Of course, it is most convenient to install Windows from a bootable DVD. However, if one is not at hand, you can use Windows files from your computer and get your own disk. The question of how to burn a boot disk on your own by assembling an ISO image from scratch is actually not a complicated one. You can do this with a few simple commands.
In order to do this, you can use various Microsoft tools that are included in AIK (in other words, the unattended installation package) designed for Windows 7 (you can use it similarly to Windows Vista). The following example will show you how to burn a boot disk with the seventh version of the Windows operating system.
First, copy the Windows files to a separate folder on your hard drive. Create a separate folder and give it a simple name, preferably from numbers and Latin letters. In addition to the operating system files, you can add additional user files, such as drivers or programs that you constantly use. Now they will be copied to a specific address, for example, to the "x86fre" folder on drive C. The next step to how to write a boot disk is to generate an ISO file. To do this, you must perform the following steps:
Open a console command prompt window (with administrator privileges) and go to where the AIK tools are loaded. Then enter the appropriate command.
During the execution of the command, you will receive messages similar to the following:
Oscdimg 2.55 DVD-ROM and CD-ROM premastering utilities
All rights reserved.
License for Microsoft products only.
Scanning the source tree (500 files in 49 directories).
Scanning a complete source tree (810 files in 159 directories).
The image file is 2825107456 bytes.
Writing 810 files in 159 directories.
100% complete.
The final image file is 2825107456 bytes.
Performed.
After these entries appear, you will get a new ISO file for Windows 7 (or for Vista).
If you want to burn a Windows 7 64-bit boot disk, simply use other types of files. In this case, the entry on the command line should turn out in a modified form.
If we talk about how to burn a boot disk, the meaning of the commands will be as follows:
- "B" indicates the boot sector location file (etfsboot.com). This file will make a bootable DVD. Do not use a space between “B” and the path!
- The second path points to the directory in which the ISO file will be created.
- "N" allows you to use extended file names.
- "M" allows you to create ISO-files of a larger size than in CD format.
After completing this process, all you need to do is write your ISO file to any medium. You can burn the image to a Nero disc or using another similar program (for example, Roxio ImageBurn). Of course, it is advisable to burn to DVD, as this will greatly facilitate the installation of the OS.
In addition, many users are wondering how to install Windows 7 on a device without a DVD drive. There are a number of resources on the Internet (including the official Microsoft website) that can be used to configure a Windows 7 bootable USB flash drive with just one click. Oddly enough, but installing the seventh version of the OS is much easier than installing previous versions. Just remember that for formatting and recording a bootable flash drive, its memory must be at least 4 GB.