How to make the installation disk bootable. Creating an image manually
The Windows 7 installation (boot) disk is a DVD containing boot files, which are used for initial installation Windows, or to reinstall it. Don't think it can be done simple copying files, it is no coincidence that it is called bootable, since in addition to OS files it also contains a bootloader, thanks to which you can start installing Windows through the BIOS.
There are several various options creating such a disk using both the built-in tools of Windows itself and using third-party programs. Let's look at the three most simple ways with help UltraISO utilities, ImgBurn and CDBurnerXP. Any of them can be easily downloaded on the Internet (especially from torrents), they all have very simple interface, which does not require any complex manipulations from the user. All of them require a Windows 7 image in .iso format on the hard drive (or other media). You will also need a DVD disc (not a CD), since the “seven” image is, as a rule, about 3-4 GB in size.
Method 1 - creating a disc using the UltraISO utility
After launching it, the main menu of the program opens. In this menu you need to select the “File” item, and in the drop-down list select the “Open” item:
A window will appear to select a file with a Windows iso image:
In this window, select the file with the required image and click the “Open” button. This window will close and we will return to the UltraISO main menu.
Now you need to click on the “Tools” item in the main menu and select “CD ...”:
After this it will appear with recording parameters:
Here you need to specify the DVD device in which the (clean) future installation disk(“Drive” parameter), set the recording speed to “Minimum” and its method to “Disc-at-Once”. Then click the “Record” button. The burning process will begin, which usually lasts a few minutes, after which the DVD drive tray will open, indicating the end of recording.
Method 2 – make an installation disk using the ImgBurn utility
Before starting the program, you should install a blank DVD disc into the drive. The main window of this program (Russified version) after its launch looks like this:
Click on the picture in this window and get a window for setting parameters for the disk creation process:
In this window you need to do the following:
- In the "Source" field using yellow button select the required iso file;
- In the “Destination” field, set the DVD drive;
- Check the “Check” checkbox so that at the end of the process a comparison with its source is performed;
- In the “Recording speed” field, set the minimum possible speed;
- Click on the arrow at the bottom left of the window, indicating the start of the DVD burning process.
The image recording begins, which also lasts several minutes, then the program will automatically eject the media tray and push it in again. After which the verification of the recorded data will begin. Upon completion, the melody is played, which is a sign of the completion of the process.
Method 3 – make an installation disk using the CDBurnerXP program
You should not be alarmed by the fact that the name of this utility contains “XP” - it works in all versions of the OS, starting with XP. The interface of this program is almost very similar to the ImgBurn interface. And the main CDBurnerXP window looks like this:
Of course, in order to make an installation disk, you need to click on “Burn ISO image” and click “OK”. After this, you will be prompted to set recording parameters:
In this window, use the “Browse” button to select Windows iso image, set the DVD drive and the minimum recording speed (the “Recording device” parameter), in the “Recording method” field, select “Disc at Once”, check the “Check data after recording” checkbox. The user must set the remaining parameters at his own discretion.
After all these steps, you need to click the “Burn disc” button, the process of burning the DVD disc and then checking the completed recording will begin.
- Installation requirement minimum speed Burning is due to the fact that not all DVD discs support the speed declared by the manufacturer. This means that errors may appear during the recording process, which will only be detected at the verification stage. If you use write-once media (DVD-R), then the end result of this process may be completely unusable. further use disk;
- Under no circumstances should you interrupt the recording process - most likely, this will lead to the same result as described in point 1;
- These recommendations are not related to the use of the utilities mentioned above; recording errors depend 99% on the quality of the working surface of the disks, i.e., on their manufacturers.
To install Windows, you need a boot disk or bootable USB flash drive. In this article, I will talk about the simplest and most reliable ways to create bootable media that works with any version of Windows (XP, 7, 8, 10).
If you are reinstalling Windows on an old computer, I recommend running. Prepare in advance.
If you purchased Windows on a DVD and your computer or laptop has a DVD drive, then you do not need this article, go to the next article “”.
2. Selecting boot media
If you have a Windows installation disk, but your computer or laptop does not have a DVD drive, then you will need a computer with a DVD drive to create a bootable USB flash drive from the installation disk. Go to the "" section.
Sandisk Cruzer
If you received Windows as an image file, you need to create a boot disk or flash drive. If your computer or laptop has a DVD drive, it is easier and more reliable to use a DVD. Prepare 2-3 clean DVD-R disc 16x and go to the " " section.
If your computer or laptop does not have a DVD drive or you are too lazy to go to the store to buy discs, then take a flash drive with a capacity of 4 GB or more and go to the “” section.
