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Hi all, so I've been trying to install Windows 7 via USB and keep getting the message:
"Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key"
This is with just the removeable drive enabled in boot priority. I've used three different methods of putting Windows onto the USB drive and they all do the same. I've just tried the same but using a copy of XP instead of Win7 and it gives this error message here too!
Any ideas? I'm pulling my hair out with this!
Thanks
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What file format is the USB stick using, and how are you making it bootable?
Also, welcome to the forums 
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http://spemi.blogspot.com/2009/10/insta … ee-pc.html
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour … -DP0FvX7xQ
WinToFlash should work with normal Windows 7 as well, but not the Asus Recovery DVD.
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Well firstly I tried using this software "Windows 7 USD DVD Download Tool" which is a wizard that will do all the work for you. No luck with that! I then tried it with WinToFlash and it didn't work!
I've also tried it using Windows 7 Professional mounted as an ISO and using the DVD and neither have worked. I have an account with MSDN so it's legit software and not just a dodgy downloaded iso
I've used the following guides:
http://www.eeeguides.com/2007/11/instal … thumb.html
http://www.intowindows.com/windows-7-in … procedure/
http://www.intowindows.com/bootable-usb/
I'm very frustrated as I've done this before using a copy of XP and it worked fine.. I've even done it using Win7 Beta and it worked!
Thanks
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May have to check the ISO to make sure it's not corrupt?
Can you extract it's contents? Or see if it'll mount with a virtual drive?
It could also just be the USB, not all will work.
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Well I've tried doing it all using an ISO downloaded from Microsoft, which mounts fine, and has been used to install Win7 on my girlfriend's laptop. I've also tried doing it using the DVD that I burned to install it for my girlfriend and it didn't work either.
I also tried an ISO of Windows XP which I know works as I've used it to install XP onto my eee in the past.
The 4gb Sandisk Micro Cruzer is the drive I've used every time in the past too so I know it's compatable!
Very frustrating.. I just can't think what else to try!
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Which model Eee PC are you trying to install from, it may have BIOS specific settings you may need to change?
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It's the 901 with 20gb SSD
BIOS settings are:
Advanced:
Onboard device configuration - LAN, Camera, WLAN and Bluetooth Enabled.
CPU Config: Max CPUID Value Limit disabled, Hyper Threading enabled, Intel Speedstep enabled
Boot Device Priority: 1st Removable Device, 2nd Disabled
Hard Disk Drives: 1st Drive HDD:SS-ASUS-PHISON, 2nd drive is same.
Boot Settings: Quick Boot Enabled, Quiet Boot Enabled.
Onboard LAN Boot ROM Disabled
And that's all the settings
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Are you using BIOS version 2103?
Perhaps try one of the other methods I linked to before?
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Yeah it's BIOS v.2103
I'll give the methods you linked me to a try today. Thanks
EDIT: I've just looked at the links you provided and they're just guides to the Microsoft tool for doing it which just aren't working. All I can think of left to try is using a different USB drive. Unfortunately this is my only 4gb! So I better borrow one from a friend
Last edited by jamlid (2010-03-02 8:21:39 am)
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Just tried a different 4gb USB Drive and it now says "Invalid system disk. replace the disk, and then press any key"
Hmmm...
I've got an unusable laptop now! The Win7 Beta OS I was using has expired.. 
EDIT: I've thrown in the towel and ordered a USB CD Drive for £30 off Ebay. *sigh*
Last edited by jamlid (2010-03-02 4:41:49 pm)
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Make sure it's a DVD drive?
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zeo wrote:
Make sure it's a DVD drive?
Phew! You just made me VERY worried!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? … K:MEWNX:IT
Luckily I'm safe - DVD/CD writer
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jamlid wrote:
...Luckily I'm safe - DVD/CD writer
Regret to deflate your probable expectations; that is only a cd-writer, not a dvd-burner. However, it reads-only dvd discs and is suitable to read your recovery dvd. 
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This is a bit belated but I have the answer to this.
The Windows 7 installation doesn't properly write to the MBR unless it formats the drive before you install.
So what this means is when you are doing the install, even if the destination drive is formatted fat/ntfs, you must use the installers format function on that drive. Do that, then redo the installation and it will work.
