Preliminary information
Prima di enter the live tutorial, walking to spiegare how to download windows 7 to USB, there are some preliminary information, in this regard, that it is my duty to provide you to make sure that everything runs smoothly.
To begin with, it must be pointed out that currently Windows 7 it is no longer an operating system supported by Microsoft, consequently it is not updated either as regards the functionality or as regards the security front.
In light of this, I suggest that you avoid using it, preferring, rather, Windows 10 or in any case a more updated version of the Microsoft OS or Ubuntu or another Linux distro. In this regard, I recommend reading my guides on how to install Windows 10 and how to install Ubuntu.
If you still want to use Windows 7 despite everything, the first thing you need to do is worry about finding one USB pendrive fit for purpose. You don't need any special pendrive, don't worry. Much more simply, you have to make sure that the one you choose to use has a capacity of at least 4 GB. If you don't have one yet, you can consult my buying guide dedicated to USB sticks, to receive useful information on brands, types, capacities and so on.
Considering then that the pendrive you are going to use will be formatted. If this contains files and if you want to prevent them from being lost, I therefore advise you to make a preventive backup of the data in question. To do this, you can take advantage of one of the tools that I indicated to you in my review dedicated to backup programs.
To create a pendrive with Windows 7, you will also have to worry about finding the ISO file operating system. If you have the OS installation disk, you can extract the system image from there, following the instructions on what to do that I gave you in my guide on how to extract ISO files from DVDs and CDs. Alternatively, if you are using a fast and stable Internet connection, you can download the Windows 7 ISO from Microsoft's website.
In all cases, keep in mind that in order to use Windows 7 you must have the relevant one license. If you don't have one yet, you can find out how to get it by reading my guide on how to buy Windows 7.
How to download Windows 7 to USB stick
Having made the necessary clarifications above, I would say that we can finally get to the point and, therefore, find out how to download Windows 7 on USB. I anticipate immediately that to do so it is sufficient to resort to the use of some programs specially designed for the purpose, those that you find indicated below, together with the relative instructions for use.
Rufus
The first useful tool to create a pendrive with Windows 7 that I suggest you consider is called Rufus. It is a free software, for Windows operating systems only and also available in a no-install version, which allows you to create a bootable Windows pendrive and countless Linux distros, in an incredibly simple and fast way. Note that it also allows direct downloads of Windows 10 and 8.1.
To download the program on your computer, go to the Rufus website and click on the link Rufus xx Portable che trovi in corrispondenza della sezione Download.
Once the download is complete, open the .exe file obtained and, in the window you see appear on the desktop, click on the button Yes. After that, click the button once again Yes, in such a way as to allow the program to check for updates online.
At this point, connect the pendrive you want to use to one of the USB ports of the computer and, in the main window of Rufus that has appeared on the screen in the meantime, make sure that the device is selected from the drop-down menu Device / unit present at the top (if not, take care of it).
Now, make sure that in the drop-down menu under the heading Boot selection the item is selected Disc image or ISO (select) (if not, always do it yourself), then click on the button Select adjacent and select the operating system ISO file.
After completing the above steps, the Rufus parameters should change automatically to suit the operating system: to avoid problems of any nature, however, make sure that the items are selected MBR in the section Partition scheme e NTFS in the section File System.
In Seguito, Premium Pulsating starts and wait for the USB key creation procedure with Windows 7 to start and complete.
UNetbootin
Another program you can use to download Windows 7 to USB is UNetbootin. This is a free software, running both on Windows (it does not have to be installed) and on macOS and Linux, thanks to which you can select ISO files of your choice and create bootable USB sticks. Note that it also supports direct download of Linux operating systems.
To download it to your computer, go to the official website of the program and click on the button Download (Windows) (if you are using Windows) or on that Download (macOS) (if you are using macOS) that you find at the top of the page.
When the download is complete, if you are using Windows, april il .exe file obtained and, in the window you see appear on the screen, click on the button Yes.
Se, invece, stai using MacOS, april il package .dmg obtained, drag theprogram icon in the folder Applications Mac, right click on it, select the item apri from the menu that appears and then press the button apri in the window on the screen, in such a way as to open the application going to circumvent the limitations desired by Apple against non-certified developers (an operation that must be carried out only at the first start). Next, type the Password of your user account and press the button Submit on the keyboard.
Now that, regardless of the operating system used, you see the main UNetbootin window, select the option Disc image, check that the item is selected in the drop-down menu next to it ISO (if not, do it yourself), click the button (...) and select the Windows 7 ISO image.
At this point, connect the pendrive you want to use to one of the USB ports on your computer, make sure that in the drop-down menu Type located at the bottom, the option is selected USB drive (if not, always do it yourself), select the drive for your key from the menu Unit adjacent and start the procedure of copying the data on the unit, by clicking on the button OK.
Apple Boot Camp
If you are using a Mac, you can also consider using Apple Boot Camp. Haven't you ever heard of it? No problem, I'll explain immediately what it is. It is an application included in all newer versions of MacOS, which allows you to install Windows on Apple-branded computers in dual-boot, so you can choose, at each start, which operating system to use.
Download from the Internet all the drivers necessary for Windows to work, copy the ISO image of the system to a pendrive (if necessary) and create the partition useful for proceeding with the installation on the hard disk.
It is therefore a tool through which you can download Windows 7 to USB, but which is only and exclusively useful if you want to install the Microsoft OS as a separate partition on the hard drive already used for macOS. For further information, I invite you to refer to my tutorial focused specifically on how to install Windows on Mac.
How to download Windows 7 and install via USB
Have you finally managed to download Windows 7 to USB and now you would like to understand how to install the operating system using the pendrive in question? I'll immediately explain how to proceed, it's child's play.
To begin with, if it is your intention to intervene on the computer currently in use, leaves connected the pendrive to the PC. If, on the other hand, you have to go to act on a different PC, disconnect the key from your current computer, insert it into one of the USB ports of the reference computer and turn it on (or restart it, if it was already running).
Next, wait for the boot of the pendrive with Windows 7. If this does not happen, you need to change the settings of the BIOS, going to set the pendrive as the first boot device, as I explained in detail in my guide on how to enter the BIOS.
Also keep in mind that if you are working on a recent computer you may need to set theUEFI (the "modern" system that replaced BIOS) to run in legacy mode, that is, using a compatibility system that allows the installation of old operating systems, also disabling the functionality Secure Boot (not compatible with Windows 7), as I explained to you in depth in my post on how to access the BIOS.
After completing the above steps, you may be asked to press any key to boot the machine from USB: therefore, follow the instructions displayed on the screen and wait a few minutes for the installation program to copy all the necessary files to the memory.
When you see the screen to proceed with the installation of Windows 7, click on the button NEXT, to confirm the use of thecityno as a language, and on the button Install, in order to start the procedure. Then select (if required) theedition of the system you want to install (eg. 7 Windows Home Premium) and click on your button NEXT.
Then accept the conditions of use of the system by checking the box next to the item I accept the license conditions, and click once more on NEXT, to continue further. At this point, press the button Custom (Expert users)click sulla voce Advanced drive options present at the bottom right, select the partition on which you want to install the OS and first click on the button Format which is at the bottom and on that OK located in the center.
Then click on the button once again NEXT and on that OK, in order to start the installation of Windows 7. The installation operation will take a few minutes and several restarts.
When finished, follow the first start wizard system to configure user accounts, settings and network, enter the product key Windows, after which you will finally find yourself in front of the Windows 7 desktop and you can start using the OS. For more details, refer to my specific tutorial on how to install Windows 7.
How to download Windows 7 to USB
