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I need to create a Windows installation USB drive from an ISO file.

I used unetbootin which seems to be the only tool that can write non-linux images.

The USB disk boots (sort-of), but it gets stuck at the very first stage. A UNetbootin spash screen that keeps counting-down from ten to 0, and then restarts.

The screen looks like this: enter image description here

Is there a way to make Windows boot from a USB image created on Linux?

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As far as I know it only works on an NTFS partition, so re-format your thumb drive. This brings another problem, because version 494 of unetbootin is the latest that could write to ntfs partitions, so use that one instead of the current. – Cumulus007 Aug 25 '12 at 21:29

2 Answers

up vote 6 down vote

Method 1

Using gparted format the drive FAT16, set the boot flag.

Using Archive Manager extract the iso to the drive.

(or just copy the DVD to the drive).

That's it.

works for me

Method 2

To create your bootable installer disc, select an ISO image or CD/DVD disc, and click Install enter image description here

This will create your Windows Vista/7 installer USB. It is worth mentioning here that the tool might also work with Windows 8; however, it has not been tested. Having said that, the developer has mentioned that the supported images include, “Windows Vista, Seven+.” You can install WinUSB either from the Deb package given at the developer’s website (for Oneiric, Natty, Maverick and Lucid), or from the PPA given below.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:colingille/freshlight
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install winusb

Since WinUSB also works from the command line, you can create a Windows 7 or Windows Vista USB installer by following the command line format given below

sudo winusb --format <iso path> <device>

Once the USB is formatted using the above method, install a Windows partition and edit the Master Boot Record:

sudo winusb --install <iso path> <partition>
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You mean you do not even need to use unetbootin or similar tools? – Salim Fadhley Mar 28 '12 at 23:35
That will copy the ISO content to USB, but will it make the USB bootable? – mikewhatever Mar 28 '12 at 23:39
1  
Yes that will make USB bootable only u have to format the drive into FAT16 using gparted tool – Gaurav_Java Mar 28 '12 at 23:42
This is usless to me unless it boots? I do not understand how Gaurav_Java's technique could make the disk bootable. Setting the boot flag only marks a partition as bootable but does not tell the computer what to boot. How on earth could this work? – Salim Fadhley Mar 28 '12 at 23:46
Guarav_Java, in your previous instructions you said to format to NTFS? Which do you mean - NTFS or FAT16? I'm confused! – Salim Fadhley Mar 28 '12 at 23:47
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up vote 0 down vote

Use multisystem.. It's very simple and you also can install various ISO's..

The link's under shows you the same program, but for information sake's :)

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/multiboot-create-a-multiboot-usb-from-linux/

http://sourceforge.net/projects/multisystem/

enjoy :)

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