How do you install windows 7/10 on a PC using a USB?

[Raspberry_Computer]

Building a Gaming PC and wondering, 'Do I need an optical drive to install the OS?', which greater expanded into, 'Do I need a case to support an optical drive?
i have a laptop already with an optical drive slot, so no problems there.
are there any preexisting tutorials on how to install windows 7/ 10 using a USB, or does anyone know how?
Thanks!

 

[fabledareturn]

you need to have a bootable image of the operating system on the usb drive/stick and your laptop needs to boot from usb first before booting from the internal hard drive. You can change that in the bios. Also if you have a disk copy of the OS then use a optical drive.

 

[Mr Kagouris]

Yeah Microsoft's website has a quick guide on creating USB installation media. It's easy, with the only problem being that on some motherboards the USB 3.0 (or greater) ports may not function without the appropriate driver. Usually though such boards have available USB 2.0 that works, or if they don't then they just run the 3.0 ports at 2.0 speed without the driver.

 

[Faux_Grey]

You can use this: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool

Or Rufus: https://rufus.akeo.ie/

Rufus is a lot easier and doesn't complain as much about making it from ISO.

 

[fabledareturn]

Yeah Microsoft's website has a quick guide on creating USB installation media. It's easy, with the only problem being that on some motherboards the USB 3.0 (or greater) ports may not function without the appropriate driver. Usually though such boards have available USB 2.0 that works, or if they don't then they just run the 3.0 ports at 2.0 speed without the driver.

For installation purposes you still can install the operating system whether be a usb 2.0 stick/drive or not just slower speeds. After install you can update the usb drivers.