Is possible "Create Windows 10 installation media" in a USB Flash drive used for Ventoy too?

General Linux Question
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Hello Friends

As introduction for this post: if I want boot .iso files about Linux through a pendrive I can use in peace so far ventoy. The main and unique important consideration is that only for the first time the pendrive must be formatted. Even more, is possible later can be created custom directories in the same pendrive to storage data. Therefore the pendrive can storage and boot iso files and storage custom data. Even when ventoy is upgraded the custom directories remains in peace.

Now the current laptop came with Windows 10 and is used VirtualBox to work with Linux in peace. Because now I use few Windows 10 - I want change the SSD disk to have more space and use Linux as Host and thus use VirtualBox (or QEMU/KVM) to run as Guest Windows 10. According with some research is possible create a .iso file form the current Windows 10 installation. It based on:

Now according with your own experience

Is possible Create Windows 10 installation media in a USB Flash drive used for Ventoy too?

I want have only one pendrive to:

  1. Have many .iso files for Linux
  2. Have custom directories
  3. Have the .iso file for Windows 10 to be reused through VirtualBox (or QEMU/KVM) having Linux as Host.

And remember if ventoy is upgraded keep all the data - including mostly the Windows 10 iso in peace.

Observation: the 3rd point is the scenario where you bought a new laptop with Windows 10/11 and you want use Linux as host but you don’t want lost Windows by complete and be able later to use it through Virtualization.

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@Manuel_Jordan
You can use the media creation tool to create a W10 ISO and then copy the ISO to ventoy usb and install W10.

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Thanks for the answer @Daniel_Phillips but my point is:

Currently my situation is:

  1. Exists linux .iso files to be used by ventoy that is installed in the same pendrive
  2. Exists some custom directories

to be accomplish later … (reason of this post)

  1. Put the same pendrive in the laptop and proceed to accomplish the instructions about Create Windows 10 installation media therefore if that approach generates an .iso file or not is not critical, but is important is that this 3 does not affect to 1 and 2.

Therefore my final goal is have a unique pendrive to accomplish the 3 goals.

BTW: what tool do you suggest to create the .iso file for Windows 10? It is an interesting option too.

A. Does it create an iso installer? or
B. Does it create an iso image of everything in Windows 10? As a snapshot.

Thank You

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First I have no idea what or why you need a W10 ISO!!! If it is for the laptop, then you had better research the requirements for installing W10.

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I only need confirm if is possible Create Windows 10 installation media in a pendrive where ventoy and many .iso files are available. If the former process creates a .iso or not is other history

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This is nit an answer to your question but just some extra points to consider.

W10 reaches eol support later this year so you may wish to consider w11 or w12 if it comes out, but depends if your computer is capable of running the new version with hardware requirements

Microsoft require a activation code so creating a iso will need this key to unlock it

Once you leave windiws you never want to go back …

If you are wiping windows totally and think you may need to go back at some stage perhaps 2 usb keys would be a safer bet, just in case

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I have both Windows 10 and 11 on my Ventoy drive. I did not use the Windows media creation tool–I simply downloaded the ISO to the Ventoy drive and use it to install them in a Virtual Machine as needed. The Windows 10 ISO worked fine in Oracle.

If you mean make an image or clone your existing Windows, that would be Clonezilla and that would not work for creating a VM.

I guess I was not aware it was coming up so soon. So is that when something will have to be done for all those users who fail the W11 hardware requirements?

I’ve set up my mom with a new computer on Linux, but let her keep her old laptop with W10 while she transitions. Guess I will have to swap it to Linux at the end of this year when I visit again.

Sheila Flanagan

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There are lots of items in the press in the UK about land fill of older machines not capable of w11 or 12. Just need the press to push more towards Linux. Unless ms changes the spec which I do not think as the idea is sell new boxes

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I have one Dell XPS and a Dell Inspiron laptops, that do not meet W11 requirements, but are running W11 without any issues. If one is running W10, then W11 will install, I suspect MS will close this, like the W10 upgrade using a W7 product key. Probably will go with Ubuntu, when MS closes the W11 hack.

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Again to all - huge thanks for the feedback :beers:

W10 reaches eol support later this year so you may wish to consider w11 or w12 if it comes out, but depends if your computer is capable of running the new version with hardware requirements

My laptop does not support upgrade from Windows 10 Home to 11. It does not meet the requirements. My current use for Windows is Office 365, Zoom as Host and Adobe Reader.

As Java and Spring developer I use Linux.

Microsoft require a activation code so creating a iso will need this key to unlock it

It is tricky because in SuperUser (a branch of Stack Exchange) was indicated many times the key is not used because the license is stored in the laptop itself. Therefore hardware control.

Once you leave windiws you never want to go back …

I don’t have nothing against Windows 10. So far it was the best OS by MS.

If you are wiping windows totally and think you may need to go back at some stage perhaps 2 usb keys would be a safer bet, just in case

It is my worst scenario because: currently in my city is possible buy since 16GB of RAM to 128/256GB .Therefore the scenario to buy 2 pendrives of 16GB for a not daily task is not very tempative. So I want use 1 pendrive of 16/32GB.

I have both Windows 10 and 11 on my Ventoy drive

Very interesting

I did not use the Windows media creation tool–

Good to know

I simply downloaded the ISO

It was my first approach to accomplish the goal to use ventoy with the set of iso files for Linux and Windows - and even gparted … but from where you did you get that .iso files? Google always refers to the Create Windows 10 installation media page approach. So it is a good mystery to me right now.

