This morning, I got a PM from a fellow Ten Forums member, telling me that "
Sorry, but the instructions in tutorial to create a multi-architecture single WIM file do not work. I can state with 100% confidence that the procedure as written simply does not work for dual architecture scenarios.".
As I know for sure that it will work, I did some new tests today to further validate the instructions given in this tutorial. I created a multi-architecture single WIM file, adding both x86 and x64 versions of Windows 10 Version 1909 Pro, Enterprise and Education editions on it.
I had no issues in using the ISO image created, with this multi-architecture custom
install.wim file, in installing any bit version or edition on both a physical, BIOS based machine, as well as Hyper-V Generation 1 virtual machine.
Some basics about why booting from multi-architecture ISO fails:
Most common reason is that user has used a 64-bit Windows WIM file as base media. No 32-bit machine can boot from 64-bit install media.
As told in tutorial, when creating a multi-architecture WIM file, the base WIM used must be 32-bit. This, of course, makes it almost impossible to be used on UEFI systems, because most of UEFI systems can only boot from 64-bit media.
Summarize the above, the multi-architecture WIM must be based on 32-bit Windows install files, including
install.wim file. It can be used as such on any BIOS machine, but to use it on UEFI machine, the machine should be switched to legacy BIOS mode.
OK, todays test. I created a multi-architecture WIM file exactly as told in this tutorial, with Pro, Enterprise and Education editions of Windows 10 Version 1909. Indexes 1 to 3 are x86, indexes 4 to 6 the same but x64:
Attachment 251857
(Click to enlarge.)
Let's compare Pro editions, index 1 being the x86 version (yellow highlight in next screenshot), and index 4 the x64 version (green highlight):
Attachment 251858
Installing on a BIOS machine, there are no issues, OS selection screen showing available editions and their bit versions:
Attachment 251859
I've now done 12 clean installs from this media today, installing each of three editions in both bit versions on a physical machine, and on a virtual machine. Absolutely no issues.
I just want to say that a multi-architecture install media with a single WIM file works exactly as it should work.
Kari