Windows 7 Trying to boot Windows 7 through a WD My Book on my new computer... HELP PLEASE!!

[Jessmysta]

I recently purchased a new computer. I put the whole thing together but the only thing is I have no cd drives yet. So, I need to boot up Windows 7 another way. The only external hard drive I have is my 500gb My Book. I tried a program called wintoflash, that was supposed to both make my hard drive bootable for the new computer and copy Windows 7. However, even after getting in the BIOS and setting the usb to boot up first, it says invalid disk. I've seen other websites that make the harddrive bootable through DOS but the're all for vista owners, I'm still using XP. So, I was just wondering if anybody knew how I could boot Windows 7 on my new computer using an external hard drive?

 

[Celestra]

Wouldn't you have to use a Windows 7 .iso format ?

Link Removed - Invalid URL

I think this situation may be similar ?

 

[fjgold]

Ok first you need a Win 7 .iso.
If you tried to copy the contents of a Win 7 install DVD to your external drive that won't work.

There is a free tool that will do that for you.

Link Removed due to 404 Error

Once you have the .iso you would then create your bootable USB device.

Microsoft recently released an updated version of win to flash.

Link Removed

You might find using a 4 GB flash drive preferable to using the external drive.
If you don't have one a trip to Walmart or your local Office Supply store can get you a 4 GB (minimum) drive cheaply.
Don't go too cheap though, stick with the big brand names like SanDisk or Lexar. Less than $30.00 can get you a Sandisk Cruser Mini.
I know for a fact that (through experience) a Sandisk Cruzer will work.
Some cheap, unknown brand devices won't work.

Question are you trying to install Win 7 on your new computer, you are saying "boot" Win 7 and that has me confused?
Also are you planning on replacing XP with Win 7 if an install is your goal?

 

[Jessmysta]

Yes, I am installing Windows 7 to a new computer. It seems that I may have to go out and pick up flash drive. I thought that it may have been possible to use the external hdd, but it seems that you cant make it bootable on a fresh computer