Vista - USB Bootable Vista Installation Flash Thumb Drive

What is retail Vista installation DVD? it's the common dvd of installation of vista, the one that come when we bye an computer??
Yes i have, but is the one that that i create with the recovery manager when i bought my computer, it is vista premium.

A retail Vista installation DVD is one that your purchase at a retail store and did not come with your computer. The ones that come with your computer are usually only a OEM Recovery installation disc as in your case, and do not work for this tutorial.

Sorry,
Shawn

So i need to purchase?
It's no use, thank you.

Until the next.

Only if you want to create a Vista USB boot thumb drive.

Bootmgr file it's a miracle

I have the answer you are looking for ! I'll use my given right to assume that you are using a Sandisk Flash drive with the U3 System Installed? I purposely made that part stick out because that is what is causing the commotion for you (I was running into the SAME EXACT PROBLEMS you were having, my friend). You see, Sandisk's pre-installed U3 system is seen as a separate volume on the computer (not your fault ) Does this look familiar?



To whom it may concern,

THE SOLUTION: Uninstall the Sandisk U3 Software

1. Load up the U3 Launchpad (open My Computer, right-click on flash drive, launch U3 software/launchpad; it will still be there after you formatted, cleaned).

2. Close the U3 pop-up window

3. Right-click on the U3 icon in the system tray and click "settings." (see below)



4. Depending on the version of U3 installed on the drive, after clicking settings, you may be greeted with this screen, or a newer one (but the removal actions are still the same). Either check (or click depending on version) "I want to remove the U3 Launchpad (and erase ALL data) on the device".



5. If you have the newer version, another nag screen will pop up (which looks very similar to windows installer if I may say so myself ), once again, warning you that all data will be removed. Simply follow the on-screen instructions by clicking next a time or two, and then finally FINISHED!



6. Using diskpart, you should now see just one volume, instead of two (U3 and the drive itself).

7. Now go ahead and follow the procedures provided to you by the magnificent Brink!

P.S. I can't thank you enough, Brink, for this wonderful website and your (I'm sure) timeless efforts to make this such an outstanding forum.

Take Care & Happy Holidays to All!

Nope, wasn't my problem. Ist off I was using Kingston USB drives.

On my XP system no matter what I couldn't get past running the
"Active" command.

When I used my roomys computer, which has X32 Vista installed, I got past that step without a problem but then at the next command
"x:\F:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 G:\"
It would rasie a stink about being the wrong type of OS on both machines.XP or Vista x32 boxes.

Once I have a working Vista x64 computer running I think I'll be just fine and will be able to create the drive without a problem. If I wanted a x32 drive I could of gone all the way as is via my roomy's computer but I planned on using x64 and wanted the drive to have the x64 version on it thats where I ran into a snag on both computers.

Brink ,
Can You put both of the versions of Vista x64 and x86 ? For example if I wanted to install either Vista x64 and Vista x86 from the USB FLASH DRIVE . If so how can you do that ?

Hello VistaKing,

It's the same method in this tutorial for either the 32-bit or 64-bit Vista, but you cannot do both on one USB drive. It's just that people have had problems when they tried to create a 64-bit USB flash drive from within their 32-bit Vista, or the other way around.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

I don't think its possible to create a dual option install on one USB drive. Has to do with the /nt60 command. The info it creates is different for each version of the OS. You can't even make a x64 bootable USB drive from a Vista x32 system, trust me I really tried, LOL

Your only option would be to buy/create 2 usb drives. One made on a Vista 32 bit system for a bootable install of x32 and a seperate USB drive made on a x64 system to host X64 install.