Configuring a USB stick to load Windows 7

If you need to load (or repair) Windows 7 and don’t have a DVD available, this procedure will create a bootable USB key.

Assumptions: Windows 7 DVD is D: and USB stick is H:

Insert an unimportant USB stick (4 GB or larger) into your system.  This stick will be reformatted and you’ll lose all your data.

Open a command prompt (cmd.exe) as Administrator and type these commands:

DISKPART  
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 1
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
SELECT PARTITION 1
ACTIVE
FORMAT FS=NTFS (this will take a few minutes)
ASSIGN
EXIT
D:
CD BOOT
BOOTSECT /NT60 H:
EXIT

Copy Windows DVD contents to the USB stick (H:).
Use “Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media” to release the USB stick from further use.