Boot and Install Windows 7 from USB 3.0 solution

Modern motherboards have a number of USB 3.0 ports, although Windows 7 installation does not contain USB 3.0 and brings up an error when booting with a USB stick(flash drive) from a USB 3.0 port. The current workaround to install from USB has been to disable the USB 3.0 port in the BIOS or plug the USB stick into a USB 2.0 port.




Here is a solution to properly boot and install Windows 7 from USB 3.0 with a USB stick and for all USB sticks. An extra advantage installing Windows 7 from USB 3.0 is it will install much faster.


File space needed - 13GB

Step 1. Create a ISO image of Windows 7 installation disk​

Create a folder on the hard drive called 'USB'

Insert the Windows 7 installation DVD and use Imgburn to create a image ISO file of the DVD. Download here

Run ImgBrn and select 'Create image file from disc'

Select the source as the Windows 7 DVD disk and the destination to the 'USB' folder with the filename 'Windows7.iso'

Click the left bottom left icon ImgBrn to start.

Step 2. Extract Windows 7​

Download and install Winrar. Download here

Once WinRar is installed, open the 'USB' folder and right click the 'Windows7.iso' file and select 'Extract to windows7'

Once extracted go into the 'Windows7' folder and cut and paste the file 'boot.wim' from the 'sources' folder to the 'USB' folder.

The 'USB' folder should now look like this.

Step 3. Open a administrator command prompt from any folder​

In explorer holding down shift and right clicking a folder, opens a cmd prompt without elevated privileges. You will need administrator, so run the file here

This will add a right click context menu to open a administrator cmd prompt from any folder, otherwise you have to run a elevated cmd prompt from the Start Menu and navigate to the USB folder by DOS.

Step 4. Install the Windows Automated Installation Kit - main files only​

Download the small tools here and right click and 'Extract to MiniWaikTools'

Go inside the MiniWaikTools folder and run 'GetWaikTools'

In 'GetWaikTools' tick 'Dism Tools for Windows 7'

Leave Waik Tools for Windows 7 ticked

Click download

Step 5. Intergrate USB 3.0 drivers​

Download these USB drivers here

Copy the usb3-drivers.rar file to the USB folder

Right click the usb3-drivers.rar file and select 'Extract Here'

In explorer go outside of the USB folder and right click the USB folder and select 'Open command prompt here as Administrator'

If you are going to use x64 Windows only - type x64 into the open cmd prompt
If you are going to use 32bit Windows only - type x86.cmd into the open cmd prompt

Once the file have stopped running, close the cmd prompt.

Cut and paste the file boot.wim back to the 'sources' folder ie. \USB\Windows7\sources


Step 6. Create the Windows 7 USB 3.0 ISO

To be continued

 

Step 7. Prepare for USB 3.0 booting

Turn off USB 2.0 in the BIOS by disabling EHCI. Leave XHCI enabled.

 

Step 8. Create a bootable USB stick containing Windows 7 installation, ready for USB 3.0

To be continued

 

Last steps.

Step 6. Create the Windows 7 USB 3.0 ISO

This step is not compulsory but is recommended - see end of post

Download ISO2Folder here

Run ISO2Folder - Press 'Select Folder' and select the windows7 folder
Press 'Select Output' and call the filename 'Windows 7-usb.iso' and save to the USB folder
Select a name under 'label' for the ISO image
Press 'Generate'

Once the process is finished move the ISO to a safe location.


Step 7. Prepare for USB 3.0 booting

Turn off USB 2.0 in the BIOS by disabling EHCI. Leave XHCI enabled.


Step 8. Create a bootable USB stick containing Windows 7 installation, ready for USB 3.0

A simple solution.

Download Rufus USB Tool here - Run Rufus

Select 'Device' as your USB stick
Select 'Partition Scheme for UEFI computer'
Select File System as 'FAT32'
Select label as 'Windows7' or suitable name
Select Quick format
Untick create a bootable disk

Click Start
Click OK to continue

Once finished close Rufus and from explorer, copy the entire contents of the windows7 folder in the USB folder to the USB stick.


Finished.



Boot the computer from the USB stick containing Windows 7

Reboot PC - The PC should boot Windows automatically from the USB stick.

If not press either F8 or F11 to access the boot priority menu, a few seconds before the Windows 7 F8 startup option is accessed.

In the menu select the USB stick or change the boot priority in the BIOS to USB.

If the Windows 7 setup screen appears without mouse and keyboard working, then you have forgotten to disable XHCI in the BIOS.

You should be able to boot from the USB UEFI option on newer motherboards.

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Creating a Windows 7 USB 3.0 ISO image file means you can store it safe and/or burn to DVD, and delete the entire USB folder. In future USB3.0 stick creation you can extract the 'Window 7-usb.iso' directly to the USB at the end of Step 8 using WinRar. If not going to create a Windows 7 USB 3.0 ISO image file then it recommended to move the 'windows7' to safe location for future use and then delete the USB folder.