3. Create a disk image
We use Daemon program Tools for creating an image file from the installation Windows disk, which will be needed later to create a bootable USB flash drive. You can download it at the end of the article in the “” section.
3.1. Installing Daemon Tools
3.2. Creating an image in Daemon Tools
Insert the Windows installation disc into your DVD drive and close the AutoPlay window if it appears. Find the "DAEMON" shortcut Tools Lite» on the desktop or in the START menu and launch the program. Click on the floppy disk icon “Create a disk image.”
Make sure that the drive you inserted the Windows installation disc into is selected. Drive letter in Windows Explorer and in the program window must match.
Uncheck the “Add to Image Catalog” option and click on the button with three dots “…” to select a folder to save the image file. Please note that it can take up to 3.5 GB.
I recommend saving the image file to separate section drive (for example, "D"). In the “File name” column, enter, for example, “Windows_7” so that you can later understand what kind of file it is. I recommend not using Russian letters and spaces in the title. In the “File type” column, be sure to select “Standard ISO images (*.iso)” and click “Save”.
Check that everything is correct and click “Start”.
The image creation process takes only 3-5 minutes. At the end the message “Image creation completed” should appear. Click the “Close” button and exit the main program by clicking on the cross.
If an error message appears or the process is stuck in place, either the installation disc or the DVD drive is damaged. Try wiping the drive with a dry, soft cloth and try again, or use another computer.
4. Create a boot disk
We need the Astroburn program to burn an image file to a DVD. You can download it below in the “” section. If you plan to use for installation Windows flash drive, then skip this section.
4.1. Installing Astroburn
Installing the program is quite simple. Run the installation file and click Next several times.
4.2. Burning a disc in Astroburn
Insert a blank disc into your DVD drive and close the AutoPlay window if it appears. Find the shortcut " Astroburn Lite» on the desktop or in the START menu and launch the program. Switch to the “Image” tab and click on the icon to the right of the “Path to image file” field.
Find where the Windows image file is located on your disk, select it with the left mouse button and click “Open”. For example, all my disk images are located on drive “D” in the “ISO” folder.
Double check what you have selected correct file and check the “Check” box next to the name of the DVD drive. This will ensure that the disc was recorded without errors and that the Windows installation process will not be interrupted unexpectedly. I also recommend setting the recording speed to 8.0x, this is optimal for DVD-R discs 16x. Click "Start Recording".
The process of burning a disc along with checking takes up to 10 minutes. When you finish recording, close the program. If an error message appears or the process is frozen, it means either you got a bad disk or the DVD drive is worn out.
Try recording again new disk, if it doesn’t work out, then use another computer.
5. Creating a bootable USB flash drive
5.1. Methods for creating bootable flash drives
There are many ways and programs to create bootable flash drives, from manually writing commands on the command line, to using Linux bootloaders. The disadvantage of the command line is that it is difficult for beginners and prone to errors. The disadvantage of Linux bootloaders is that such flash drives do not boot on all computers.
Is there some more official program from Microsoft to create bootable USB flash drives "Windows USB/DVD Download Tool". It is very easy to use and flash drives recorded with it can be loaded on most computers. But this program has a number of limitations. For example, to use it in Windows XP, you must additionally install several more cumbersome add-ons (. NET Framework 2.0 and Image Mastering API v2), and in order to create x32 in Windows 7 bootable USB flash drive to install Windows 7 x64 you need to copy it to the program folder additional file or mess with command line. There are other problems with the program.
So I decided to give you just one, but simple and reliable way create bootable flash drives that are suitable for any operating systems and computers using the Rufus program.
5.2. Using Rufus
The Rufus program is designed to create bootable flash drives for installing various operating systems, including Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1, 10. It does not require installation and can be run on any operating system from Windows XP to Windows 10, regardless of bitness .
You can download this program in the "" section. Next you will need any computer with installed Windows and a flash drive with a capacity of 4 GB or more.
Transcend JetFlash 790 8Gb
Insert the flash drive into your computer and if there are valuable files on it, copy them to your hard drive. Immediately after creating a bootable USB flash drive or when you have finished installing Windows, you can return them back.
It is not necessary to clean and format the flash drive, just run the Rufus program and make sure that the flash drive is selected in the “Device” field.
Find where the Windows image file is located on your disk, select it with the left mouse button and click “Open”. For example, my previously created image is located on drive “D”.
