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installing multiple versions of windows using a USB flash drive

  • 29-04-2013 10:43pm
    #1
    U_Fig
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭


    what i'm currently trying to do is create like a one for all USB for installing windows vista, 7 and 8..

    I recently acquired several laptops and computers that all have OEM versions of windows that are in need of a fresh windows installation. being OEM I cannot just lump windows 7/8 onto all of them.. none have hard drives as they are from a business that had recently closed. what i am planning on doing is putting hard-drives in them and using the OEM keys then selling them as part of the business wind up to pay creditors.. some are vista some are windows 7 and some are xp..

    so is it possible to create a Bootable USB disk where I could choose what version of windows to install and use it for all of the comps rather than having to recreate a USB for each version.

    i know from experience that xp is a pain to install from USB so i would happily leave it out as the laptops with it are that old they're not really worth much now..

    so if i could get one that could install vista/7/8 from the one USB it would be awesome.

    i already have an ISO of win 7 and vista in 3 parts boot.wim install.wim and and exe and i am currently downloading win 8 iso


Comments

  • #2
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,584 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    U_Fig wrote: »
    so is it possible to create a Bootable USB disk where I could choose what version of windows to install and use it for all of the comps rather than having to recreate a USB for each version.
    No.

    The only version of windows you can put on is the one that's on the COA sticker on the bottom of the laptop.

    Unless of course you supply the laptops with a license that allows downgrading to a previous version. And that most certainly isn't the OEM license they came with. It might be a transferrable retail licence, or a brand new upgrade license which gets bound to the laptop forever.


  • #3
    U_Fig
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭U_Fig


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    No.

    The only version of windows you can put on is the one that's on the COA sticker on the bottom of the laptop.

    Unless of course you supply the laptops with a license that allows downgrading to a previous version. And that most certainly isn't the OEM license they came with. It might be a transferrable retail licence, or a brand new upgrade license which gets bound to the laptop forever.

    Yes I am aware of that what I'm asking is is there a way of installing different versions of windows using the one USB drive ie where upon boot I have the option of installing windows vista/7/8


  • #4
    vibe666
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,016 ✭✭✭✭vibe666


    yes, grub4dos will allow you to do it, you just need to create separate partitions for each install and then edit the grub4dos boot menu (it's just a text file, but it's not all that hard.

    actually, it's even easier than that: http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/72---easyboot---a-grubdos-multiboot-drive-that-is-easy-to-maintain/e2bv1


  • #5
    U_Fig
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭U_Fig


    Cheers ill look into that when I get home..


  • #6
    Fysh
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,107 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    If I understand correctly, your situation is as follows:

    You have a number of computers, each with a CoA for a given OEM version of Windows. You also have the relevant OEM installation media.

    You want to create a single USB bootable drive that will prompt you for which version of Windows to boot and install.

    My suggestion would be [http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/]YUMI[/url]. Basically it makes your USB drive bootable, and adds as many ISO images as you want to the boot menu - boot from the drive, go into the ISO list, then choose which image you want to boot. At that point, as far as the computer's concerned, it may as well be booting from an optical drive with a DVD copy of that version of Windows in the drive.

    As you say, this likely wouldn't work for XP due to interestingness in when the drivers used for accessing USB storage are loaded. But for Vista and later versions, it should work and require a minimum of effort (other than creating the ISO images if you don't already have them - in which case I'd suggest using CDBurnerXP to create them).


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