Creating An XP Bootable USB Stick The Super Easy Way

Posted In Computers, Videos | 7 comments

I’ll tell you, I’ve searched high and low for a utility like this. And I finally found one. It exists, it’s awesome and most of all, it’s easy.

The utility is WinToFlash.

It is FREE. The way it works is the essence of simplicity.

  1. Pop in a 1GB USB stick into your computer (4GB if doing a DVD transfer such as Win Vista/7).
  2. Run WinToFlash.
  3. Select the source (the CD/DVD drive), then the destination (the USB stick).
  4. Let the software write the files.
  5. Done.

And I mean done as in done. Ready-to-rock, bootable USB to install 2000, XP, Vista or 7. Works GREAT.

The long description:

Download WinToFlash. This is a single ZIP file.

Extract it to a new directory you create, then run the file WinToFlash (the EXE), like this:

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(For Vista/7 users, don’t worry it’s already set to run as administrator, so you don’t have to mess around with that at all.)

You will get a "DLP" error:

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Ignore it. Just click OK. This has been noted by the developers for the current version as of this writing and will be fixed in the next release.

Click the big green check icon:

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Click next:

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Select your source (the CD or DVD) and the destination (your USB stick):

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Click next, wait for the write to complete, and that’s it.

It doesn’t get any easier than this.

Can you say "AWESOME"? This is like a dream come true for those of us that have been pulling our hair out trying to get an XP bootable USB stick for reinstallation purposes.

From the above video, see it in action. It really works!

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  1. Monte
    1258 days ago

    Well your link works but their link to the ftp is broke, will have to bookmark it and try again in a day or two, I have two empty 4 gig drives itchin’ to be filled up!

    :)

    Sure makes the old tool box lighter.


  2. Rich Menga
    1258 days ago

    Yikes, good thing I saved it. I posted it local to this server. Download here.


  3. Tim
    1248 days ago

    Thanks but after trying several flash drives, several laptops, several downloads and failing to boot each time, I’ve given up on this s/w


  4. Rich Menga
    1246 days ago

    You’re the first person I’ve heard that had any problem with the software whatsoever. It would have been helpful if you said what exactly went wrong. Bear in mind it is beta software and since I posted my article there has been a new release of it that may fix whatever issue you were having with it.


  5. Tim
    1245 days ago

    Apologies for negativity and lack of detail, will persevere and thanks for your advice.
    The s/w copied files from WinXPP CD and installed to flash drives without issue, but no boot on newish (up to 3 yrs) laptops – flashing cursor only. Set Bios to boot from flash drive etc so not sure what the problem was.


  6. Rich Menga
    1245 days ago

    Not a problem. Assuming the CD you copied from is from Microsoft or an OEM disc (such as from Dell, Gateway, HP, etc.) and you can in fact boot from that disc in a PC or laptop with optical drive, the first thing to check is which USB port on the laptop you’re trying to boot from.

    USB ports on laptops do go “in order” during a boot cycle. On a Dell Inspiron 6000 I had, that laptop had 4 ports, two on the side, two on the back. If you tried to boot on USB port on a the side, it simply wouldn’t work. If you tried from a port on the back, it worked exactly like it was supposed to.

    I would try booting from each available USB port first to see if you get any further with the boot-from-USB process. Hopefully one of the other ports will get you past that blinking cursor.