how to install windows if I have no optical drive?

[Agnoslibertine]

Im going for a dual boot when I build my hackintosh.
But I don't have a optical drive, so I was wondering,
is it possible to download windows 8 on MacOS, and save it on a bootable drive (tweak it obviously).

to clarify, if I buy windows 8 from microsoft, can I download it on macOS as a image file?
how would you do it?

 

[Going Bald]

Im going for a dual boot when I build my hackintosh.
But I don't have a optical drive, so I was wondering,
is it possible to download windows 8 on MacOS, and save it on a bootable drive (tweak it obviously).

to clarify, if I buy windows 8 from microsoft, can I download it on macOS as a image file?
how would you do it?

Go to a friend or at work/school/local library, use a Windows computer and download the Windows USB tool and the Windows ISO file. Use the tool to create a USB installer.

Cannot be done on a mac.

 

[Agnoslibertine]

ok thanks.

but I have no friends.
I guess I'l just get a optical drive (they aren't that expensive anymore).

 

[gjcourt]

Are you sure this can't be done on a mac? Why do so many people recommend using the Boot Camp Assistant to create a Windows bootable USB?

 

[Going Bald]

Are you sure this can't be done on a mac? Why do so many people recommend using the Boot Camp Assistant to create a Windows bootable USB?

Using Bootcamp assistant is sometime hit-or-miss whether it works or not.

Best way is to use the Windows download tool and the downloaded Windows ISO on a Windows machine to create the Windows USB installer.

You can try Rufus also, but again, may work, may not.

 

[gjcourt]

Using Bootcamp assistant is sometime hit-or-miss whether it works or not.

Best way is to use the Windows download tool and the downloaded Windows ISO on a Windows machine to create the Windows USB installer.

You can try Rufus also, but again, may work, may not.

And if you have a windows machine sitting around, this is great advice. The trouble comes in when you only have access to linux/mac machines. FWIW I got the Boot Camp Assistant to work for me.