Media Creation Tool updated

Bree said:

No doubt they already have a 1909 Products.xml for internal use, but releasing it on the update servers would only be done when 1909 goes public.

Such a Products.xml, if leaked, can be used with the current MCT with a /SelfHost option, but the last time one was leaked was for 1809.

I wasn't talking about the products.xml that Microsoft might have for 1909 Bree. Im guessing the Products.xml that they have internally for 1909 would be totally different to any Products.xml that they would give to 1903 to include Build 10.0.18362.418 in the ISO.
I was talking about the changes I described that they've just made to the latest 1903 MCT file properties (Digital Signature has now been updated to 6 October 2019 which coincidentally coincided approximately with the date that the KB4517389 cumulative update which took the build up to 10.0.18362.418 was released and also changing the file properties to 10.0.18362.418).
I meant to say that Its a bit strange that Microsoft didn't update the Products.xml for 1903 and include build 10.0.18362.418 at the same time they made those two changes to the Media Creation Tool's file properties for the latest 1903 version on their website...otherwise I don't really understand why they bothered making those two changes at all

sportsfan148 said:

Are you seeing the exact same thing as me then Bree regarding what is showing in the MCT properties (digital signature dated October 6th 2019 etc)? I just wondered if you had checked it out too or am I cracking up lol ?

No, you are not cracking up. Yes, I downloaded it afresh when I read the OP and saw the same as you (witness the screenshot in post #4). No doubt MS have their reasons for issuing an updated one, but TBH any MCT from the 1809 or later will download Products.xml and use it to build the current 18362.256 356 ISO.

The MCT has evolved over time, and I have collected them all.

Up to and including the 1607 MCT the products details were hard-coded into the MCT. Any MCT from the original 10240 pair (one for x86, another for x64), through 1511 and 1607 will still, to this day, build the ISO for their respective versions.

Then with 1703 it seems that Products.xml was introduced. For the 1703, 1709 and 1803 MCTs they will check, then tell you they aren't the latest version and you should download a newer one.

From 1809 onwards the MCT seems happy to work with whatever the current Products.xml tells it to make.

Update [2020-05-27]: Since the release of 2004 and its associated Products.xml, the MCTs from 1809 up to 1909 will now say there is a newer MCT and that you should download it now.

Bree said:

TBH any MCT from the 1809 or later will download Products.xml and use it to build the current 18362.256 ISO.

Im guessing that was a Typo Lol...you meant 18362.356? I thought Id better verify that just in case anybody else might be following this thread.

Bree said:

Up to and including the 1607 MCT the products details were hard-coded into the MCT. Any MCT from the original 10240 pair (one for x86, another for x64), through 1511 and 1607 will still, to this day, build the ISO for their respective versions.

Then with 1703 it seems that Products.xml was introduced. For the 1703, 1709 and 1803 MCTs they will check, then tell you they aren't the latest version and you should download a newer one.

From 1809 onwards the MCT seems happy to work with whatever the current Products.xml tells it to make.

Hi again Bree. Yeah I took a close look at the screenshot you posted in Post #4 originally...but I was wondering if you also had the digital signature change to 6 October 2019. I thought that was particularly strange and obviously you had no reason to post a screenshot of that to verify whether you too saw that.

Thanks for the in depth explanation of how the process works. I had always thought that the Iso build was defined by hard coding into the MCT. If I understand your explanation correctly, Now when you Run the MCT it immediately checks online for a Products.xml to verify what build Microsoft last prepared for the MCT for making the Iso (probably where you see the initial "Getting Things Ready" screen). And as of now that would be 10.0.18362.356...so that Iso is the one that will be created. And after installation you will usually have to get one CU through Windows Update to bring you right up to date to the current build because the Iso that the Media Creation Tool downloads will usually be out of date as Microsoft doesn't update the Iso frequently

sportsfan148 said:

Im guessing that was a Typo Lol...you meant 18362.356?

Ooops! (corrected now)

If I understand your explanation correctly, Now when you Run the MCT it immediately checks online for a Products.xml...

The 1511 MCT contained its own Products.xml while the 1607 MCT contained its own Products.cab from which the .xml was extracted.



From the 1703 MCT on a Products.cab is downloaded at run time and the .xml extracted. For the 1703 to 1803 MCTs if the .xml is for a newer version than expected the MCT will not let you use it. From the 1809 MCT on it will.

And after installation you will usually have to get one CU through Windows Update to bring you right up to date to the current build because the Iso that the Media Creation Tool downloads will usually be out of date as Microsoft doesn't update the Iso frequently

Correct.