Is the Windows Installation Media you download updated frequently?


  1. Posts : 62
    Windows 10.
       #1

    Is the Windows Installation Media you download updated frequently?


    When I need to install or reinstall Windows in a PC, I have the habit of wiping and doing the installer again on a USB stick, I mean: even if the Windows version for the installer is the same, such as 21H2, if I haven't used it to install Windows for a few months, I wipe the stick and create it again, the reason?: because I assume that Microsoft may have added updates to the installer.

    I do this especially if I'm going to do an in-place upgrade of Windows 10, as I assume these are more sensitive to using an older version of Windows.

    Is this unnecessary? Do these installers really get updated by Microsoft?

    Any advice much appreciated.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 280
    Nexus Windows 10 ENT LTSC 2021 64bit
       #2

    I don't have good experience in updating windows and i don't update my windows, but i know that microsoft
    does update their media creation tool quite often. What you do is tedious work and life span of thumb drive
    is limited. Those updates installed through newer media creation tool are also included when you update your windows.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 4,453
    Win 11 Pro 22000.708
       #3

    As an alternative to the Media Creation Tool, you could get the latest ISO from UUP dump Then you'd know which build you're getting. Getting the ISO form there takes a while, as it's actually downloaded as some older build and updated to the revision number shown.

    It can also create issues if you want to make a bootable USB thumb drive from it. Some motherboards require that a UEFI bootable USB drive to be formatted as FAT32. The ISO may contain a WIM file that's larger than 4GB, too large for FAT32. The file can be split into smaller pieces using the DISM utility, or you could use Rufus to prepare a bootable USB drive. (That creates a FAT32 and NTFS partition on the drive. It boots from the FAT32 partition, but keeps the big stuff in an NTFS partition. Just like a UEFI bootable hard drive.)

    This isn't intended as a tutorial, but just to suggest what could be done.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 402
    Windows 10 Home 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
       #4

    I recently did a reset on my PC in March and did not have the latest files. I can`t remember what it was showing as current system after reset. But after running updates, it updated too 20H2 then 21H1 and finally 21H2. This is resetting PC from Local 10 files. Cloud and Media creation tool might have updated files?
    When I tried to reset using cloud, which is windows update and it got stuck on 73%.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 16,963
    Windows 10 Home x64 Version 22H2 Build 19045.4170
       #5

    rodion15 said:
    When I need to install or reinstall Windows in a PC, I have the habit of wiping and doing the installer again on a USB stick, I mean: even if the Windows version for the installer is the same, such as 21H2, if I haven't used it to install Windows for a few months, I wipe the stick and create it again, the reason?: because I assume that Microsoft may have added updates to the installer.

    I do this especially if I'm going to do an in-place upgrade of Windows 10, as I assume these are more sensitive to using an older version of Windows.

    Is this unnecessary? Do these installers really get updated by Microsoft?

    Any advice much appreciated.
    MS update the ISO, from which installation USBs are made, at each new Windows 10 Version i.e. twice a year.
    They sometimes update the ISO in between new Versions. There is no particular pattern to this.

    There's nothing wrong with updating the ISO-USB every time you want to use it but, providing you had a new one for the current Version, all you are potentially saving yourself is a few updates.
    - Even making & using a new one today will probably still have to be followed by running the latest Cumulative update. So I don't think your hard work is really achieving anything for you.

    All the best,
    Denis
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 16,963
    Windows 10 Home x64 Version 22H2 Build 19045.4170
       #6

    rodion15,

    I've just spotted an error in my previous post.

    Try3 said:
    MS update the ISO, from which installation USBs are made, at each new Windows 10 Version i.e. twice a year.
    It is not 'at' but soon after, normally very soon after, but hardly ever at exactly the same time.

    Thanks for the rep,
    All the best,
    Denis
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 18,044
    Win 10 Pro 64-bit v1909 - Build 18363 Custom ISO Install
       #7

    Hello @rodion15,

    rodion15 said:
    When I need to install or reinstall Windows in a PC, I have the habit of wiping and doing the installer again on a USB stick, I mean: even if the Windows version for the installer is the same, such as 21H2, if I haven't used it to install Windows for a few months, I wipe the stick and create it again, the reason?: because I assume that Microsoft may have added updates to the installer.

    I do this especially if I'm going to do an in-place upgrade of Windows 10, as I assume these are more sensitive to using an older version of Windows.

    Is this unnecessary? Do these installers really get updated by Microsoft?

    Any advice much appreciated.
    In my opinion, what you do is good practice, because it includes ANY new or revised WU's to be included in the current available ISO. This should allow fewer available WU's once you have performed a Clean Install or In-Place-Upgrade - Repair Install along with any complications that could have possibly arisen with the previous version.

    I hope this helps.
      My Computer


 

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