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ondoy4759 wrote:
jamlid wrote:
...Luckily I'm safe - DVD/CD writer
Regret to deflate your probable expectations; that is only a cd-writer, not a dvd-burner. However, it reads-only dvd discs and is suitable to read your recovery dvd.
Sorry, I didn't explain myself properly! I should have said luckily I'm safe - It does DVDs and is also a CD writer! :p
Helm wrote:
This is a bit belated but I have the answer to this.
The Windows 7 installation doesn't properly write to the MBR unless it formats the drive before you install.
So what this means is when you are doing the install, even if the destination drive is formatted fat/ntfs, you must use the installers format function on that drive. Do that, then redo the installation and it will work.
Thanks for this info. What do you mean by "you must use the installers format function on that drive" ?
Just received an e-mail to say my CD drive is going to be late in arriving due to chinese new year!
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When you start the Windows 7 setup program, the initial screens take you to a point where you need to select the drive to install to. On that screen, at the bottom are more options (like Delete, Format, etc). Use the format function there on the drive you intend to install Windows 7 on. Then install as normal.
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It didn't actually give me the Delete/Format options, so I just cleared enough space as I could from the 15gb HDD, then installed it on there and formatted the 5GB where Windows was on before.
Problem solved! Thanks guys Although I still don't know why it wouldn't boot from USB..
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Hello,
OK this is a huge bump but I'm trying to install Windows 7 from my bootable USB stick and am receiving the same message.
"Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key"
I know that the USB is bootable because I can boot my PC with it.
I'm a 100he user.
Any ideas of what I could try? I really don't want to order an external cd/dvd player just for this!
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Anyone?
I'm thinking of buying a CD rom now, but what I'm afraid of is that it might do the same to what its doing with the USB now!
My netbook is unusable! XP system crashes and reboots. If i try to boot it in safe mode it gets stuck on mup.sys
Very frustrating.
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flybli wrote:
Hello,
.....I know that the USB is bootable because I can boot my PC with it.......
Would you care to elaborate on this further? I think this should be reconciled with your problem. Fyi, i never had any problem creating a bootable usb thumb drive or sd card; in fact my windows 7 installation was done via the thumb drive.
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Basically what I've done was I have created a boot sector on a 4 GB USB stick where I copied contents of a Windows 7 CD (I followed a number of different manuals). This made the 4gb usb stick bootable, i.e. if you choose "removable device" as the preferred boot device and insert the USB stick then the computer should boot from it in the same manner as it would boot from a CD.
When I select removable device as the preferred boot device on my PC (i.e. not netbook) and insert the USB stick then the PC boots fine, in exactly the same way as it would boot from a CD. If, however, I do the same on the netbook then it just doesn't find a boot sector (see first message). I have tried all three USB slots.
Last edited by flybli (2010-04-15 1:59:57 pm)
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flybli wrote:
.....When I select removable device as the preferred boot device on my PC (i.e. not netbook) and insert the USB stick then the PC boots fine, in exactly the same way as it would boot from a CD. If, however, I do the same on the netbook then it just doesn't find a boot sector (see first message). I have tried all three USB slots.
Have you tried hitting and holding-down the [Esc] key when the asus splash screen appears during the boot-up process? If you did, you will see a selection/choice of which device to boot from, and one of them should be the usb thumb drive.
Note: To be able to do the above, you must disable the boot booster.
Last edited by ondoy4759 (2010-04-15 8:39:41 pm)
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Thanks ondoy4759
Holding down the esc key worked for this problem!!
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I see people making this mistake over and over. The "Removable Drive" option in the bios works only if you an external CD/DVD reader plugged in.
If you're using a flash drive the only thing you'll see is the "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press any key." screen.
If you want to boot from the USB you need to have it plugged in before the BIOS kicks in, preferably while the PC is still off, then when you enter the BIOS screen, in the boot section, you'll see a "+Hard Disk" option, this is the one that matters, inside make the USB:<Your USB Disk Model Name> the 1st boot Disk. Once this is done all you have to do is press F10 to exit and save changes.
Or if you're lazy you can simply press Esc at the gray Asus Eee screen and select the USB:<Your USB Disk Model Name> to boot from it.
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