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System Name | Rainbow Sparkles (Power efficient, <350W gaming load) |
---|---|
Processor | Ryzen R7 5800x3D (Undervolted, 4.45GHz all core) |
Motherboard | Asus x570-F (BIOS Modded) |
Cooling | Alphacool Apex UV - Alphacool Eisblock XPX Aurora + EK Quantum ARGB 3090 w/ active backplate |
Memory | 2x32GB DDR4 3600 Corsair Vengeance RGB @3866 C18-22-22-22-42 TRFC704 (1.4V Hynix MJR - SoC 1.15V) |
Video Card(s) | Galax RTX 3090 SG 24GB: Underclocked to 1700Mhz 0.750v (375W down to 250W)) |
Storage | 2TB WD SN850 NVME + 1TB Sasmsung 970 Pro NVME + 1TB Intel 6000P NVME USB 3.2 |
Display(s) | Phillips 32 32M1N5800A (4k144), LG 32" (4K60) | Gigabyte G32QC (2k165) | Phillips 328m6fjrmb (2K144) |
Case | Fractal Design R6 |
Audio Device(s) | Logitech G560 | Corsair Void pro RGB |Blue Yeti mic |
Power Supply | Fractal Ion+ 2 860W (Platinum) (This thing is God-tier. Silent and TINY) |
Mouse | Logitech G Pro wireless + Steelseries Prisma XL |
Keyboard | Razer Huntsman TE ( Sexy white keycaps) |
VR HMD | Oculus Rift S + Quest 2 |
Software | Windows 11 pro x64 (Yes, it's genuinely a good OS) OpenRGB - ditch the branded bloatware! |
Benchmark Scores | Nyooom. |
2016 Update: Rufus is my tool of choice now, as its a lot faster than most other methods with freedom to use any OS you want. Doesnt support multiple OS on the one stick, but USB sticks are a lot cheaper these days so it's less of an issue than it used to be.
https://rufus.akeo.ie/
Updating/editing this thread to add in a newer method using the program SARDU, which allows you to store multiple variants of windows on the USB at the same time.
Old method archived in spoiler tags below.
Dropbox link for SARDU:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dctpv0rc8x2nst3/SARDU_2.0.6.5.zip?dl=0
beta 3 isnt as good IMO, so heres a link to the final build of 2. Their website currently has no link for it.
Be aware that during the install SARDU will offer you some third party crapware. Decline them.
Sardu is NOT limited to USB flash drives. you can use DVD's, SD memory cards, USB hard drives, etc. As long as your device can boot from it, SARDU can install from it.
1. Prepare your ISO's. You'll need an ISO image or DVD of every operating system you want on the USB drive. You can also add stuff like kasperskys antivirus rescue disk, or a variety of other supported tools.
2. Rename the ISO's into the format SARDU understands, "InstallwinNAMEGOESHERE" and place them into SARDU's "ISO" folder. I've included windows 7, 8.1 and XP on the same USB stick using this method.
You can only have one of each OS, but technically you could label a 32 bit copy of windows 8.1 "vista" and just remember that.
3. Add them in sardu (Beta 3 seems limited to one windows installer. avoid it for now)
I started SARDU and it detected mine, since i named them in ways it understood, and told me the total size (will fit on an 8GB USB, or dual layer DVD)
4. Add anything else you want in SARDU, then click create.
5. Once done, add any other files you think you may want - drivers, antivirus, etc - and you've got a portable windows installer wherever you go.
Screenshot from the SARDU website (it says boot from hard drive, in english)
You simply select the windows menu, and pick the ISO you wanted.
https://rufus.akeo.ie/
Updating/editing this thread to add in a newer method using the program SARDU, which allows you to store multiple variants of windows on the USB at the same time.
Old method archived in spoiler tags below.
Dropbox link for SARDU:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dctpv0rc8x2nst3/SARDU_2.0.6.5.zip?dl=0
beta 3 isnt as good IMO, so heres a link to the final build of 2. Their website currently has no link for it.
Be aware that during the install SARDU will offer you some third party crapware. Decline them.
Sardu is NOT limited to USB flash drives. you can use DVD's, SD memory cards, USB hard drives, etc. As long as your device can boot from it, SARDU can install from it.
1. Prepare your ISO's. You'll need an ISO image or DVD of every operating system you want on the USB drive. You can also add stuff like kasperskys antivirus rescue disk, or a variety of other supported tools.
2. Rename the ISO's into the format SARDU understands, "InstallwinNAMEGOESHERE" and place them into SARDU's "ISO" folder. I've included windows 7, 8.1 and XP on the same USB stick using this method.
You can only have one of each OS, but technically you could label a 32 bit copy of windows 8.1 "vista" and just remember that.
