Installing Windows 7 without using a DVD or USB

[SpearMan]

You all may be knowing the installation process of Windows 7.It requires boot media like a DVD or USB key, use the Windows 7 installer, require you to upgrade or replace your existing Windows 7 installation, etc..

But here is a way to install windows 7 without using DVD or USB devices:-

The only hard requirement is that you be running Windows 7 or Vista. We need to make room for the new Windows 7 install so we start by running DISKPART.

So open Start, type diskpart and press Enter.

Microsoft DiskPart version 6.1.7100
Copyright (C) 1999-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: ORION7

DISKPART> lis vol

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
Volume 0 F DVD-ROM 0 B No Media
Volume 1 E DVD-ROM 0 B No Media
Volume 2 C 7 NTFS Partition 16 GB Healthy System
Volume 3 D Data NTFS Partition 263 GB Healthy
Volume 4 G Removable 0 B No Media

DISKPART> sel vol 3

Volume 3 is the selected volume.

DISKPART> shr minimum=10240 desired=16384

DiskPart successfully shrunk the volume by: 16 GB

DISKPART> cre par pri

DiskPart succeeded in creating the specified partition.

DISKPART> for fs=ntfs quick label="7new"

100 percent completed

DiskPart successfully formatted the volume.

DISKPART> ass

DiskPart successfully assigned the drive letter or mount point.

DISKPART> act

DiskPart marked the current partition as active.

DISKPART> lis vol

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
Volume 0 F DVD-ROM 0 B No Media
Volume 1 E DVD-ROM 0 B No Media
Volume 2 C 7 NTFS Partition 16 GB Healthy System
Volume 3 D Data NTFS Partition 247 GB Healthy
Volume 4 G Removable 0 B No Media
* Volume 5 H 7new NTFS Partition 15 GB Healthy

DISKPART> exi

Select the volume to shrink from the list with "sel vol".Specify the minimum and desired volume size in megabytes with "shr".Specify your own label for the new volume with "for".Make note of the drive letter of the starred volume after "ass".Now crack open a Windows 7 ISO and extract the file \sources\install.wim. I just mount the file directly with CloneDrive: elby Free Software but your favorite ISO or archive program should be able to do this as well. Download imagex.zip, extract and open an elevated command prompt there.

D:\Mike\Desktop\work>imagex /apply e:\sources\install.wim 5 h:\

ImageX Tool for Windows
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. All rights reserved.

[ 100% ] Applying progress

Successfully applied image.

Total elapsed time: 7 min 8 sec


D:\Mike\Desktop\work>h:\windows\system32\bcdboot h:\windows

Boot files successfully created.

Now restart the computer and after 5 minutes you'll be prompted for locale info and to create a user. Welcome to your new Windows 7 installation.To toggle back and forth between this new installation and the original one use diskpart.

Microsoft DiskPart version 6.1.7100
Copyright (C) 1999-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: ORION7

DISKPART> lis vol

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
Volume 0 F DVD-ROM 0 B No Media
Volume 1 E GRC1CULFRER UDF DVD-ROM 2413 MB Healthy
Volume 2 C 7 NTFS Partition 16 GB Healthy System
Volume 3 D Data NTFS Partition 247 GB Healthy
Volume 4 H NTFS Partition 15 GB Healthy
Volume 5 G Removable 0 B No Media

DISKPART> sel vol 2

Volume 2 is the selected volume.

DISKPART> act

DiskPart marked the current partition as active.






DISKPART> exi

Select the volume containing the Windows installation you want to start from the list with "sel vol". Thats it...

[Modifier]

You can do it in this way as well:-

1. Download the Windows 7 ISO files from Microsoft.

2. Download and install Virtual Clone Drive

3. Go to the directory where you have saved Windows 7 ISO file. Right-click on the ISO file, select Open with and then select “Mount files with Virtual Clone Drive” to mount your ISO file.

4. Go back to Computer and then double-click on the Virtual Clone Drive icon to start Windows 7 installation process.

Thats it..you are installing Windows 7 without a DVD or USB drive. From here, follow the normal Windows 7 installation procedure to finish the installation. Windows may restart during the install process. Worry not, everything will go fine.

[Anand D.]

Hello, thanks for this very useful guide! I did all of the steps and my files were all transfered to Windows 7.

Thanks you..

[Wezzy]

Hi All,

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I would like to know if it is possible to inlcude an unattend using this method. I like the speed and size for deployment, but there is no panther directory with this method.

Are you able to do a pre-install of win 7 similar to this?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,
Wes.