Create a Windows 10 ISO

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I want to create a Windows 10 ISO but I need to determine what I need to consider.
— My intent is to use my HP EliteBook 8540w Windows 10 Pro laptop to create the ISO for another PC.

Background: a few weeks ago, I helped a person recover their Windows Home laptop which was in a disastrous mode.
— I had a Windows 10 Home 1809 ISO on a DVD 4.7 GB disc I kept it in case it could be helpful in the future.
— I used that to recover their laptop and allowed applicable Windows Updates to be updated and ensured the laptop ran naturally w/o issues anymore.
— After a few days, I used https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 to have their laptop update to 20H1 and is now 20H2 with this week’s Patch Tuesday and it runs fine.

I know how to use the MCT Windows 10 ISO process
— However, the choices are to use a USB flash drive or a DVD.
— The MCT process works fine and I’ll be OK settling with the MCT/USB process but I have additional questions.

Then there’s the DVD process.
— DVD discs hold 4.7GB.
— However, in today’s world, I’ve read Bluetooth Double Layer 8.5 GB Recordable Disc DVD+R DL needs to be used. Is that true?
My HP EliteBook 8540w Windows 10 Pro laptop has a DVD drive.
— How can I tell it will have the capability of using a Bluetooth Double Layer 8.5 GB Recordable Disc DVD+R DL?
— Bluetooth is included in Device Manager.
— Even if I run into a laptop/PC w/o a DVD drive, I have an external DVD drive if needed.
My HP EliteBook 8540w Windows 10 Pro laptop was originally Windows 7 Pro meaning it’s 10 years old & the BIOS is Legacy in case that needs to be known.

I’ve read “Fat32 doesn’t support files bigger than 4GB.” I’ll keep that in mind.

Since I don’t know how much space is actually needed, I have the following questions as I am not adept as I wish I could be.

I have 16GB & 32GB flash drives naturally being formatted as FAT32.
— How do I change the FAT32 format to NTFS format if I’m going to use either one of them?
— Would a 16GB flash drive formatted as NTFS do the job since it’s much more space than 8.5GB of a Bluetooth Double Layer 8.5 GB Recordable Disc DVD+R DL?
— If not, would a 32GB flash drive formatted as NTFS do the job?
Or would it be necessary to use my 64GB already formatted as NTFS?

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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Cmptrgy,

I think you mean Blue Ray vs Bluetooth! Your DVD drive should specify if it is a Blue Ray drive. [Not common OEM equipment]

Personally I think you’re much better off using USB as you may run into computers that do not have a DVD drive as they are being phased out by most manufactures.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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cmptrgy

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USB drives work more easily and read and write faster.  8gb is enough for MCT so either 32 or 64 would work.   The media creation tool formats the drive itself as fat32 oddly,  but it works.  Make sure the drive has nothing you need before running MCT.

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cmptrgy

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Look at the drive properties, get the manufacturer and model and google for exact matches for both and see what specifications are mentioned.

BTW, I think we’ve gone off course on the question – normal DVDs hold around 4GB, dual layer / Double layer DVDs hold roughly double.. so your drive needs to be dual layer capable unless you fancy splitting out the product you need from the distribution package (answer files won’t work with that package, though – and it’s a bit of a chore.).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD%2BR_DL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-R_DL

 

 

 

 

 

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cmptrgy

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Thanks everyone. My system isn’t blue ray dual layer discs capable.

I’ll continue using USB flash drives and won’t worry about comparing each process.

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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When creating the ISO file remember to select ISO ‘for any PC’.

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cmptrgy

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Everything went fine
Create installation media for another PC.
Used an 8GB FAT32 flash drive as recommended: it took up 4.28GB.
Although it isn’t an ISO, I’m fine.

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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cmptrgy wrote:

Although it isn’t an ISO

An ISO is an image copy of a CD/DVD – also a USB these days. This allows you to backup/copy your install disks and recreate them easily.

cheers, Paul

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cmptrgy

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I use Rufus to create my Win10 ISOs onto USB flash drives and specify from Rufus whether the “target” system is an older legacy bios (non-uefi) or modern UEFI system. Rufus also lets me format usb drives as NTFS as well, something the media creation tool can’t do.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-create-windows-10-usb-bootable-media-uefi-support

https://appuals.com/how-to-create-windows-10-bootable-usb-using-rufus/

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cmptrgy

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