It is not necessary to say that any version of Windows can be installed from any hard drive or from a removable storage medium. This is so everyone knows. But what to do when installation is required on a netbook that does not have a CD / DVD drive? This is where you can use the WinSetupFromUSB program. How to use this utility will now be considered.
Why use a USB device?
Let's start with the basics, so to speak. As mentioned above, not all modern laptops are equipped with drives for using optical storage media, in other words, ordinary CD or DVD discs, not to mention Blu-ray. In the event of critical failures, the situation only worsens, because it simply will not work to boot before starting the system from disk.
This is where a special utility called WinSetupFromUSB comes to the rescue. How to use the program will be said a little later, but for now let’s dwell on its main features and functional set. Let's start with the first version, known as version 1.0. A little later we will consider updating WinSetupFromUSB 1.5. How to use this very latest update, we will analyze based on version 1.0 (hereinafter - 1.4). However, they are not particularly different. But with beta testing, you need to be careful.
How to use WinSetupFromUSB 1.0: preliminary steps
If one of the users thinks that everything is so simple, then this is a deeply erroneous opinion. The problem is the very issue of creating an image of the system, which will later be used for recording on a flash drive.
As it turns out, the same programs like UltraISO create bootable media, which then turns out to be completely unreadable. This is where the problem arises of how to use WinSetupFromUSB 1.4 or any other version. Let us dwell on the initial modification, especially since there are no special changes in subsequent upgrades (this will be discussed later).
You need to create bootable media from this program. Therefore, we will consider all issues related to such a process (especially since without understanding some of the features of the setup, you can make mistakes).
Install New Version
For starters, you should pay attention to the version of the "OSes." In the best case, a free update will affect only modifications of Windows Starter and Ultimate, not counting the obsolete versions of Windows XP and 7.
You can download updates for any system from the official website of the program. There, by the way, there are special packs designed for use in systems other than Windows 7, for example, the G8 and above.
WinSetupFromUSB 1.0 beta6: how to use, what is it, is it worth it?
Now a few words about what is commonly called beta testing. How to use the WinSetupFromUSB program of this particular modification? Yes, just like everyone else. But only in this case it is worth paying attention that any beta version of the application, whether it be at least Microsoft or the same Google, is unstable. And that is why installing such a version is not recommended. It will “fly off” - the whole system will “shut itself down”.
Update and additional updates
On the other hand, the developer himself immediately after installation recommends installing the latest versions of the product. Such a "reminder" will constantly hang in the system tray, and getting rid of it, unlike Windows 10, is not so simple. But now this is not about that.
Let's say the update is downloaded. It is not a fact that the program will be able to integrate into the system automatically. First you will have to run the installer in the form of an executable “exe” file with the name Setup, and then follow the instructions of the installer.
Image creation
The first step is to create a boot image. Note that this procedure is very different from similar actions in programs like UltraISO, Daemon Tools or Alcohol 120%. Here the approach is somewhat different.
First, in the standard "Explorer" or in any other file manager, we call the properties menu of the desired USB-drive, and then select the formatting section. Let us make a reservation right away: modern systems refuse to use FAT32, so you will have to set at least NTFS (such a file system is not supported by mobile devices).
Now another main feature of WinSetupFromUSB. How to use at this stage? Here you need to pay attention to the direct launch of the application with the choice of the Bootice button, where the flash drive should be indicated on the top of the line.
Next, we use formatting confirmation, after which we refuse to create logical partitions by choosing the Single Partition command. This is followed by the choice of the file system (in our case, NTFS). Then we simply agree with all the proposals, and at the end of the process, click OK.
Finally, we minimize all secondary windows and leave only the main program menu. Here we use the line below, and specify the path to the unpacked image of "Windows". Then we press the OK button first, and then we activate the process using the GO button. All. The process has begun. According to reviews, it usually takes a long period of time to create bootable media. It all depends on the system and the flash drive, which usually has restrictions on copying and overwriting.
BIOS settings
To load the installation in the BIOS settings, you must select USB as the priority device.
True, not all users know that sometimes a flash drive may not be recognized. Why? Yes, only because it needs to be inserted into the USB connector before turning on the power to the computer or laptop, and only then set the start from it. Otherwise, such a drive simply will not be recognized.
Conclusion
Well, the rest is simple. The universal method of downloading the Windows installation package from a USB flash drive consists in using the WinSetupFromUSB program. How to use the utility, it seems, is already clear. Moreover, even an uninitiated user should not have questions. Another thing is that you will have to use either the original installation disk or a pre-created system image. User reviews note that there is nothing complicated about this.
Reviews also note: if UltraISO, to put it mildly, sometimes “spits” when creating an image of a system containing critical errors, in this case nothing of the kind is observed. The program simply ignores them and creates a copy of the system using the general rules and standard parameters. And that is why it compares very favorably with all its peers and competitors.
Yes, and more. The fact is that user reviews that have applied this package in practice indicate that this application supports both 32- and 64-bit versions of operating systems, although it does not always work correctly. In some cases, unexpected errors may occur. Most often, the solution to problems may be installing the latest version of DirectX, .NET Framework, Java or Flash support. In addition, it is worth paying special attention to some specific settings of Internet browsers such as Chrome and programs created on its basis. They can cause errors even when updating the system or when a full-time antivirus is running.