Now you need to select the type boot partition(MBR or GPT) and firmware motherboard computer (BIOS or UEFI) on which Windows will be installed. It's not as difficult as it sounds
MBR is a simpler and more reliable type of boot partition, but does not support hard disks more than 2 TB. If you don't have a 3TB or larger drive, I recommend using this type of partition to avoid some possible problems in the future.
GPT is a more advanced type of boot partition that supports very large disks. If you have a hard drive with a capacity of 3 TB or more, then use this type of partition, otherwise the computer will only see about 2.3 TB. Otherwise I don't recommend it GPT markup, since there are various problems with it.
The motherboard firmware can be BIOS or UEFI. This can be found in the manual or on the website of the motherboard or laptop manufacturer, as well as visually when entering the Setup boot program. To do this, you need to hold down the “Delete”, “F2”, “F10” or “Esc” button immediately after turning on the computer. You can read which button to press in the messages that appear immediately after turning on the computer.
In text form.
In graphical form.
If the Setup program looks like the picture below, then this is a classic BIOS.
If it’s like in the next picture, then it’s UEFI.
So, if you have a classic BIOS, then select in the “Partition scheme and type” field system interface» item “MBR for computers with BIOS or UEFI”. This is the most universal option and the flash drive can be used for installation on different computers, both with BIOS and UEFI.
If you have determined for sure that you have UEFI and the disk size does not exceed 2 TB, then select “MBR for computers with a UEFI interface.” If you have UEFI and a disk of 3 TB or more, then select “GPT for computers with a UEFI interface.”
Next you need to select “ File system" If in the previous step you selected “MBR for computers with BIOS or UEFI,” then select NTFS. If the second or third item is with UEFI, then select FAT32, since UEFI does not work with NTFS.
We leave the cluster size at default, and in the “Volume Label” field you can write, for example, “Windows7 x32” (or x64) so that you can later determine what’s on this flash drive.
Double-check all settings and the correct image selection. The selected disk image is displayed at the very bottom of the program. Instead of the name of the flash drive, it may be written “CD_ROM”; the drive letter must match the flash drive.
Click on the “Start” button and confirm the destruction of your flash drive along with your computer
Wait for the recording to finish, this can take from 3 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the image and the speed of the flash drive and should end with the green bar completely filling and the word “Ready” at the bottom of the program.
After this, you can add any files to the bootable flash drive and use it as regular flash drive. If it is working properly, this will not affect its operation as an installation disk. But do it safe removal flash drives using the system tray icon.
5.3. Possible problems and solutions
Problems can arise due to a bad flash drive, a bad USB extension cable, a damaged or incompletely downloaded image file from the Internet, or the computer itself on which the recording takes place.
Possible solutions:
- formatting and checking the flash drive for bad blocks
(V Rufus program there is a tick) - inserting a flash drive into the rear USB port of the computer
- Windows image checksum verification
(for example, the Hash Calculator program) - burning a flash drive on another computer
- replacing a flash drive with another one
As for checking the checksum of the image, usually the site where you download the image has it check sum(or hash). The checksum also needs to be calculated for the downloaded file using special program Hash Calculator, which you can download below in the “” section. If the calculated checksum matches the one indicated on the website, then the file was downloaded without damage. If the hashes do not match, then the file is damaged and must be downloaded again. Otherwise, errors may occur during the disc burning or Windows installation process.
6. Links
That's all, in the next article we will talk about booting from an installation disk or flash drive.
Sandisk Cruzer
Transcend JetFlash 790 8Gb
Sandisk Cruzer
You may need Windows 7 installation or boot media to reinstall, install from scratch, roll back, or restore your system. You can also create media not with the operating system, but with regular applications, files or games. But first, you will have to create a disk image so that in the future you can copy it to third-party media: a disk or USB flash drive.
How to create a bootable Windows 7 disk: ISO image
A disk image is an ISO file that contains everything necessary elements. You can create it using third party program. Another way is to download a ready-made image from the Internet. But be careful, there is a high chance that you will come across a broken or viral image.
Ultra ISO
There are several programs that allow you to create and burn disk images, but one of the most multifunctional and convenient is UltraISO. You can buy or download a trial version of the application from the developer’s official website - http://www.ezbsystems.com/ultraiso/.
- After installing and launching the program, you will see its main menu. In the left block you will see a disk icon with a specific name, which you can rename.
Disk image
- At the bottom of the application there is an explorer that allows you to work with files. Select the files and folders in it that will be sent to the disk image, and transfer them to the block located above, opposite the disk image.
Moving files to a disk image - Once all the necessary elements have been transferred to the disk image, expand the “File” menu.
Expand the “File” menu - Select the "Save As" function.
