As you might recall, we made a post about “security softwares for Windows 7,” after installing Windows 7 Beta Build 7000 Ultimate Edition on Lenovo Ideapad S10 Netbook. Here’re the steps, that’ll help you in installing Windows 7 on the Netbook, Notebook (Laptop) or desktop PCs.

The S10 Netbook comes preloaded with Windows XP Home Edition with following hardware config, minus (-) DVD drive.

• Intel Atom N270 1.60 GHz Processor
  1 GB DDR2 SDRAM
  160 GB WD HDD
  2 USB Ports

Preparing your USB Key (Flash drive) for installation:

1. The first step is to download Windows 7 Beta, if you’ve not yet downloaded, this is your last chance, as Microsoft has taken off general availability of Windows 7.
2. After downloading, you need to burn the Windows 7 ISO on a DVD, but S10 misses a optical drive. So I decided to use USB Key (Flash drive) to burn ISO file. But Windows XP treat the USB key pen drive as “removable media” by default, and and to make bootable USB flash drive, first you need to create a bootsector for MBR, and NTFS format that cann’t be done, until XP read the USB Key as local disk.

Steps to make your USB key bootable using Windows XP:

1. First check, if your USB pen drive is appearing in as “local disk” or “removable media” in “my computer”.
2. Download the two files: a)xpfildrvr1224_320.zip b) HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool.
3. Now extract the contents of “ xpfildrvr1224_320.zip” to a temp folder.
4. Install HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool.
5. Insert you USB pen drive that you want to turn into USB hard drive.
6. Right click on “my computer” -> properties -> hardware -> and click –> device manger:

   Expand 'Disk drives', right click your USB drive, select Properties. On the tab "Details" under XP the item "Device instance ID" is already selected. Click on the ID in the list and press Ctrl+C, this copies the ID into the Windows Clipboard, now open notepad and paste the ID using Ctrl+V.

   Note: XP shows the tab "Details" only when the environment variable DEVMGR_SHOW_DETAILS=1 is set:
   DevMgr_Show_1.reg download and doubleclick the file, then relogon to take effect.

7. Now, go to the temp folder, and open the included INF file with notepad, and search for [cfadisk_device]
   

   a. Now go to the notepad, where you’ve copied your USB ID, and copy the first part as shown under (see bold part)

   Sample ID: USBSTOR\DISK&VEN_LEXAR&PROD_JUMPDRIVE&REV_1.30\K326441127040&0

   b. Replace the bold part in following line with your USB ID that you’ve just copied in above step, and add under [cfadisk_device] heading:

   %Microdrive_devdesc% = cfadisk_install,USBSTOR\DISK&VEN_LEXAR&PROD_JUMPDRIVE&REV_1.30

   c. Save the file.

8. Open the device manager again (step 5) right-click the USB drive, "Update driver...", then "No, not this time" -> Next -> "Install from a list or..." -> Next -> "Don't search." -> Next -> "Have Disk" -> browse to the INF file here. Now "RemovableToFixed" should be in the list -> Next -> Confirm the two warnings -> Finish.

   Now the drive is redetected, as USB hard drive.

3. Open the command prompt and type the following commands:
   

   DISKPART
   LIST DISK
   SELECT DISK 1
   CLEAN
   CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
   SELECT PARTITION 1
   ACTIVE

   Now, open HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool, and format your USB pen drive as NTFS. Don’t use “quick format”. Once the format completes, go back to the command prompt and issue following commands:

   ASSIGN
   EXIT

   Don’t close the command prompt as we need to execute one more command at the next step. Just minimize it.

   Mount Windows 7 ISO file using Daemon tools or Virtual CloneDrive, and note down the drive letter of the mounted ISO file and your USB drive. We’ll assume that your ISO is mounted as “D:\” and USB drive letter is “E:\”.

   Maximize the minimized Command Prompt, type  the following command now:

   D:\ CD BOOT and hit enter.Where “D:\” is your mounted ISO file.
   CD BOOT and hit enter. Type another command given below to update the USB drive with BOOTMGR compatible code.

   BOOTSECT.EXE/NT60 E:
   Where “E” is your USB drive letter. Once you enter the above command you will see a success message.

   Finally, copy the Windows 7 contents to the USB flash drive with following command:

   XCOPY D:\*.* /s/e/f E:\

4. Done! Your USB drive is ready to boot and install Windows 7. Only thing you need to change the boot priority at the BIOS to USB from the HDD or CD ROM drive. And follow the installation instructions of Windows 7.
5. Once the installation is done, check this post to change the bootloader options.