Installing Windows 7 via USB! Need help!

[actionguy87]

Hey guys,

Right now I am building my first custom gaming PC and am currently in the middle of prepping my 16GB flash drive for an OS install and I have NO earthly idea what I am doing.

For starters, I was able to download Windows 7 Enterprise (64 bit) from my university IT website for free (sweet deal I know). The download only came with 3 files: win7ent64.exe (a compressed file), extractwin7ent64.bat, and install1.wim. The last file listed is 2.6 GB.

So, now what? Where do I go from here? Do I need to extract these files before placing them on the flash drive or no? Any step by step help would be greatly appreciated!

AND KNOW THAT I HAVE NOT COMPLETED MY PC BUILD. I am just prepping the OS for installation ahead of time.

 

[zink1701]

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/howtos/how_to_install_windows_7_beta_a_usb_key

A good guide to help you do it.

 

[actionguy87]

Haha! Coincidentally enough, I was already following this guide before I came here. My biggest problem with the guide (and the reason I came here) is because of this particular step: Insert the Windows 7 install DVD into your drive, and view the files that it contains. Copy all of the files here to a folder on your Desktop. We put the disc contents in a folder named “Windows 7”. The files that he pulls off the Windows 7 disk are not the same as the ones I have downloaded. I just know this will be a problem when trying to do a fresh install of Windows from the BIOS... or will it?