Introduction: How to Install Windows 8 From a USB Stick

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For those of you who have netbooks, and want to install windows 8 but cant because theres no DVD drive in them, or those of you who downloaded windows 8 from the internet, heres how to install windows 8 to your computer using a USB stick

now before i begin ill mention some points that you might need to know before you begin (these are only for the people who got windows 8 unofficially from the internet)

1- after you install and run windows 8 normally, you wont be able to change the colours and the lockscreen wallpaper and the profile photo and the other features that are included within the lockscreen, they will be locked from windows, i dont know why this is happening, maybe microsoft put some sort of a limitation on windows 8 versions not sold by it, maybe its only on the windows 8 pro version, cause thats the one i have, im not sure about the other versions. but this doesnt mean that windows will have bugs or lags, these features are simply locked

2- you have probably heard, that windows 8.1 can be downloaded for free as an update to windows 8, directly from the store, also this cant be done.

now that i said those points worth mentioning, lets start.

things you should have:

1- a USB stick 4GB or larger

2- an internet connection

3- if you are doing this on a laptop, make sure its charged, and just keep it connected in the charger just in case, you dont want it to turn off in the middle of the installation process

Step 1: Getting Files Ready

First thing you should do is download the program from the following link: (this program is made by microsoft, so you shouldnt worry about getting any viruses)

http://images2.store.microsoft.com/prod/clustera/framework/w7udt/1.0/en-us/Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe

this program basically puts the windows 8 in your computer, which is in an ISO format, into your USB stick and gets it ready to be bootable into your laptop

dont worry that the name of the program has windows 7 in it, it works for windows 8 too

install the program, then open it

Step 2: Using Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

After you open the program, it will tell you to choose your ISO file, so click "Browse" and navigate to your windows 8 file, wherever you put it, then click "Next"

choose media type screen, here choose USB device, then click next again

now choose the USB stick you want to use to install windows 8, if you havent connected it to your computer already, do it now, then click on the refresh button to refresh the list, when your USB stick shows up, choose it, then choose "Begin copying"

NOTE: this step will have to FORMAT your USB stick, deleting everything inside it, so make sure you backup everything inside it before you begin.

now just wait for the program to do its magic

(dont worry if it take a bit long)

after its done the program will give you a "Bootable USB device created successfully" message, after that you can safely close the program

your USB stick is now ready to install windows 8.

Step 3: Booting Up From the USB Stick

Now here is the part where it gets a bit tricky

you will have to boot up your computer, from the USB stick

meaning you will have to go to the BIOS screen and change the boot device order

this isnt hard really, but it might be hard for me to explain it because not all the computers have the same BIOS screen

make sure your USB stick is connected, now shut down your computer

turn it back on, and go to the BIOS screen, if you dont know how, you will see the button to be pressed to access the BIOS screen when you turn the computer on, you might have to press it a few times, not just once

after you have made it to the BIOS screen, navigate to the boot settings, or boot device order, or what ever its called on your BIOS, it might be named and even placed differently, not all the BIOS screens are the same

after you've made it, change the boot device order, make your USB stick, be the first option

then save your changed and exit the BIOS screen

if your computer then continues to boot up normally after you exit the BIOS screen, restart the computer, while the USB stick is still connected

after it restarts, you should get the windows 8 setup, if you do, this means you have successfully booted from your USB stick.

Step 4: Installing Windows 8

When you get the windows 8 setup, follow the given instructions, i will explain them here for it to be easier for you

first screen is to simply choose the language and the currency and time format and the input method, choose the options you like then press "Next"

then click "Install now"

now it will ask you to input your windows 8 product key, type it in, then press "Next"

now it will give you the license terms to read (ya right), then tick the "I accept the license terms" check box and press "Next" again

now it will tell you to choose the type of installation you want, the first option is to keep all your files and programs installed, and just install windows 8, and the second option, is more advanced, its to clean everything and install windows 8 as a brand new system on your computer, choose the one you want

then it will tell you to choose the partition you want to install windows 8 on, choose the one you want, its recommended to choose the one that already has your previous windows version on, but you can choose the one you want, if you do it on the previous windows version partition, select it, then press on the "Drive options (Advanced)" option, a list of options will appear, click on delete, to delete everything on the partition you selected, you will get a confirmation message, agree to it, then click "Next"

now you just have to wait till the installation process is over, it might take a while, and your computer might restart a few times during the entire process

when the loading is over, you will get to the second loading screen

Step 5: Setting Up Windows 8

Now your computer is showing you a few steps to set up your windows 8 system,  like the colour scheme, the name, connecting to your windows account (which is optional)

you dont need any help in doing that so ill skip it.

after you are done it will load again showing you a screen that keeps changing colours, beautiful

when thats done you will be taken to the start screen

congratulations, your computer is now running Windows 8

Step 6: A Little Tip

Now that everything is successfully installed and working perfectly, you can remove your USB stick from your computer

if you need to use your USB stick again, you can format it to delete all the windows 8 files you used to install it on your computer, since you wont be using them anymore

for some laptops, some drivers, like the mouspad driver might be gone, so for every driver missing, just download it again and install it normally like a normal program

you can find your specific laptop's driver from its manufacturer website, you will need your laptop's serial number for this, you can find it somewhere on the back of your laptop



comments are welcome.
and please go to my other instructables too, you might like them.