Win 8.1 install on 64 bit new machine via USB - need 32-bit iso

Have you tried building the boot media from someone's PC running Win7/8 64-bit? That could alleviate your issue and have you building the PC only once.

I am now suspecting he is telling the person to get the 32 bit version of the OS and is referring to it as '32-bit.iso)  Again not stated as such in the response and I have no purchase history with the store any way.  I now assume the '32-bit.iso' file contains the refers to the OS 32 bit version and the bootsect.exe container therein.

Exactly right and what I was telling you, but what you get is a 32-bit OS at the end of it. If you want 64-bit, you have to create the installation media on a machine running 64-bit already.

Find a friend or family member with a computer running 64-bit, and create your bootable ISO on it or buy a DVD drive and save yourself a lot of trouble.. .

You can give it a try using the setupbox.exe program mentioned in the previous message........

In the process of upgrading PC's for 64 bit support.  I have purchased most of the components & have the PC ready for it's initial loading of Win 8.1, however, there is no DVD reader presently installed.  I want to install the OS via USB.  All of my existing PC's are running on XP SP3 current with all updates & patches.

What parts have you bought? It is the motherboard architecture which decides 32 or 64-bit. Is the motherboard 64-bit compatible? What make and model is it? How old is it?

So far this is what I have accomplished:

Installed Win 8.1 32 bit trial on a virtual machine to determine if it was as bad as the press it receives.  Concluded it was not as bad as the press it receives   and purchased Win 8.1 Pro 64 bit OEM for new PC build.

So you tried out with 32-bit but bought 64-bit for the final upgrade? Why did you do this?

After downloading and installing all the SW to prepare the USB, creating an iso image of the DVD, I started the creation process.

Is this how you created the bootable USB drive?

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windows-8/a/install-windows-8-usb.htm

I receive the message '............ unable to run bootsect ............'.  I created a MS account during the trial of 8.1.  When looking at my MS account, it shows I   have no purchase history (true).

How do I get the 32-bit. iso, so I can complete the process of loading new with the Win 8.1 operating system?

You have to buy the 32-bit installation media. It is not possible to create 32-bit installation media from a 64-bit DVD.

It is not easy to determine what you have done or what you are working with re the basic computer.

One major point to bear in mind is that Microsoft do NOT recommend upgrading XP computer to Windows 8..

Hi,

Somehow I don't understand exactly what you are trying to do...

You are asking about a 32 bit ISO at the same time you mention a 64 bit disk and disk image...

They are not interchangeable... Did you get the bootsect error while trying to create the bootable  64 bit USB ?

Is the 32 bit for the old XP machines, and the 64 bit for the newest one, or am I missing something?