Install vista via Bootable USB drive

Hi

I had a fire a few months back which burnt my Acer T180 case. I've
managed to change the case and get all the parts working again except
the DVD rom which was melted and beyond repair.

As my whole house is wireless I'm not really bothered about getting a
new DVD rom - my other PC controls the network and has a DVD writer
inside. Once vista is installed the network will take care of
everything.

My problem now is how do I reinstall Vista on a PC that has no DVD rom
to read my Vista DVD.

OK I could swap my DVD around for a few hours by its covered in
warranty void stickers and as its new I don't want to risk anything.

Is there anyway to convert a Bootable DVD into a Bootable USB drive?
I've got a 4 Gig stick which should be fine. My motherboard also
boots from USB.

I've managed to make a copy of the vista DVD into ISO image but can't
find a program that will put the ISO onto a USB drive.

Any ideas. Seems a simple enough idea and veyr handy considering the
low price of sticks.

Rich

Get a cheap DVD drive at any local computer or general merchandise store and
install it in place of the broken drive. They're cheap enough and sometimes
(like now!) indispensible.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] rgharper@gmail.com
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/


"Rich" <richdotward@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:fj3424tv3ujmur89b0ark5q61eo9p7kr2i@4ax.com...
> Hi
>
> I had a fire a few months back which burnt my Acer T180 case. I've
> managed to change the case and get all the parts working again except
> the DVD rom which was melted and beyond repair.
>
> As my whole house is wireless I'm not really bothered about getting a
> new DVD rom - my other PC controls the network and has a DVD writer
> inside. Once vista is installed the network will take care of
> everything.
>
> My problem now is how do I reinstall Vista on a PC that has no DVD rom
> to read my Vista DVD.
>
> OK I could swap my DVD around for a few hours by its covered in
> warranty void stickers and as its new I don't want to risk anything.
>
> Is there anyway to convert a Bootable DVD into a Bootable USB drive?
> I've got a 4 Gig stick which should be fine. My motherboard also
> boots from USB.
>
> I've managed to make a copy of the vista DVD into ISO image but can't
> find a program that will put the ISO onto a USB drive.
>
> Any ideas. Seems a simple enough idea and veyr handy considering the
> low price of sticks.
>
> Rich

Most unzip utilities will unpack an ISO image, winrar, 7zip....
whether it will boot or not is a different thing all together.


"Rich" <richdotward@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:fj3424tv3ujmur89b0ark5q61eo9p7kr2i@4ax.com...
> Hi
>
> I had a fire a few months back which burnt my Acer T180 case. I've
> managed to change the case and get all the parts working again except
> the DVD rom which was melted and beyond repair.
>
> As my whole house is wireless I'm not really bothered about getting a
> new DVD rom - my other PC controls the network and has a DVD writer
> inside. Once vista is installed the network will take care of
> everything.
>
> My problem now is how do I reinstall Vista on a PC that has no DVD rom
> to read my Vista DVD.
>
> OK I could swap my DVD around for a few hours by its covered in
> warranty void stickers and as its new I don't want to risk anything.
>
> Is there anyway to convert a Bootable DVD into a Bootable USB drive?
> I've got a 4 Gig stick which should be fine. My motherboard also
> boots from USB.
>
> I've managed to make a copy of the vista DVD into ISO image but can't
> find a program that will put the ISO onto a USB drive.
>
> Any ideas. Seems a simple enough idea and veyr handy considering the
> low price of sticks.
>
> Rich

Rich wrote:
> Hi
>
> I had a fire a few months back which burnt my Acer T180 case. I've
> managed to change the case and get all the parts working again except
> the DVD rom which was melted and beyond repair.
>
> As my whole house is wireless I'm not really bothered about getting a
> new DVD rom - my other PC controls the network and has a DVD writer
> inside. Once vista is installed the network will take care of
> everything.
>
> My problem now is how do I reinstall Vista on a PC that has no DVD rom
> to read my Vista DVD.
>
> OK I could swap my DVD around for a few hours by its covered in
> warranty void stickers and as its new I don't want to risk anything.
>
> Is there anyway to convert a Bootable DVD into a Bootable USB drive?
> I've got a 4 Gig stick which should be fine. My motherboard also
> boots from USB.
>
> I've managed to make a copy of the vista DVD into ISO image but can't
> find a program that will put the ISO onto a USB drive.
>
> Any ideas. Seems a simple enough idea and veyr handy considering the
> low price of sticks.
>
> Rich

Try here:

http://kurtsh.spaces.live.com/blog/c...38D!1665.entry

As long as the laptop BIOS allows booting from a USB drive, all you need to
copy is the content of the Vista DVD on to the USB drive using one of th
eother computers. You will need a USB flash pof atleast 4GB.

Good Luck
"Rich" <richdotward@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:fj3424tv3ujmur89b0ark5q61eo9p7kr2i@4ax.com...
> Hi
>
> I had a fire a few months back which burnt my Acer T180 case. I've
> managed to change the case and get all the parts working again except
> the DVD rom which was melted and beyond repair.
>
> As my whole house is wireless I'm not really bothered about getting a
> new DVD rom - my other PC controls the network and has a DVD writer
> inside. Once vista is installed the network will take care of
> everything.
>
> My problem now is how do I reinstall Vista on a PC that has no DVD rom
> to read my Vista DVD.
>
> OK I could swap my DVD around for a few hours by its covered in
> warranty void stickers and as its new I don't want to risk anything.
>
> Is there anyway to convert a Bootable DVD into a Bootable USB drive?
> I've got a 4 Gig stick which should be fine. My motherboard also
> boots from USB.
>
> I've managed to make a copy of the vista DVD into ISO image but can't
> find a program that will put the ISO onto a USB drive.
>
> Any ideas. Seems a simple enough idea and veyr handy considering the
> low price of sticks.
>
> Rich

