard drive, and then click Next to start the installation.
Wait for Windows to complete the installation. Your computer will restart several times during the process, and the installation may take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on your computer's speed.
Follow the on-screen instructions. After the computer completes the Windows installation, you’ll be prompted to set up additional preferences (such as language, account name, and email address) before you can start using Windows.
- On Windows 7, you’ll be asked to enter the product key at this stage.
Tips
- While Windows installation is best suited for Windows devices, you can also install Windows 10 on a Mac using BootCamp.
Warnings
- Accessing the BIOS can be frustrating as BIOS pages vary across devices. To ensure a smooth process, refer to your computer’s manual or research BIOS information beforehand.
