microSD card as "Install Disk"

[takamine]

Hey everyone,

Is it possible to make a SD card (or microSD in my case) into an "Install Disc"?

I've got the iso file of Windows 7 x64 and wasn't sure on how to go about making it bootable (like how you press "c" when you start up your Mac and it boots from the CD).

Is there a specific type of format the microSD needs to be (eg. GUID table, FAT32 etc)?

[old-wiz]

so you're looking for help with a pirated copy of Windows? You won't get help here.

[takamine]

so you're looking for help with a pirated copy of Windows? You won't get help here.

So Microsoft lets us download a digital copy of their own product (Windows 7), and you're calling that piracy? ;) If you want to criticize me for doing something legal, then you can just PM me eh, no need to share it with the world :)

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/direct-download-ISO-dvd-for-windows-7-student-upgrade/

I purchased a copy of Windows 7 Professional through www.itsnotcheating.com.au and they gave us a link to download the digital version of it (see above link).

Back on topic, I'm trying to boot from an SD card instead of burning the ISO to a disc. Just want to know if that's possible.

[Bennieboy©]

it can be done but google wont find any explanation of it being done on a macbook pro,

personally i'd just burn the iso down to disc ;)

[takamine]

Yeah I couldn't find it there so I was hoping someone here might know... Nevermind, it's not the end of the world :rolleyes: If someone does know, please feel free to share :)

[takamine]

I've purchased Win7 from www.itsnotcheating.com.au and they supplied me with a link for the digital download of Win7 Professional (an ISO file).

Just want to know whether I can "burn" this to an SD card and sort of "boot" from it so it can install Win7 onto the bootcamp partition?

I tried googling but couldn't find anything.

[akadmon]

I've purchased Win7 from www.itsnotcheating.com.au and they supplied me with a link for the digital download of Win7 Professional (an ISO file).

Just want to know whether I can "burn" this to an SD card and sort of "boot" from it so it can install Win7 onto the bootcamp partition?

I tried googling but couldn't find anything.


4GB or bigger should work. If an SD card reader in your computer is not recognized, you may want too try a USB card reader (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_0_6?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=usb+sd+card+reader&x=0&y=0&sprefix=USB+SD). Then use the official Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (http://store.microsoft.com/Help/ISO-Tool) from Mircosoft to make the card bootbale.

[gugucom]

I've purchased Win7 from www.itsnotcheating.com.au and they supplied me with a link for the digital download of Win7 Professional (an ISO file).

Just want to know whether I can "burn" this to an SD card and sort of "boot" from it so it can install Win7 onto the bootcamp partition?

I tried googling but couldn't find anything.

Burning on DVD is also dead easy with disk utility.

EDIT: oops, a new feature this SD card stuff.

Virtual installations with fusion, parallels or Virtual box will accept ISOs from any data carrier like HDD or SD card.

[kgeier82]

you can just use disk utility and restore the flash card with the iso...??? youll probably need a 8GB card though.

should be pretty easy. If you have a mac.

[takamine]

Thanks for the replies. I just tried akadmon's method with the USB/DVD download tool but no success.

FYI, I've got a 2.8GHz 15" MBP (June 2009) with the SD card slot. Basically I'm trying to save burning a DVD and just get Win7 straight onto the SD so it's easier to carry around. That way if I need to reinstall windows, I can just slot in the SD card and I'll be away (hopefully).

I've tried using the restore function under Disk Utility but get Error 254 (Could not validate source).

I know that virtual installations take ISO files, but I want to restart my Mac, hold down option and select the SD as the installer so it's easier than waiting for the DVD to spin up etc.

[trungthiendo]

yeah if u have access to a windows computer u can make that micro sd into a bootable sd

or if u want u can try disk utility and expand the iso on the sd card.

[balamw]

Thanks for the replies. I just tried akadmon's method with the USB/DVD download tool but no success.
Just curious how did it fail?

Unfortunately the only box I have with an SD slot already has W7 installed from DVD so I can't really try it.

B

[takamine]

I tried using this method:
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7vista-from-usb-drive-detailed-100-working-guide/

Also tried using akadmon's method. I think the SD was "bootable" but not from that screen where you hold the Option key just after start up.

I tried using Disk Utility to expand the ISO onto the card. I tried it under the Restore tab, where I selected the mounted ISO file as the source "GRMCPRXFRER_EN_DVD" and the SD card as the Destination. When I click Restore, it asks for password and after that comes up with Error 254 (Could not validate source). The card was formatted with the GUID Table, and Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, journaled) format. I followed this guy's method but he was using it as a boot disc, not an install disk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gvQ-ediXqc

Could it possibly be the microSDHC card itself (ie. it only likes SD cards?).

[akadmon]

Did you plug your SD card using a USB reader, or the one built into your MBP?

[takamine]

Did you plug your SD card using a USB reader, or the one built into your MBP?

It's the built-in one. I saw people booting Snow Leopard from their SD-card slow and wondered if it's possible to use that as a "Start-up disk".