Windows 10: C:\$windows.~bt\sources HAS NO ESD FILE

Since 14901, now on 14926, no such file.

Drive space low enough system sometimes complains; perhaps in such case upgrade proceeds without local esd file (HOW that could be is a mystery but it's all i can think of)

Microsoft Answers doesn't know.

Any idea where ESD might be, or how to ensure its creation and preservation in the future?

(Typically first one system i update then make iso on the network for the others)


UPDATE: next upgrade has ESD in the BT folder, more room on drive

:)

 

If you already rebooted and upgraded it is of course gone:
From this tutorial: ESD to ISO - Create Bootable ISO from Windows 10 ESD File - Windows 10 Forums

• 2.) When a new build is available, let Windows Update download it. When Windows Update has prepared the upgrade, you will be told a restart has been scheduled. At this point you can find the install.esd file which contains everything needed to make an ISO image in a hidden folder C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources.

It needs to be copied before the restart. go to the tutorial and post any questions you need answered.

 

On 14931 now - BEFORE REBOOT, no ESD file.

 

Was/is there any file "Install" ? Extension .esd may be hidden or missing.

 

nope, not now, not before reboot. is a setup.exe with correct date though in bt.

 

Strange, I never lost install.esd even after installation.

 

I've had my Install.esd disappear a couple of times but it didn't happen right away. I just checked and my Install.esd is still there.

 

In case of Windows Update not finding enough free space on C: drive to unpack installation files, you need to either free some space or if that is not possible you can tell Windows to store the install.esd file on another drive.

If that is your case you will find the install.esd file in folder X:\$WINDOWS.~TMP instead of C:\$WINDOWS.~BT (replace X with drive ID of the drive you told Windows Update to store the file).

 

NEXT update put esd in usual place, drive had much more free space

 

There is no WS or BT Folder on my Build 14936.1000.

 

I still have it:

 

In most cases the install.esd will be intact even after the upgrade, in fact I've had it intact every time on all machines since a few builds.

The install.esd file will not be kept if C: drive has less than 10 GB free space and the file needs to be extracted to another drive.

If there's not enough space on C: you will get Fix issues prompt instead of Install now or Restart now:




... and when you then tell Windows Update to store install.esd to another drive:








... the install.esd will be stored on your selected drive in $WINDOWS.~TMP folder instead of C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources:




In this case, as the ​.~TMP extension in folder name indicates, install.esd will be saved only temporarily and will be removed when upgrade has finished. If you did not copy it to a safe location before starting the upgrade process, the file is gone and you can not create an ISO image after the upgrade.

More about where and when install.esd file can be found in this post in ESD to ISO tutorial.