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I want to install Windows from my external hard drive (using a tool such as Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool). However, I don't want to lose the data I already have stored on the HD. Is it possible?

PS: It's a HD, I have many data stored. I can't backup.

Doon
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    The very process of installing Windows will require you to format the drive. – Ramhound Oct 19 '13 at 17:42
  • Not sure if I was clear, but I want to create a bootable USB stick to install windows. I know my HD destination will be formatted. I just don't want to format the USB stick. Thanks! – Doon Oct 19 '13 at 17:45
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    Why not just backup the key first? Or go spring the ~$10 and buy a new USB key? Also, your question is unlcear -- Please edit it to reflect if it's a USB HD or USB flash drive you're trying to install from. – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Oct 19 '13 at 18:21
  • +1 for being unclear. "External harddrive" points to a drive. "USB stick" points to a pen drive which windows treats differently. – Hennes Oct 19 '13 at 18:52
  • @Hennes "+1 for being unclear"? ;) –  Oct 19 '13 at 23:19
  • @Doon - In either case the outcome is the same your data on the drive will be lost so back it up – Ramhound Oct 20 '13 at 00:07
  • Thank you for your answers guys. It was indeed unclear. I've just edited the question to be clearer. It's a HD, not a pen drive. And I can't backup, too much data... Thanks in advance! – Doon Oct 20 '13 at 12:23
  • http://superuser.com/questions/490476/how-can-i-install-windows-8-on-my-hdd-without-the-use-of-a-usb-or-dvd/490477#490477 might be worth a read – Journeyman Geek Oct 20 '13 at 13:02

3 Answers3

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I think it is possible. To install windows from an USB pen drive you need:

  1. A valid bootsector on the pen drive.
  2. A copy of the files normally found on a windows installation DVD.
  3. A filesystem which the windows installer understands (e.g. NTFS)
  4. Sufficient space (about 4GiB).

The well know win 7 USB DVD tool does most of these things for you, but nothing prevents you from doing the manually without a reformat and thus without loosing old data.

To solve 1):

  • Insert the pen drive
  • Boot windows 7 from a DVD or pen drive
  • Open a shell and go to the /boot on the DVD / pen drive
  • bootsect /nt60 Driveletter: (where driveletter is the letter assigned to the pen drive you want to install the bootsector on).

For step 2) Either copy the files from a DVD, from a pen drive or mount the iso and then copy.

3) Can't help you if the pen drive was not FAT or NTFS.

4) Can't help you either if the pen drive was too small. :)

Hennes
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  • I'm very grateful for your answer. But it's a HD, not a pen drive. I know the question was unclear, sorry! – Doon Oct 20 '13 at 12:30
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It sounds like what you are asking is whether you can install from the raw Windows installation files rather than from a disc-image.

This was definitely possible with older versions of Windows (at least up to Windows XP). You could copy the contents of the CD to a hard-drive (e.g., from d:\i386 to e:\winxp\i386). Then you could install it by booting into DOS and running e:\winxp\i386\winnt32.exe.

Unfortunately, it is not the same with Windows Vista and up. They use a different method of installing which is more complicated and requires booting from the installation media.

It is possible to install Windows 7 without a disc, but it is not easy. Basically, it involves creating a separate partition on the installation drive, extracting the installation files from the disc, “burning” the installation files to the new partition, and modifying the boot order to boot from that. It’s fairly complicated and intrusive and probably not what you want.

It is probably easier to either burn a DVD+R(W) of the image or “burn” a USB flash-drive installer.

Synetech
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You can do this. It is simple. Split the drive into two partitions using tools that can be found on the internet and move your data to the second partition.

If you have less the 50% free, you will need to create a partition as large as possible, move as much data as possible freeing space on the first partition, then re-size the second partition to be larger allowing you to move more data until you have all of your data on the second partition.

Then when you go to install windows, you should have a have C: and D: drive with your data on the D: partition and with the C: partition empty and ready for an install. Just beware the drive letters are arbitrary, so just make sure you are selecting the right partition as your work based on size or other labeling (like device\harddisk0\partition1) and your data will be safe.

Damon
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