HOW TO: Create a Bootable USB Flash Drive for Installation of Windows Server 2012

With the announcement of Microsoft Windows Server 2012 release in a few days time, I thought I would write an article on HOW TO: Create a  Bootable USB Flash Drive of Microsoft Windows Server 2012 I have seen many internet articles on how to create a bootable copy of Windows Server, that seem very long winded and involved. This is the "Andy-method", which is quick and easy, with free software provided by Microsoft.

This can help speed up a server installation, and does not require a blank DVD to be written with the DVD ISO that has been downloaded from Microsoft Technet or MSDN. The same procedure can be used for Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2.

Prerequisites

1. Download the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

Using an Internet browser of your choosing download the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool from HERE. Although this software product is designed to work with Windows 7, I have also tested with Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012 to create a bootable USB flash drives of Windows Server 2008 R2 and 2012.

2. Install the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

Double Click the Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe in your download folder and proceed to install the software product.

3. Start the Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool application

Start the Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool application by double clicking the following icon on your Desktop

4. Choose the ISO file you have downloaded

The following screen will appear, browse to the location of the Windows Server 2012 ISO file you have downloaded from Microsoft.
Select Next to continue,

5. Choose media type

Ensure the USB flash or thumb drive is connected to the computer and select USB device.

6. Insert USB flash or thumb drive

Select the USB flash or thumb drive you want to prepare as a bootable copy of Windows Server 2012. Please exercise caution when selecting the USB device, the device will be formatted, and all the information will be lost.
Select Begin copying

7. Creating bootable USB device

Sit back, grab a cup of coffee, whilst the USB flash or thumb drive is formatted, and the files are extracted from the ISO and copied to the flash drive.
The process takes approximately 5 minutes to complete for a 3.5GB ISO.

8. Bootable USB device created successfully

Safely Remove the USB flash or thumb drive from your computer.

You have successfully created a Windows Server 2012 bootable usb flash drive to install your operating system.


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Thank you for reading my article, please leave valuable feedback. If you liked my Windows Server 2012 article and would like to see more Articles from me, please click the Yes button near the: Was this article helpful? at the bottom of this article just below and to the right of this information. Thank You. Do not forget if you have a question about this article or another VMware, Virtualisation, Windows Server 2012 question, why not post a Question for Me and the other Experts Exchange Experts in the VMware, Virtualisation, Windows 2008 Zones. I look forward to hearing from you. - Andy
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