Why does it require storage driver for installation from USB Stick and installs without driver from DVD?
Hey folks,
I have met an embarrassing challenge and would like to hear your input. I was going to create a multi-Windows installation media. Don't be mislead by wording. Multi-Windows installation media means that I have 2-3 Windows installation files on one USB Stick. I start the PC from it and select if I want to install Windows 7 32bit or 64bit or I want to install Windows 8.
I am using EasyBCD2.0 for this and it works pretty well. The only problem which I am stuck at - it asks for driver for a simple SATA controller. If you turn in BIOS the HDD mode to IDE compatible - then it installs.
But if you try to install Windows from Windows 7 DVD - it finds the drivers.
And if you create a Bootable USB stick with Windows 7 USB Download Tool - it works also well.
The only problem if I open the ISO images via Daemon Tools or 7zip - copy the content to directories on USB stick (win732 Win764 etc) - then run the install process - it will always ask for a driver. And finally most interesting part - the storage is there - I can use browse for driver and see all my internal drives - but no way to install Windows over to them.
Why is so?
I have met an embarrassing challenge and would like to hear your input. I was going to create a multi-Windows installation media. Don't be mislead by wording. Multi-Windows installation media means that I have 2-3 Windows installation files on one USB Stick. I start the PC from it and select if I want to install Windows 7 32bit or 64bit or I want to install Windows 8.
I am using EasyBCD2.0 for this and it works pretty well. The only problem which I am stuck at - it asks for driver for a simple SATA controller. If you turn in BIOS the HDD mode to IDE compatible - then it installs.
But if you try to install Windows from Windows 7 DVD - it finds the drivers.
And if you create a Bootable USB stick with Windows 7 USB Download Tool - it works also well.
The only problem if I open the ISO images via Daemon Tools or 7zip - copy the content to directories on USB stick (win732 Win764 etc) - then run the install process - it will always ask for a driver. And finally most interesting part - the storage is there - I can use browse for driver and see all my internal drives - but no way to install Windows over to them.
Why is so?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
What I find strange is that when I create the USB stick with MS USB download tool then it works. Copying the content from this USB stick to another one and making it boot - it fails with driver.
ASKER
Nobus, why is the driver not needed if I perform the installation from a USB stick created by Windows 7 USB Download Tool?
And the same good installation runs if doing the install from a DVD.
Only if you move it manually to another USB stick, edit BCD so that boot manager shows you several OSes you can start - you select one which you know works - and then it stops at asking driver.
And the same good installation runs if doing the install from a DVD.
Only if you move it manually to another USB stick, edit BCD so that boot manager shows you several OSes you can start - you select one which you know works - and then it stops at asking driver.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
when you are copying the usb sticks are they the same format (fat32) this way you don't have to make that partition active
i have no real answer, noxcho, , but some idea's that maybe helpful :
you said "when I create the USB stick with MS USB download tool then it works" i assume the download tool tested the usb stick, and integrated the needed driver
this is consistent with the other : " Copying the content from this USB stick to another one and making it boot - it fails with driver"
unless it was the same model usb?
>> the same good installation runs if doing the install from a DVD. << as i said above, there is a generic CD / DVD driver in windows, and every bios is able to boot from it - no problems there
i remember that you could not install easily windows 7; you really had to do several things, as shown in the following link (i tried it, and it does work)
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/howtos/how_to_install_windows_7_beta_a_usb_key
you said "when I create the USB stick with MS USB download tool then it works" i assume the download tool tested the usb stick, and integrated the needed driver
this is consistent with the other : " Copying the content from this USB stick to another one and making it boot - it fails with driver"
unless it was the same model usb?
>> the same good installation runs if doing the install from a DVD. << as i said above, there is a generic CD / DVD driver in windows, and every bios is able to boot from it - no problems there
i remember that you could not install easily windows 7; you really had to do several things, as shown in the following link (i tried it, and it does work)
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/howtos/how_to_install_windows_7_beta_a_usb_key
ASKER
@nobus, yes, it is the same USB stick, I create one bootable stick - copy the content to my local drive, then create another 32/64. Then copy the earlier created configuration - use EasyBCD to install BootMgr and try to install Windows from it. Now it asks for a driver. And whatever driver you give it - none is accepted.
I have another idea which I am testing at the moment.
If my idea is wrong then I will format the stick with DISKPART.exe and see if this brings any difference.
@davis, I cannot use version 2.2 because they removed "BootLoader Setup" feature after 2.0
@David, the USB stick is NTFS formatted and set active. Could be nothing to prevent it from booting, or? As said I am using the same USB stick. I simply copy out its content once created and use MS tool to create another one of different bit version.
Earlier I copied simply from DVD ISOs the content to USB stick. But this fails for sure.
I have another idea which I am testing at the moment.
If my idea is wrong then I will format the stick with DISKPART.exe and see if this brings any difference.
@davis, I cannot use version 2.2 because they removed "BootLoader Setup" feature after 2.0
@David, the USB stick is NTFS formatted and set active. Could be nothing to prevent it from booting, or? As said I am using the same USB stick. I simply copy out its content once created and use MS tool to create another one of different bit version.
Earlier I copied simply from DVD ISOs the content to USB stick. But this fails for sure.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
So its clear, what you are being prompted for is the AHCI/EFI drivers for the hard disk drive, not the USB. If it works using the M$ tool, have you tried cloning the USB rather than copying it?
Choose the devices, not the logical drives: http://www.roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=22
Choose the devices, not the logical drives: http://www.roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=22
ASKER
Davis, that is confronting then with my goal. The goal is to have a single USB stick of 32 or 64GB in size from which one can install one of the Windows version s\he needs. If I want Windows 7 32bit or Windows 8 64bit then I would need only one USB stick. Not a bunch of them or DVD drives.
Roadkill will always overwirte the partition on USB stick thus I will have there only one OS installation files.
Roadkill will always overwirte the partition on USB stick thus I will have there only one OS installation files.
ASKER
rindi, somehow it does not work for me. ISO files do not boot. At least for me this approach failed several times. I can give it another try anyway. First testing what nobus suggested.
Plop will let you create VHD's of your installation DVD's, put them on the USB drive, and choose which one you want to launch which ought to do the trick: http://www.plop.at/en/home.html
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Hi guys,
thanks for your valuable input. I have found a solution which worked: http://www.winsetupfromusb.com/downloads/
Was the simplest.
It is working pretty similar to yumi and puts ISO and boot.wim images near each other. So that installation runs from ISO. Which failed with EasyBCD.
Best regards
Nox
thanks for your valuable input. I have found a solution which worked: http://www.winsetupfromusb.com/downloads/
Was the simplest.
It is working pretty similar to yumi and puts ISO and boot.wim images near each other. So that installation runs from ISO. Which failed with EasyBCD.
Best regards
Nox
tx for posting your solution noxcho
the difference is that there is a general driver for DVD drives, used at boot time
many bios'es have a more or less "general" driver for usb - but not for all, and the same goes for the windows install files