Windows 10: Create bootable USB installer if install.wim is greater than 4GB

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


Information
As discussed in tutorial DISM - Split install.wim file | Windows 10 Tutorials, it is not possible to create a bootable flash drive in fat32 format if the install.wim file is over 4GB in size. That tutorial presents a method to split the install.wim into smaller sub-files.

However, since Windows 10 1703, it is now possible to create a flash drive with multiple partitions which leads to an alternative solution.

Basically, two partitions are created i.e. a small (say 1GB) fat32 partition and a larger NTFS partition. The files from a standard installation iso are copied to the NTFS partition, and the standard install.wim file is replaced with the custom install.wim.

Similarly, all the files from the standard ISO image are copied to the fat32 partition except the files from the sources folder where only the boot.wim file is copied.

This guide does not supersede method in above tutorial but is an alternative method if using windows 10 1703 onwards


Here is a batch file that automates the copying process.

Here's How

You need at least an 8GB flash drive or larger depending on size of install.wim

1) Create folder on C drive called usbcreate (change drive and folder as you wish)

2) Create text file called ei.cfg with just two lines

[CHANNEL]
Retail

and save in folder c:\usbcreate

3) mount base iso as a drive and note Drive letter (It is assumed to be E: for this example)

4) copy custom install.wim to folder c:\usbcreate

5) create batch file called usbcreate.bat containing following text

Code:

6) Identify disk number for use in diskpart script

Insert flash drive and open admin command prompt and type

diskpart

list disk

and note drive number of usb flash drive.


7) Create a text file called diskpart.dat containing following text changing # as appropriate (do not copy lines in brackets). Save file in folder usbcreate.

Code:

8) Right click usbcreate.bat and run with admin rights.


Related Tutorials

• How to Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 from
• How to Create Windows 10 USB Install Media for UEFI / GPT with PowerShell Script
• How to split a custom install.wim file
• How to keep Windows 10 USB install media up to date using a PowerShell script

:)

 

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

I answered the same question posted by another member in another thread a few days ago.

Just follow the instructions in that tutorial. In its step 4 you will copy your custom install.wim file to folder you created in its step 1. Following the tutorial, USB will be created automatically, you do not have to think where the files go.

When USB is created, copy your answer file autounattend.xml to USB partition labelled USB-FAT32.

If you have any issues with getting the USB created as instructed, post your questions on that tutorial thread. Notice that you do not need the ei.cfg file when using autounattend.xml, you can skip step 2 in this tutorial and remove line 10 from batch file in step 5.

 

Multi-bootable USB

Hey guys from TPU, couldn't find any specific thread pertaining to the question asked on title. As mentioned, I'm trying to create a bootable USB, but with many specifics boots available.

I've been trying to create one with multiple boot device including one that enables me to run Windows 10 directly on the USB Thumb Drive but to no avail.

The list of bootable images i'm trying to create are

1. Windows 10 (A full OS running from thumb drive)
2. Windows 10 ISO (Bootable disk image for fresh install)
3. MemTest86+

Have tried YUMI or UUI from the website USB PenDrive Linux but as this is my first time, i don't know how am i screwing up or am doing it right.. Anyone got a rough idea on a step by step guide? Thanks!

 

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

Thank you for such a quick response. I am waiting for the creation of the usb to finish. its been over an hour but the wim file is over 95gb, no activity in task manager. 92gb of ram is cached. Might have to start over but ill give it a lil longer. Oh and the last file listed is N:\usbcreate\baseiso\sources\install.wim

 

install.wim is 7GB, how to make a bootable USB flash drive

See here, works perfectly for UEFI/GPT|CSM or BIOS/MBR:

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

I opted for the modified batch file, nothing else needed. Mount the ISO, plug in the USB flash drive, run the batch file as Administrator, that's it.

 

Bootable Vista Installer

I have a friend who has a Vista Home Premium key (from the bottom of his laptop) and his HDD crapped out so he ordered a new one. His repair disks didn't work and neither of us have CD's with a large enough capacity to store the files we 'found' on the interwebz, so I'm trying to install it from a bootable USB.

I got up to the step where I successfully turned the USB into an active partition, but I ran into a problem the moment I needed to access the boot sector.

Can someone kindly walk me through the steps?