To successfully create a Windows 7 installation USB from Linux, ensure you have:

• A valid Windows 7 ISO (SHA-1 checksum verified)
• USB drive with at least 4GB capacity (8GB recommended)
• Linux system with root access
• Basic terminal proficiency

First, let's find the correct device identifier for your USB:

lsblk
# OR
sudo fdisk -l

Look for your USB (typically /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc). Warning: Using the wrong device will wipe your data!

We'll use msdos partition table and FAT32 filesystem:

sudo umount /dev/sdX*
sudo parted /dev/sdX mklabel msdos
sudo mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sdX1

Create mount points and mount both devices:

mkdir -p ~/win7_iso ~/win7_usb
sudo mount -o loop win7.iso ~/win7_iso
sudo mount /dev/sdX1 ~/win7_usb

Use rsync for reliable copying:

sudo rsync -avh --progress ~/win7_iso/ ~/win7_usb/

Alternative method using dd (slower but thorough):

sudo dd if=win7.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress

For proper boot configuration:

sudo apt install syslinux mtools
sudo syslinux --install /dev/sdX1
sudo dd if=/usr/lib/syslinux/mbr/mbr.bin of=/dev/sdX

Check your work with:

sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdX
file -s /dev/sdX*

Common issues:

• If boot fails, recreate with --no-rsync option
• For UEFI systems, ensure ISO supports UEFI boot
• Check BIOS settings for legacy boot options

For those preferring GUI tools:

sudo apt install woeusb
woeusb --target-filesystem NTFS --device win7.iso /dev/sdX

Or using UNetbootin (may not work perfectly for Windows ISOs):

sudo apt install unetbootin
unetbootin method=diskimage isofile=win7.iso

---

• Windows 7 ISO image (official Microsoft image recommended)
• USB flash drive with ≥4GB capacity
• Linux system with terminal access
• Administrative (root) privileges

1. Identify Your USB Device

First, connect your USB drive and identify its device name:

lsblk

Look for your USB device (typically /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc). Warning: Selecting the wrong device will erase your data!

2. Format the USB Drive

Unmount and format the drive (replace X with your actual device letter):

sudo umount /dev/sdX*
sudo mkfs.ntfs -f /dev/sdX1

3. Install Required Tools

For Debian/Ubuntu systems:

sudo apt-get install wimtools syslinux mtools

4. Mount the ISO Image

mkdir ~/win7_iso
sudo mount -o loop Win7.iso ~/win7_iso

5. Extract Boot Files

Copy boot files to USB (adjust paths as needed):

sudo ms-sys -7 /dev/sdX
sudo cp ~/win7_iso/bootmgr /media/usb/
sudo mkdir /media/usb/boot
sudo cp ~/win7_iso/boot/bcd /media/usb/boot/
sudo cp ~/win7_iso/boot/boot.sdi /media/usb/boot/

6. Extract Install.wim

For large ISO files (>4GB):

wimlib-imagex split ~/win7_iso/sources/install.wim /media/usb/sources/install.swm 3800

For simpler cases where ISO fits on FAT32:

sudo dd if=Win7.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress

• If boot fails, try recreating the MBR: sudo ms-sys --mbr7 /dev/sdX
• For UEFI systems, additional EFI boot files may be required
• Verify ISO checksum matches Microsoft's official releases