tut: "How to Reinstall Windows 10 with this media"

Bob1212 · 02 Apr 2021

Reinstall Windows 10 with this media

I looked at doing that, in case my Windows won't start, but at:
3. Click/tap on Reinstall Windows 10 with this media. (see screenshot below)

I don't see the option to "Reinstall Windows 10 with this media" as pictured. I am using a bootable USB made with Rufus and 2004 ISO, so it has the install.wim file on the USB.

How can I get that install.wim for 2004 19041.1 listed as an option? Thanks.

Megahertz · 02 Apr 2021

The Reinstall Windows 10 with this media was created in 2014 when Win 10 wasn't released.

If you have Win 10 20h1 you can't go back to an early build unless you still have Windows.old.

Don't use Rufus.
Use diskpart to prepare the USB drive and then Mount the iso and copy all files and folders to root of the USB drive
diskpart
list disk (it will list all drives. Identify the USB drive number)
select disk n (replace n by the USB drive number obtained with list disk)
clean
convert mbr
create part primary
select part 1
format fs=fat32 quick
assign
active
exit (to exit diskpart)

Attached is a all version MCT

sygnus21 · 02 Apr 2021

Any question you have about a tutorial is best addressed to the author, in this case Brink.

And yes, if the tutorial doesn't call for RUFUS, don't use it. Too many complicate things when outside procedures are used.

Good luck.

Bob1212 · 05 Apr 2021

Megahertz said:

format fs=fat32 quick

Thanks again. However, I can't copy install.wim because it's too large. Should I use exFAT or NTFS?

sygnus21 · 05 Apr 2021

You could always try one of the formats to see if it works. Try NTFS first.

Bob1212 · 05 Apr 2021

sygnus21 said:

You could always try one of the formats to see if it works. Try NTFS first.

Well, now using NTFS, the USB won't boot at all. I'll try exFAT later.

Also, when I afterwards entered the RE using Advanced Restart, there is no option to "Reinstall Windows 10 with this media" as seen in Step 3 of Reinstall Windows 10 with this media

Megahertz · 05 Apr 2021

Bob1212 said:

Thanks again. However, I can't copy install.wim because it's too large. Should I use exFAT or NTFS?

To boot and install as UEFI the USB installation files, in most cases, must be on a fat32 partition.
If you download using the Win10_ISO_Downloader tool, \sources\install.esd will be less than 4G.
If you have downloaded from other sources, like Heidoc, you can split the install.wim in 2 parts less than 4G
Attached is the split.zip tool.
The readMe.txt file: Move Install.wim from \sources folder to any folder, copy Split.cmd to same folder and then run the Split.cmd
When done, Move only the install.swm files back to the \sources folder.

sygnus21 · 05 Apr 2021

Bob1212 said:

Well, now using NTFS, the USB won't boot at all. I'll try exFAT later.

Also, when I afterwards entered the RE using Advanced Restart, there is no option to "Reinstall Windows 10 with this media" as seen in Step 3 of Reinstall Windows 10 with this media

Is there a reason why you need to use Rufus?

Why not just follow the procedures as written in the tutorial?

Bob1212 · 05 Apr 2021

Megahertz said:

Attached is the split.zip tool.

Thanks. The split did work, but the tutorial has just been changed to say

The method in this tutorial is no longer available in Windows 10.
Last Updated: 1 Hour Ago at 11:44

from Reinstall Windows 10 with this media

Btw, I had downloaded the ISO via Heidoc 2 weeks ago, it took ~11 hours at my 1Mbps.

itsme1 · 05 Apr 2021

I am not sure, it is this method to make two partitions on the usb drive.

Create bootable USB installer if install.wim is greater than 4GB