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General discussion

Install Vista onto a flash drive

May 17, 2010 6:02PM PDT

Hi, I'd like to know if it's possible to run the Vista installer from CD, and install Vista onto a 16 GiB USB flash drive?

I can't find anything about it on the web, only about how to run the Vista installer FROM a flash drive.

If I can get this to work you can expect a bunch of n00b questions from me; I've never really used Windows before, only Linux.

Also, my computer has an RTL8187-based wifi card that works out-of-the-box on Linux; will this work out-of-the-box on Vista or should I hunt around for a Windows driver for it?

Discussion is locked

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Re: install Vista on flash drive
May 17, 2010 6:18PM PDT

No, it needs to be installed on an internal hard disk. But you can install it in a virtual machine under Linux to start studying it.

Kees

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About the driver.
May 17, 2010 9:32PM PDT

Since before 1995 and even today, Windows comes with so few drivers except what's needed to get the OS to the point you can add drivers. I'm unsure if you knew this so I'd thought I'd make a reply for you.

Most hardware comes with driver CDs or a link to such so driver searches are easy.
Bob

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You can't
May 17, 2010 11:26PM PDT

You can't install Windows onto any kind of portable media, and this is by design. It's part of the anti-piracy measures.

Well, it CAN be done, but there are a three major problems with doing so. First, it's a violation of the license agreement so by doing so you essentially forfeit your right to use Windows. Second, it is extremely difficult to do. Third, even if you manage to get it running, it will be extremely fragile and only work on systems with a near identical hardware configuration to yours.

So basically, it's illegal to do so, but even if it weren't, it would be a huge PITA to set up and the end result would not be very useful.

Linux is copylefted, so people are free to use as many copies on as diverse a set of hardware as they want. Apple allows this as well, because they make most of their money off hardware sales. So even if you pirate a copy of the OS, you still need one of Apple's computers to run it on. They get you one way or the other.

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Thanks
May 20, 2010 10:07PM PDT

Thanks everyone, I guess I'll have to try it in a virtual machine and see what happens. Or add another internal hard disk.

I wasn't planning on putting the flash drive into any other PCs, actually, so it wasn't really a piracy issue Happy A shame!

The other upside with a virtual machine is that there shouldn't be the need for any drivers except Guest Additions. I had indeed heard that Windows doesn't come with drivers.

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not viable
May 18, 2010 8:57AM PDT

everyone's right. from time immemorial its been an ALMOST impossible feat to do what you ask. since you want to use the installation for study purposes,i suggest virtualisation solutions