HELP - installing VISTA from a USB Stick that was made on a XP machine???

L

liquidmonkey

Disciple
ok, i've built a new rig that has a ASUS P6T WS PRO mobo, no cd-burner and one SATA HDD. plus other stuff but its not relevant here.
i'm trying to install winVISTA ULTIMATE using a KINGSTON TRAVELER 16gig usb stick and have tried the following....

googling and reading 40+ articles.
formatting the USB stick using the HP tool (this is done on my winXP Pro SP3 machine)
formatted to both FAT32 and NTFS (at different times to test it)
then i did this...
# Here i am assuming DVD drive as G and Pendrive as I.(Change it accordingly).
# Now type G:CD BOOT
# Now type this command BOOTSECT.EXE/NT60 I: to update your USB drive with bootmgr code.

then i did this...
followed by copying the Vista DVD content to the USB stick with this: xcopy d:\*.* /s/e/f e:\.

have tried using the USB stick on each of the 10 usb drives on my mobo, but no go.
i CAN get into BIOS and did change the boot order to the KINGSTON TRAVELLER.

the ERROR MESSAGE is... insert a boot device and hit any key...or something along those lines.

my info has come from these main articles...
Install Windows Vista from (using) Pendrive (100 % working)/ Create a bootable Pendrive or USB to install Windows Vista [updated]

Install Windows 7 or Windows Vista from a Pendrive / USB drive (Working 100 %) for XP users

How to Install Vista From a USB Flash Drive?
is anyone can help out at all, i'd be VERY APPRECIATIVE :) totally want to use my new rig :)

ps, i noticed that the USB STICK partition is NOT ACTIVE and unfortunately i can't mark it as ACTIVE in the computer manager. could this be an issue???
 
Well, almost all guides that i've read do require you to have an active partition.

Heres a link to one that i've personally tried and does work. It's intended for Windows 7 but has been verified by me to work for Vista

How To: Install Windows 7 Beta from a USB Key! | Maximum PC

It does explicity state that you require an active partiton. The steps to make your partition active are mentioned as well. Do give it a whirl and see what happens. :)
 
Doesn't using the DISKPART method work via XP? I just converted wingmysoul's pendrive to bootable today in 1 minute and gave him the Windows 7 setup.

Try this method, works for me.

Follow these steps and then use the BOOTSECT command.

1. Plug-in your USB flash drive to USB port and move all the contents from USB drive to a safe location on your system.

2. Open Command Prompt with admin rights. Use any of the below methods to open Command Prompt with admin rights.

*Type cmd in Start menu search box and hit Ctrl+ Shift+ Enter.

Or

*Go to Start menu > All programs > Accessories, right click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

3. You need to know about the USB drive a little bit. Type in the following commands in the command prompt:

First type DISKPART and hit enter to see the below message.

Next type LIST DISK command and note down the Disk number (ex: Disk 1) of your USB flash drive. In the below screenshot my Flash Drive Disk no is Disk 1.

4. Next type all the below commands one by one. Here I assume that your disk drive no is “Disk 1”.If you have Disk 2 as your USB flash drive then use Disk 2.Refer the above step to confirm it.

So below are the commands you need to type and execute one by one:

SELECT DISK 1

CLEAN

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

SELECT PARTITION 1

ACTIVE

FORMAT FS=NTFS

(Format process may take few seconds)

ASSIGN

EXIT

Via - Install Windows 7 From USB Drive/Pen Drive
 
the whole DISKPART thing works, but only until i try and LIST DISK, the usb stick never appears but it does in VISTA.

anyway, i have a cd burner now and got the VISTA screen up.

but now VISTA is telling me there are no drives installed which is really weird as my BIOS shows my MAXTOR hard drive.

once again, i am puzzled :(

any hints?
 
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