bramp.net :: Create Bootable Windows Server 2008 USB Stick

Create Bootable Windows Server 2008 USB Stick

2008-06-23 21:03:23 9 Comments

I recently had the need to install Windows Server 2008 from a USB stick. This was because I didn't have a working DVD drive to hand. I found a couple of tutorials online explaining how to create the disk. They generally explained this technique:

C:\> diskpart

DISKPART> list disk

     Select the USB device from the list and substitute the disk number below
     when necessary

DISKPART> select disk 1
DISKPART> clean
DISKPART> create partition primary
DISKPART> select partition 1
DISKPART> active
DISKPART> format fs=fat32
DISKPART> assign
DISKPART> exit

xcopy X:\*.* /s/e/f Y:\

     where X:\ is your mounted image or physical DVD and Y:\ is your USB
     device

However it appears diskpart is unable to see USB sticks under Windows XP. I have later tried on Vista and this limitation appears removed. But for those using Windows XP I have found an alternative method.

Firstly find the bootsect.exe tool on the Windows Server disc (in the boot directory). Then run this command where U is the drive letter of the USB stick.

D:\boot> bootsect.exe /nt60 U:

Now copy all the files from the Windows Server disc onto the USB stick. This can be done by dragging in the GUI or using the xcopy method shown previously.

I have yet to repeat this procedure and I might have previous partitioned or formatted my USB stick in a unique way. So if this method doesn't work drop me a mail and I'll see what I can do.

Karl Kuehn

Thanks for the help, this worked great for me, although I used fs=NTFS.

Of note, I was building three different 8GB drives (server 2008 - Hyper-V, Server 2008, Vista), and found that I had to reboot Vista between each usage of the diskpart utility, otherwise it was telling me there wasn't enough free space, no matter how many cleans and clean alls I tried.

Aside from that, all three drives went well!

2009-09-23 00:56:55

Gary Moon

Saved our butt! Showed up to reformat a server with only a cd-rom, had one USB key on us. Thanks heaps!

2009-11-12 05:32:17

John E

This doesn't seem to work for me, I have a Corsair Flash Voyager 16GB usb drive. I ran the bootsect command which worked, and then tried both xcopy and GUI to copy the Windows 2008 files over but my server won't recognize the drive as bootable. I've tried formatting first with SwissKnife as well but that didn't help. Any recommendations? I only have access to windows server 2003 and XP, so diskpart doesn't work for me.

2010-02-02 19:15:49

bramp

John E, the only suggestion I have is you try with a different USB drive. As I understand it there are two types of drives, and some BIOSes have problems booting from one of them.

2010-02-16 14:41:00

SithSon

Hi.

This worked for me.
I got a HP ML150 and it wouldn't boot off my original W2008 DVD. Other DvDs and CDs booted OK. Even when using the same DvD-RW disc it would boot Win7, but not Win Server 2008.

Very strange.

So I followed the steps to boot off of my USB stick Corsair Flash Voyager GT 16Gb and it worked like a charm.

Thanks alot for this (although you're not the author, this exact same solution is available on 100 sites all over).

Thx anyway! :P

2010-05-12 22:35:50

Mac

Worked a charm and got me out of a sticky patch or a rack full ;)

@SithSon - who cares if he isnt the author - it worked didnt it?

nice one Andrew

2010-06-10 14:52:45

Glad it worked for both SithSon and Mac. I may not be the author of the original idea, but I have credited my sources and combined different people's knowledge to make this work, and if you notice I posted this over two years ago when I couldn't find the full solution elsewhere.

2010-06-10 18:20:39

Dave P

Thanks for the post.
Helped me out!

2010-06-21 14:33:05

Dennis

Thanks very much, it works

2010-07-22 07:53:11