Select “Save As” - Name the file and select the .iso format for it.
Select the .iso format - Wait while the program creates the desired image V automatic mode.
We are waiting for the end of the process - Once the process is complete, expand the file to make sure it contains all the necessary elements.
Checking the result
How to burn Windows 7 installation media
Once you have created a disk image, you can start burning it to third-party media. This can be done using standard means Windows or through a third party program.
Via Windows Tools
Through a third party program
- Let's use UltraISO applications. You can buy or download a trial version of the application from the developer’s official website - http://www.ezbsystems.com/ultraiso/.
Download the program - After launching the program, expand the “File” menu.
Expand the “File” menu - Select the “Open” sub-item.
Select “Open” - Specify the path to the disk image file.
Specify the path to the image - Returning to the program, click on the icon that looks like a disk on fire.
Click on the icon with a burning disk - Set the Maximum parameter in the Write Speed line to increase the speed of writing the image to the media. But this may reduce the recording quality, which will subsequently lead to installation problems. Therefore, it is better to set the Minimum parameter.
Setting the disk image writing speed parameters - Specify which media to record to.
Select a flash drive or disk for recording - Click on the Burn button to activate recording. Done, wait until the end of the process, which can last from 5 minutes to half an hour: the speed of the procedure depends on the number of files in the disk image.
We wait until the program writes the image to the media
Creating multiboot media
A multiboot disk is a disk image that contains several programs simultaneously. It makes sense to create such a disk if you need to load several applications onto your computer at once, but you don’t want to do it from a separate file each time.
- Download the installation archive with the Xboot program from the official website of the developer - Error: 06/07/2017, 15:11
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">https://sites.google.com/site/shamurxboot/download">https://sites.google.com/site/shamurxboot/download .
Download Xboot - Unzip the downloaded archive and install the program.
Let's unzip the archive - Please note that ISO files with necessary programs you must create in advance.
Create program files in advance - Transfer the .iso files to the Xboot main menu.
We transfer ISO files in Xboot - It will accept some applications that do not cause suspicion to the program silently, but during the transfer of applications unknown to it, a window may appear Green colour, meaning Xboot cannot determine the application type from the ISO file.
Xboot won't accept file - Explain to Xboot that this file should be treated as universal - Add using Grub4dos ISO image Emulation.
Specify the type Add using Grub4dos ISO image Emulation - Click on the “Add this file” button.
Click the “Add this file” button - After all the files are formed into one archive, click on the Create ISO button.
Click the Create ISO button - A window will open in which you will need to click the Browse button.
Click on the Brawse button - Specify where to save the multiboot file.
Specifying where to place the ISO file - Wait until the process of creating this file is completed.
We wait until the file is generated - You will be prompted to check the functionality of the created file using the virtual machine built into Xboot. If you want to do this, then click the “Yes” button.
Select the option “Yes” - Select Utility.
Select the Utility option - Wait until virtual machine will start.
Waiting for the car to load - Check which programs work and which don't. Done, this completes the creation and testing of the multiboot disk.
Checking whether programs from the disk image work
Creating a recovery disc
A recovery disk differs from a normal boot disk in that it contains an operating system that can be used for recovery, installation, or rollback. But for that disk you need a special recovery image with a system backup; you can create it using the following steps:
Specify where to save the recovery file
Choosing which disks to mount into the image
Click the “Archive” button
We wait until the system creates the file
After you finish creating the image with the system recovery files, you can burn it to a disk or flash drive. How to do this is described in the previous paragraph of the article “Writing an image to a disk or USB flash drive.”
To boot from the boot disk or flash drive you created, you need to change BIOS settings: Your computer should start from the boot media, not the hard drive.
Creating a bootable disk using UltraISO
First, you need to download and install the UltraISO program from the Internet. The program is paid, but most Internet resources post already hacked versions (for example, on the website rutracker.org). You can also download the Windows image there if you haven't already. In addition, you will need a blank CD or DVD disc, which you can buy at any computer store or market :) The further process is incredibly simple! Insert a blank disk into the drive of your computer, go to the folder with the already downloaded Windows image. Click right click mouse on the image, hover over the “UltraISO” inscription, move the mouse arrow to the right to the menu that appears and select “Burn to disk...”.
creating a bootable disk using UltraISO
The “Burn disc” window appears, there you simply click the “Burn” button and wait. When the recording is complete, the drive will give you a ready boot disk.
