as even a movie mania like me have burnt my last CDR on Spring of 2007 and the CD/DVD writer I keep just-in-case just sitting on my computer case slot : have been installing Windows via USB instead from late 2009 . in the early days : making an USB dongle bootable like a CD took quite a bit of research, to find what controllers they are using and it gets more complicated as the same manufacture and model may switch controllers without notice -_- but some are coming out with Windows installation in mind AND dedicated software to make it bootable a snap 😉 the easy part is that a sale listing would clearly state it will be bootable, but you still have to try out several models as all have different menus . the one I ended up is made by Zyrus and model name Twins, supposed to be made domestically in South Korea .
the first menu far above is to make partitions in their Blue Eye model, where as the second menu above is to make it bootable to install Windows (currently 7 SP1) onto your computer . you won’t know what a beautiful sight this is, if you are new to this concept .. as earlier efforts needed much input on an incomparably complicated menu system . they come in a choice of either 4GB, 8GB or 16GB where the first would suffice for a stand-alone installation, while you will have to choose the second capacity if you want to embed a multiple image : for example both 32bit and 64bit versions of Windows (where a menu will pop-up during installation to choose).
– always on-the-run with a couple of slazzy USB dongles, Korea Tech BLog –
( March 2015 Update ) even in the age of third-generation of USB boot :
- first generation was when you had to figure out the exact controller in the USB dongle – which changes at the mercy of its manufacturer – done by a queer Chinese database, then number-tweaking on a complicated Ui user interface ..
- second generation is for the likes of this model : where the manufacturer offers its own software dedicated to making this USB-bootable to install Windows,
- and currently the third where a third-party software can make any USB bootable (Mr.Spock would have exclaimed “fascinating !”)
I am still using this to install a series of older version of Windows