Jim asks: The DVD drive on my laptop doesn’t work. Is there any way I can install Windows 7 from a flash drive?
Jim, there are many ways by which you can install Windows 7 from a flash drive. However assuming the fact the most of our readers are not exactly computer experts, we would be discussing here the simplest one. This method involves use of free tool provided by Microsoft , to create a bootable flash drive . The process is quick , reliable and works perfectly.
What you need to create Bootable Flash Drive
1: A Flash Drive with minimum 4GB free space. Make sure you backup data from your flash drive before you move forward with any of the steps.
2: Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool. You can download it for free from here .It works on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. ( File Size : 947 KB)
3: Windows 7 .ISO image file.
4: Five minutes of spare time 
Step By Step Procedure.
Step 1: Install the Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool
Step 2: Launch the program and browse to the Windows 7 ISO image file and click next .
Step 3: Click on USB Device button to select USB as the media device
Step 4: Choose the USB Drive from the drop down and click begin copying
In case there is not enough space on the flash drive the tool will ask you to erase the content of the flash drive . Click on Erase USB to do so.
This will prompt a new window . Click Yes to continue to next step.
Step 5: The tool will take a few minutes to copy content and make bootable Flash Drive
Once the bootable flash drive has been created, the window would look like this .
Step6: Reboot your machine and you can easily install Windows 7 .
Note : It has been observed while using flash drive for installing Windows 7, when the system restarts the entire process starts from scratch. To avoid this remove the USB once the system turns off and insert it back once its boots up.
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