Creating your own Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 USB install device
A lot of servers and clients, nowadays, are no longer equipped with an optical drive. While this leaves room for extra drives and allows for smaller form factors, it can be a hurdle when you try and install the Operating Systems of your dreams (in this case: Windows 8) to the device of your dreams.
Tip!
This procedure can be used to create a USB install device for:
- Windows 8
- Windows Server 2012
Microsoft offers a tool to convert the *.iso file of a Windows installation disk to a bootable USB drive. The Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool is available for free from the Microsoft Store. In four simple steps, this tools allows you to create a bootable DVD or USB drive from a downloaded *.iso file. No fuzzy ISO tools or command prompt nerding needed. Perfect!
I recommend using this tool to create your bootable Windows 8 USB install device.
Unfortunately, in my case, this tool couldn’t be used to create a bootable USB drive with Windows Server “8” Beta. I received the following error:
We were unable to copy your files. Please check your USB device and the selected ISO file and try again.
Not a big problem, since I have a procedure to make a USB drive bootable. It’s a simple five step procedure, that gives you great control over the final USB Flash Drive you come to rely on for the deployment of Windows Servers and Windows clients:
Step 1: Download the ISO
The first step is to get hold of the ISO of your favorite Windows Operating System.
You can download the Windows 8 Consumer Preview in 32bit and 64bit here.
(scroll down for the table with direct links. Scroll down more for localized downloads)
You can download the Windows Server “8” Beta (64bit-only) here.
(scroll down, click on the green Get Started Now button below Download the 64bit ISO)
Step 2: Prepare the USB device
To create a USB install device for Windows 8, you will need a USB device with a capacity of at least 4GB. Be sure to pull any files you need later on from the device and then open an elevated command prompt to enter the following commands:
diskpart.exe
DISKPART> list disk
Select the USB device from the list and substitute the disk number below
when necessary
DISKPART> select disk 1
DISKPART> clean
DISKPART> create partition primary
DISKPART> select partition 1
DISKPART> active
DISKPART> format fs=fat32 quick
DISKPART> assign
You should now see your empty USB device pop with a drive letter.
DISKPART> exit
Step 3: Mount the ISO
Windows does not have a built-in capability to mount files with the *.iso file extension. For this purpose I use a free program:
Slysoft VirtualCloneDrive.
Although the performance isn’t great, it’s a simple 1,5 MB tool that doesn’t requite a restart after installation and is not laced with ads. Alternatively, WinRAR can get the job done a lot faster, but then you’ll need to take the filepath where you extracted the ISO into account.
After you’ve installed VirtualCloneDrive, simple right-click on a file with the *.iso extension and select Mount from the context menu. In Windows 7 this option is also available from the ribbon.
Step 4: Copy the contents of the ISO
Now that you have the ISO and the USB install device mounted, you’re about to contents of the DVD image to your USB device. Open a command prompt and issue the following command line for that:
xcopy X:\*.* /s/e/f Y:\
where X:\ is your mounted image and Y:\ is your USB device
You should now see the contents of the Windows 8 DVD scroll by. Copying the install.wim file will take longest. Only if it takes more than an hour, worry whether your computer has frozen up.
Step 5: Make the USB device bootable
To make sure the USB device is bootable, issue the following command after you’re done copying (Step 4):
X:
cd boot
bootsect /NT60 Y:
where X:\ is your mounted image and Y:\ is your USB device
Now you’re done creating your Windows 8 install device.
Use it to install the Operating System of your dreams to the hardware of your dreams! 