Who has experience reinstalling windows using a USB instead of Recovery Disc.

[Choi]

or find the list of things to boot from without changing boot order

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[Starzy]

Alright thanks guys, i'll see you soon with a fresh install :)

dang, the USB isn't big enough, i'll go with rarws idea.

[RarwMuffinz]

yes you can
if you couldnt i would be using windows 8 on my laptop otherwise

In that case, to reinstall start up windows.
It should say something like
"Press enter to boot from disk"
Press the button it says and select your flash drive with the arrow keys and enter.
Should tell you the rest onscreen

[Starzy]

In that case, to reinstall start up windows.
It should say something like
"Press enter to boot from disk"
Press the button it says and select your flash drive with the arrow keys and enter.
Should tell you the rest onscreen

I can't use the USB, it's too small, I'm partitioning 100 gb's to another drive, installing windows 8 onto that partition then I am wiping the other one and then combining the empty partition.

EDIT: What should I do now

[Frankie²]

Alright, one final check.

I download what ever .iso I want from that link (In this case it's the english x64 for 64bit windows even though I have 32 bit windows) then I use that program and somehow mount it to my USB, then I go into the BIOS and change the setting run from Drive, then CD then USB to Usb, Drive then CD, then I run through the steps then use my original activation key on the bottom of my computer to activate windows? Then reverse the BIOS settings.

you need to download the version the key is for

I can't use the USB, it's too small, I'm partitioning 100 gb's to another drive, installing windows 8 onto that partition then I am wiping the other one and then combining the empty partition.

EDIT: What should I do now

you need to install windows first

[Starzy]

you need to download the version the key is foryou need to install windows first

I'm going with this guide, I need to burn an ISO to a USB or DVD, ffs all I want to do is get a fresh install of windows.

[Starzy]

Wait I realised i'm stupid, if I just download and install windows 8 it gives me the option to wipe my original windows 7, alright thats all goods. If I need help i'll unlock.

[Starzy]

Alright unlocked to say this

I successfully did it yay.

Steps on how I did it.
>> buy/get whatever version of windows I want (This gives you an .iso of windows)
>> Put it on my usb via rufus (Windows didn't work)
>> Restarted computer, hit f12 as it was starting up, went into boot section and changed the boot order to USB then HDD.
>> Put in USB, restarted computer and went through the install, chose custom install to format my original C: drive, installed windows 8.1
>> Finished, didn't need to change boot order back as if I needed to restart again, I wouldn't need to change it back.