Installing Windows 8 via a USB device, say a flash drive, is increasingly becoming common due to one important fact that most present-day systems, particularly desktops and laptops, do not support optical drives. In simple words, if users wish to install Windows 8 via a USB device, they will have to have all the setup files on the USB drive. The difficulty level for installing Windows 8 from USB is average. Usually, getting Windows 8 files for installation onto USB drive takes around 15 to 30 minutes; it depends on the format of the Windows 8 copy and the system’s speed.
The basic requirements to install Windows 8 from USB drive include: (1) a flash drive (2 GB or more); (2) Windows 8 ISO file or Windows 8 DVD; (3) a working system with DVD drive. If users have Windows 8 ISO file and want the file on USB drive, then they can download Windows 7 USB download tool from Microsoft website and install it.
As the first step, users can create Windows ISO file from Windows 8 DVD; this technique enables users to create a single file (ISO image), which contains all the necessary data that were stored on the setup DVD disc. Second step is already discussed above. Users can download and install Windows 7 USB tool from Microsoft tool page. This program formats the USB drive and copies all the Windows 8 installation ISO file data that users should have on the USB drive. Further, this program works fine with ISO files and can be installed on Windows 7, XP, Vista, as well as Windows 8.
After installing Windows 7 USB tool program, click browse and choose the ISO file screen. After locating the Windows 8 ISO file select and touch open it. If the Windows 8 is downloaded from Microsoft, then the ISO file will be either on desktop or downloads folder; if the ISO image was created from Windows 8 DVD, then it will be where it was created. As a part of next step, choose USB device (choose media screen type). Next step is to insert the USB drive; or users can connect it using an external hard drive. Next is to create bootable USB device. Users just have to wait for Windows 7 USB tool to prepare the USB drive and to copy all files of Windows 8 installation to it.
The first status is formatting, which depends on the size of USB drive. Second is copying files; this could take 20 to 30 minutes, sometimes even longer depending on the ISO file, flash drive speed, and USB connection. If everything goes accordingly, users will be presented with the screen that says the bootable USB device has been successfully created with complete backup. The USB drive now has all the files for creating Windows 8. The last step, boot the created files from the USB device to start the Windows 8 installation process.