# Solved: bootsect for Windows 7?



## dustyjay

I am trying to make a thumb drive bootable. All the tutorials I have found on the subject say to use the bootsect command in a command prompt. But bootsect is not a command available in the command prompt for Windows 7. Is there somewhere I can download bootsect? or is there another way to make a thumbdrive bootable besides using the bootsect command? TIA


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## MKCL

*This is one of my tutorials and it is easy to follow

How To Install Windows 7/Wondows Vista Via USB;*

*USB Flash Drive (Minimum 4GB)*

*Windows 7 or Vista *

Follow the below steps to create bootable Windows 7/Vista USB drive using which you can install Windows 7/Vista easily.

*1. Plug-in your USB flash drive* to USB port and move all the contents from USB drive to a safe location on your system.

*2. Open Command Prompt with admin rights.* Use any of the below methods to open Command Prompt with admin rights.

*3. Type* in the following commands in the command prompt:

Type *DISKPART* and *hit enter* to see the below message.










Next type* LIST DISK* command and *note down the Disk number of your USB flash drive. *

*4.* So below are the commands you need to type and *execute one by one: (see screenshots below)*

*SELECT DISK 3

CLEAN

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

SELECT PARTITION 1

ACTIVE

FORMAT FS=NTFS
*
(The Format Process Should Only Take Few Minutes)

*ASSIGN*

*EXIT*

*Do not close the command prompt* as you will need to execute one more command at the next step so Just minimize it for now.



















*5. Now insert your Windows7 or Vista DVD* into the your drive and *check the drive letter* of the DVD drive. Lets assume that your DVD drive letter is *E* and your USB drive letter is *I *

*6.* *Maximize* the minimized Command Prompt and type in the following command now:

*E: CD BOOT* and *hit enter*. Where *E* is your DVD drive letter.

*CD BOOT* and *hit enter* to see the below message.

*7. Type another command* given below to update the USB drive with *BOOTMGR* compatible code.

*BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 I:*










Where *I* is your USB drive letter.

*8.* *Copy your Windows 7/Vista DVD contents to the USB flash drive.*










*9.* The only thing you need to change now is the *boot priority* in the BIOS to USB from the HDD or CD ROM drive.

Thats it now complete, now you can install your windows 7 or Vista from your USB!


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## dustyjay

Actually I am not trying to install win 7. My daughter has an acer one net book, I am trying to make an Acronis Tru Image rescue disc on the thumb drive for use on her netbook. I can install Tru Image on her net book to make an image of the HDD, but need a rescue disk to restore the image in the event of a non boot situation in windows.


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## dustyjay

Thank you for the response, I am prepping the thumb drive now. I found the bootsect just as you described.


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## dustyjay

Well worked for the Installation of Win 7, but not for my needs making a bootable drive otherwise. Still researching.


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## TheOutcaste

You can give this tool a try. I've used it to put the Ultimate Boot CD on a thumb drive, then added my Acronis ISO created using the Boot disk creator, and it boots it just fine.
Universal USB Installer


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## dustyjay

I used the HP USB Flash Drive formatting tool to format it a bootable dos disk, then created the Acronis Rescue disk on it.

the tool can be downloaded here http://thepcspy.com/read/bootable_usb_flash_drive/

I tested the rescue disk on 4 of my computers, it works well. It can store and recovery the images to and from a network drive via ethernet, but not wireless.

Gonna mark this one solved, thanks for the help, hopfefully this will also help someone else.


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