Creating a Boot Disk Using Nero
To create a boot disk using this method, you must have any version installed on your computer. popular program Nero. Also, as in the previous method, you must have a blank CD or DVD and a Windows image. Launch Nero program Burning Rum(Start->Programs->Nero->Nero Burning Rom). You should see a window “ New project" On the left, select the “DVD-ROM (boot)” option from the list, then to the right of the “image file” line, click the “browse” button and specify the path to the Windows image.
Click the “New” button, then in the window that appears at the top, select “Record”. It is advisable to check the box next to “Finalize disc”. Insert a blank disc into the drive, if you have not already done so, and click the “Burn” button.
Wait for your boot disk to burn. That's it 😉 Article on Windows installation XP, and after installing Windows 7.
Best regards, Alexander Molchanov
To everyone who has encountered self-installation operating system on a computer, the problem of creating bootable disks on optical or flash media is familiar. For this purpose there are specialized programs, some of them support manipulation of disk images. Let's look at this software in more detail.
The review opens Ultra ISO - a software tool for creating, editing and converting images with ISO extension, BIN, NRG, MDF/MDS, ISZ. With it, you can edit their contents, as well as directly create ISOs from a CD / DVD-ROM or hard drive. In the program, you can write a pre-prepared image with the operating system distribution onto an optical disk or USB drive. The downside is that it is paid.
WinReducer
WinReducer is convenient application, designed to create personalized Windows builds. It is possible to record a finished package into images ISO formats and WIM or deploying the distribution directly on a USB drive. The software has ample opportunities for customizing the interface, for which a tool called "Preset Editor". In particular, it provides the ability to remove unnecessary functions services and enable those that make the system faster and more stable. Unlike other similar software, WinReducer does not require installation, it has its own version for everyone Windows release. At the same time, the absence of the Russian language slightly reduces general impression from the product.
DAEMON Tools Ultra
DAEMON Tools Ultra is the most comprehensive imaging and virtual drives. The functionality is a little similar to Ultra ISO, but, unlike it, there is support for all known formats images There are functions ISO creation from any types of files, burning on optical media information, copying from one disk to another on the fly (in the case where there are two drives). It is also possible to create virtual drives in the system and bootable usb drive based on any Windows versions or Linux.
Special mention should be made of technology TrueCrypt encryption, which provides protection hard drives, optical and USB drives, as well as support for virtual RAM storage for storing temporary information to increase PC performance. Overall, DAEMON Tools Ultra is one of the best solutions in your class.
Barts PE Builder
Bart PE Builder is a software tool for preparing bootloaders Windows images. For this it is enough to have setup files desired OS version, and he will do the rest himself. It is also possible to record images on such physical media, like a flash drive, CD. Unlike others similar applications, burning is carried out using the StarBurn and CD-record algorithms. The key advantage is a simple and intuitive interface.
Butler
Butler – free utility domestically developed, the main function of which is to create a boot disk. Its features include the ability to deploy different operating systems on the drive and the choice of interface design boot menu Windows.
Power ISO
PowerISO refers to specialized software, which supports the full range of possible manipulations with disk images. It is possible to create ISO, compress or edit ready-made images if necessary, as well as burn them to an optical disc. The function of mounting virtual drives, in turn, will allow you to do without burning an image onto a CD / DVD / Blu-ray.
Separately, it is worth noting such features as the preparation of Windows or Linux distributions on USB media, Live CD, which allows you to run the OS without installing them, as well as Audio CD grabbing.
Ultimate Boot CD
Ultimate Boot CD is ready-made boot disk that is designed to solve various problems with computers. This distinguishes it from other programs in the review. Contains software for working with BIOS, processor, hard drives And optical drives, as well as with peripheral equipment. These include applications for checking the stability of the processor or system, modules random access memory for errors, keyboards, monitors and much more.
Software for execution various procedures HDD takes up the largest amount of disk space. Includes utilities that are designed to display information and control the loading of different operating systems on the same computer. There are also programs with functions for recovering passwords from accounts and data from disks, editing the registry, Reserve copy, complete destruction information, working with sections, etc.
All of the applications reviewed do a good job of creating bootable disks. More advanced functions, such as working with disk images and virtual drives, are provided by UltraISO, DAEMON Tools Ultra and PowerISO. With their help, you can easily create a bootable image based on a licensed Windows disk. But at the same time, you will have to pay a certain amount for such functionality.
Using Butler, you can make a Windows distribution disk with an individual installer window design, but if you want to completely customize the OS installation process, including the installation of third-party software, then WinReducer is your choice. Ultimate Boot CD stands out from other software in that it is a boot disk with many free programs for working with a PC. It can be useful when restoring your computer after virus attacks, system failures and other things.