Perhaps I should have been clearer. The Boot folder on the DVD has all the
bootable files which the USB willpick up upon the boot.
"Bina" <binah57@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9D7D17B9-9506-4072-91BE-941AB491768E@microsoft.com...
> As long as the laptop BIOS allows booting from a USB drive, all you need
> to copy is the content of the Vista DVD on to the USB drive using one of
> th eother computers. You will need a USB flash pof atleast 4GB.
>
> Good Luck
> "Rich" <richdotward@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:fj3424tv3ujmur89b0ark5q61eo9p7kr2i@4ax.com...
>> Hi
>>
>> I had a fire a few months back which burnt my Acer T180 case. I've
>> managed to change the case and get all the parts working again except
>> the DVD rom which was melted and beyond repair.
>>
>> As my whole house is wireless I'm not really bothered about getting a
>> new DVD rom - my other PC controls the network and has a DVD writer
>> inside. Once vista is installed the network will take care of
>> everything.
>>
>> My problem now is how do I reinstall Vista on a PC that has no DVD rom
>> to read my Vista DVD.
>>
>> OK I could swap my DVD around for a few hours by its covered in
>> warranty void stickers and as its new I don't want to risk anything.
>>
>> Is there anyway to convert a Bootable DVD into a Bootable USB drive?
>> I've got a 4 Gig stick which should be fine. My motherboard also
>> boots from USB.
>>
>> I've managed to make a copy of the vista DVD into ISO image but can't
>> find a program that will put the ISO onto a USB drive.
>>
>> Any ideas. Seems a simple enough idea and veyr handy considering the
>> low price of sticks.
>>
>> Rich
>

On Wed, 07 May 2008 21:24:57 +0100, Rich <richdotward@gmail.com>
wrote:

Thanks for all the comments. Didn't have any luck though. A 4 GIg
Flash drive wasn't big enough.

Oh well - DVD rom buying here I go.

Rich

Rich wrote:

> On Wed, 07 May 2008 21:24:57 +0100, Rich <richdotward@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> Thanks for all the comments. Didn't have any luck though. A 4 GIg
> Flash drive wasn't big enough.
>
> Oh well - DVD rom buying here I go.
>
> Rich

Oh! It should easily fit on a 4 gig flash drive.

http://kurtsh.spaces.live.com/blog/c...38D!1665.entry

Frank

Rich wrote:
> Hi
>
> I had a fire a few months back which burnt my Acer T180 case. I've
> managed to change the case and get all the parts working again except
> the DVD rom which was melted and beyond repair.
>
> As my whole house is wireless I'm not really bothered about getting a
> new DVD rom - my other PC controls the network and has a DVD writer
> inside. Once vista is installed the network will take care of
> everything.
>
> My problem now is how do I reinstall Vista on a PC that has no DVD rom
> to read my Vista DVD.
>
> OK I could swap my DVD around for a few hours by its covered in
> warranty void stickers and as its new I don't want to risk anything.
>
> Is there anyway to convert a Bootable DVD into a Bootable USB drive?
> I've got a 4 Gig stick which should be fine. My motherboard also
> boots from USB.
>
> I've managed to make a copy of the vista DVD into ISO image but can't
> find a program that will put the ISO onto a USB drive.
>
> Any ideas. Seems a simple enough idea and veyr handy considering the
> low price of sticks.
>
> Rich
http://promotions.newegg.com/NEemail...0A-_-DVDBurner

On Thu, 08 May 2008 15:11:14 -0700, Frank <fb@tri.olk> wrote:


>
>http://kurtsh.spaces.live.com/blog/c...38D!1665.entry
>
>Frank

Yeah thats the one I followed and came up with disk full.

Maybe because mine was slipstreamed ? Got a copy from a friend as
mine as OEM and came with no disk - just the normal serial on the PC ?

Thanks.

Rich

On Fri, 09 May 2008 10:41:46 -0700, Frank <fb@signm.crt> wrote:

>
>You did format the flash as NTFS before copying right?
>Frank

I just followed the instructions, so I asumme :

"format fs=fat32"

formats to FAT32??

THanks.

Rich

On Sat, 10 May 2008 17:45:35 +0100, Rich <richdotward@gmail.com>
wrote:

>On Fri, 09 May 2008 10:41:46 -0700, Frank <fb@signm.crt> wrote:
>
>>
>>You did format the flash as NTFS before copying right?
>>Frank
>
>I just followed the instructions, so I asumme :
>
>"format fs=fat32"
>
>formats to FAT32??

That it does

Rich wrote:

> On Fri, 09 May 2008 10:41:46 -0700, Frank <fb@signm.crt> wrote:
>
>
>>You did format the flash as NTFS before copying right?
>>Frank
>
>
> I just followed the instructions, so I asumme :
>
> "format fs=fat32"
>
> formats to FAT32??
>
> THanks.
>
> Rich

Not the file system you want. Right click on your flash drive and select
format. In the dialogue that comes up under file system chose NTFS.
Then chose format.
Frank

On Sat, 10 May 2008 12:21:48 -0500, Nonny <nonnymoose@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>
>That it does

Managed to sort it out. Just used nlite to rip out the language pack
in vista and it fits fine now. Also formated to NTFS although not
sure if that made any difference.

Thanks for the help.

Rich