3. Add them in sardu (Beta 3 seems limited to one windows installer. avoid it for now)
I started SARDU and it detected mine, since i named them in ways it understood, and told me the total size (will fit on an 8GB USB, or dual layer DVD)
4. Add anything else you want in SARDU, then click create.
5. Once done, add any other files you think you may want - drivers, antivirus, etc - and you've got a portable windows installer wherever you go.
Screenshot from the SARDU website (it says boot from hard drive, in english)
You simply select the windows menu, and pick the ISO you wanted.
The other thread seemed popular, so i'm adding my way of doing things. Its generally simpler and easier (one copy-paste line of text - thats it)
No tweaking, no Fking around, no program installs - put the DVD in the drive, put the flash drive in the USB port and run the command. thats it.
The rest of this post is purely there because people always try and do something differently, or don't bother reading the instructions properly!
This does NOT work with XP, so dont ask.
As simple as this is, people always ask a bazillion questions. common ones are answered below.
and a picture guide, for those who cant live without them.
1. command line
2. format flash drive to NTFS (16GB drive)
3. Files copying
4. Open your boot menu in the BIOS, or change the boot order.
My media PC allows me to hit F12 and get this:
(If i had my flash drive plugged in for this photo, it would read as "USB-HDD Imation Nano" in the '+Hard Disk' menu)
5. run the vista/7 installer as normal
Out of niceness, i quote Pyeti and Naelex's alternate method.
This one is rather noob friendly, but requires a third party program.
This method works for XP!
No tweaking, no Fking around, no program installs - put the DVD in the drive, put the flash drive in the USB port and run the command. thats it.
The rest of this post is purely there because people always try and do something differently, or don't bother reading the instructions properly!
This does NOT work with XP, so dont ask.
*****************************Above this line is all you need to make a bootable flash drive!*******************************Mussels said:command for copying vista (or 7) DVD to flash drive
Open a run command - use the "windows key + R" trick to open a run menu, if its not enabled in your start menu
xcopy X:\*.* /s/e/f Y:\
X: being source (DVD / ISO image on Virtual drive)
Y: being destination drive (flash drive)
A DOS prompt will open and show the files copying - it may appear to have stopped on a file (install.WIM), but dont worry - thats a large file so it takes a while.
FWIW, this doesnt work on all flash drives - tested maybe 5, and one of those 5 would NOT boot on my test machine. If you have issues, use another drive. This WILL work on USB HDD's, and not just flash drives!
You can use this to install vista off a flash drive, no longer needing a DVD.
As simple as this is, people always ask a bazillion questions. common ones are answered below.
- The drive letters X: and Y: need to be substituted with whatever letters your system uses. Its obvious, but some people still miss that.
- I've done this with NTFS and FAT32 flash drives heaps of times - havent burned a DVD for an OS in years.
- Your motherboard is going to need to boot from USB for this to install. Many motherboards have a "quick boot" method by pressing escape or F8 while the BIOS POST screen is still loading. Dont always assume it will show as a USB device, often it shows under the HDD menus
- Obviously, you're going to need a DVD in the drive, or mount the ISO via some virtual drive software, like deamon tools or Virtual clone drive
- If your flash drive is full, the DOS prompt will just close without copying the last files. Make sure you have enough free space to fit the contents of the ISO (a 4GB flash drive is not exactly 4GB - mine is 3.83GB after formatting, and too small for a vista SP2 install)
- I suggest formatting and starting with a blank flash drive - you can always add your other files back afterwards.
- you can do this from any windows OS - Xcopy hasnt changed in a looooong time, so it should even work in OS's as old as win95. Since this has to be clarified, i mean you can make the vista/7 bootable USB disk in older OS's. that is not the same as making bootable copies of them!
and a picture guide, for those who cant live without them.
1. command line
2. format flash drive to NTFS (16GB drive)
3. Files copying
4. Open your boot menu in the BIOS, or change the boot order.
My media PC allows me to hit F12 and get this:
(If i had my flash drive plugged in for this photo, it would read as "USB-HDD Imation Nano" in the '+Hard Disk' menu)
5. run the vista/7 installer as normal
Out of niceness, i quote Pyeti and Naelex's alternate method.
This one is rather noob friendly, but requires a third party program.
This method works for XP!
Code:Plug in your USB key. Right click on the UltraIso shortcut, and click on Run as administrator. Click on File (menu bar) and Open. Navigate to your Windows 7 ISO file and select it and click on the Open button. In the bottom Local pane, select your USB flash key drive. Click on Bootable (menu bar) and Wite Disk Image. Make sure the locations are correct, and check the Verify box and click on the Write button. Click on Yes to confirm writing to the USB drive. When it's done, click on the Close button. You now have a Windows 7 installation USB flash key.
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