I simply downloaded the ISO to the Ventoy drive and use it to install them in a Virtual Machine as needed. The Windows 10 ISO worked fine in Oracle.

I want accomplish the same goal. Has Linux as Host and Windows 10 as guest to use mostly Office 365

If you mean make an image or clone your existing Windows, that would be Clonezilla and that would not work for creating a VM.

Do you have a direct experience with that? Why would not work with VM? It is a very interesting situation. Therefore the raw Windows 10 installer through a .iso file is really mandatory

To all, about Windows 11 constraints or requirements is about something about Hardware special control. A friend do a trick to his laptop and upgraded to Windows 11 in peace. I could the same for my Asus with Windows 10.

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Actually, as far as I know, Windows 10 will reach EOL in October 2025. Please correct me if I’m wrong,

Ernie

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Hmm…I was thinking you wanted to put the cloned/disk image on Ventoy and install it. Pretty sure you can’t do that. The image file would need to be ‘restored’ with Clonezilla. That is why you need the Windows 10 iso file to install the OS. Not sure if you could then use Clonezilla to restore that image once you are in Windows 10.

You go here and selection edition and choose to download the ISO. I will say that once when I tried it with intense blocking on in my browser, I was asked to choose language and then given a message about certain countries banned, blah blah. All I did was remove the blocking from that site and then I could download it.

Hope this helps.

Sheila

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Again thanks for the reply

Hmm…I was thinking you wanted to put the cloned/disk image on Ventoy and install it

It would be fine for VirtualBox or QEMU/KVM, but it depends about how big would be the .iso file generated too. So with the raw installer would be better to only install Office 365 and Adobe Reader PDF.

Pretty sure you can’t do that. The image file would need to be ‘restored’ with Clonezilla

I see.

That is why you need the Windows 10 iso file to install the OS. Not sure if you could then use Clonezilla to restore that image once you are in Windows 10

Interesting the situation.

You go here and selection edition and choose to download the ISO

It is really tricky. It seems the page renders different by my side. Pls could you share a Figure indicating where is the link in that page to do click to download the .iso file? I always see the option to Create Windows 10 installation media in a pendrive, nothing about to let me download a .iso file.

I will say that once when I tried it with intense blocking on in my browser, I was asked to choose language and then given a message about certain countries banned, blah blah. All I did was remove the blocking from that site and then I could download it.

It seems it is the problem, I have Firefox what extensions did you use? I want see the same content as you see to let me download the iso file in peace.

BTW I am able to get the License through command to be used in VirtualBox later.

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When I encountered the error in FF, I simply switched to Brave Browser and I tried it again just now with good results. Here are the screens in order that you encounter:

Screenshot 1st MS page from 2024-01-03 12-42-03
Screenshot 1st MS page from 2024-01-03 12-42-031180×988 176 KB

After selecting edition (only one listed) you get:

Screenshot 2 of MS from 2024-01-03 12-42-54
Screenshot 2 of MS from 2024-01-03 12-42-54985×938 55.9 KB

And after confirming “English (US)” you get:

Screenshot from MS W10 download iso 2024-01-03 12-40-59
Screenshot from MS W10 download iso 2024-01-03 12-40-591184×885 142 KB

I also tried getting the ISO in Midori (which is fork of FF) and it gave same errors, so try a different browser like Brave, which is what worked for me.

Sheila Flanagan

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Really huge thanks for the time in share these screenshots.

I used the same link https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO in Brave but same results… but I did do realize something. In your first screenshot your logged in your MS account - I never did do that.

And being curious and just in case in what OS did you execute Brave? Linux or Windows?.

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I only use Linux and this was in Linux Mint Cinnamon. I have also used Pop OS and it succeeded. I did not even realize it logged me in during the screenshots, but that’s probably because I had created one in the past and the browser probably stored the info.

If you have an account, log in first and maybe that will fix it. If not, maybe create one. I am just not sure the account signed in is what helps. I just think it is when you “hide” with VPN or browser settings ole Microsoft does not like and so tells you that you are blocked.

It’s about a 6 gb file to download, so not sure if you could have someone send you a link to it from their own iso file in the cloud. Then you wouldn’t have to get past MS to obtain the file.

Sheila

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Not sure if this is helpful, but I ran across an article where someone used their current install of Windows as a raw image and created a Virtual Drive without the drive, but instead pointed it to that image of Windows.

In that instance, they actually used an internal SSD, but after making the image of your current install and saving it on Ventoy drive, you could add a partition for Windows to that drive and then put the image there and point the VM to it for using Windows.

Not sure it can be done with your situation, but it’s worth the read here:

Sheila

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Huge thanks … let me test both solutions (mostly the former this weekend) …

Again, Huge thanks Sheila. I appreciate your effort and time put it in this situation.

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You are absolutely welcome @Manuel_Jordan . Fingers crossed!

Sheila Flanagan

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Hello to all friends

It was interesting … about the former situation, it for the Download Windows 10 Disc Image (ISO File) link

  • In 2 Laptops, through VirtualBox running Fedora Workstation 19 and Ubuntu Desktop 22.04 - both working with Firefox - it renders as I wanted from the beginning (and same as your screenshots) the page making possible to download the wonderful desired .iso file - it even for 32 bits … well for 64 bits it has a size of 5.7GB. As an observation was not mandatory be logged to the MS account.
  • Now in Windows 10 Home, for Google Chrome, Firefox and Brave, even being logged to the MS account, the not desired behavior about render the page with the Create Windows 10 installation media approach happens.

Therefore the MS Server for this page detects from what OS you are accessing and according with that either let you download the .iso file or Create Windows 10 installation media.

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