Solved I get file too large when pasting install.wim to usb

Trying to create Windows 11 USB to install Windows 11 in an unsupported pc.
PC pecs

When I delete the install.esd from the USB with Windows 10 installation and try to paste the Install,wim from the Windows 11 ISO to the Windows 10 installation USB I get the file too large for the destination folder.

How can I create a USB installation to accept the install.wim file?

The file is too big for FAT32 device, try

My advice: switch to Ventoy instead. It sets up the boot partition as FAT but stores ISOs on NTFS or exFAT and can handle files of arbitrary size (larger than 4GB, that is).
HTH,
--Ed--

PS: I just counted and 13 of my ISOs in my Ventoy partition on my bootable NVMe/USB drive are over 4GB in size.

iko22 said:

The file is too big for FAT32 device, try

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 spl

www.tenforums.com

Click to expand...

I have followed the tutorial and this is the result.
Is this all I need to install Windows 11 now as a test on an unsupported pc?

I would get a larger usb stick if yours is only 4 gb. Windows has needed 8 gb sticks for a while now.

swarfega said:

I would get a larger usb stick if yours is only 4 gb. Windows has needed 8 gb sticks for a while now.

Click to expand...

The usb I am using is 32GB

I used this method which does it for you :). The option that says use Rufus to make the usb. You need

1) the W11 iso downloaded from Microsoft onto a computer
2) An 8gb or more usb stick
3). Download Rufus beta 2. Which opens from the download when clicked on (doesn’t actually instal). The instructions on how to use Rufus and how to select the option to have tmp and processor requirements removed is in the article. Worked a treat for me. I made one for legacy bios (mbr) and one for uefi bios (ie two separate USB’s).


This is the link to download Rufus. It’s about the fifth one down the list that says beta 2.

scopio said:

I have followed the tutorial and this is the result.
Is this all I need to install Windows 11 now as a test on an unsupported pc?

Click to expand...

I tried to run setup but I came across an error that autorun.dll could not be loaded or is corrupt.

swarfega said:

I would get a larger usb stick if yours is only 4 gb. Windows has needed 8 gb sticks for a while now.

Click to expand...

This is not the issue. Issue is install.wim is over 4GB.

You can compress install.wim to install.esd

Create a folder named esd on your c drive, put your install.wim file there

Open elevated command prompt

and run this code

scopio said:

I have followed the tutorial and this is the result.
Is this all I need to install Windows 11 now as a test on an unsupported pc?

Click to expand...

Looks good. And, well, a backup of your windows 10 disk image is not "needed" but it is recommended - if that is any help.

iko22 said:

Looks good. And, well, a backup of your windows 10 disk image is not "needed" but it is recommended - if that is any help.

Click to expand...

When I boot from the usb I try to install and get to the stage of setting language, keyboard and region and then I get the message that no device drivers for my device were found.

Hazel123 said:

I used this method which does it for you :). The option that says use Rufus to make the usb. You need

1) the W11 iso downloaded from Microsoft onto a computer
2) An 8gb or more usb stick
3). Download Rufus beta 2. Which opens from the download when clicked on (doesn’t actually instal). The instructions on how to use Rufus and how to select the option to have tmp and processor requirements removed is in the article. Worked a treat for me. I made one for legacy bios (mbr) and one for uefi bios (ie two separate USB’s).

https://allthings.how/how-to-install-windows-11-on-legacy-bios-without-secure-boot-or-tpm-2-0/

This is the link to download Rufus. It’s about the fifth one down the list that says beta 2.

Index of /downloads

Click to expand...

I will try your suggestion if all fails with my present method. Thank you

scopio said:

When I boot from the usb I try to install and get to the stage of setting language, keyboard and region and then I get the message that no device drivers for my device were found.

Click to expand...

That usually refers to the storage controller of the disk containing your windows installation, but it could also be that it does not like the USB stick that you are installing from.

What is the disk controller? SATA or RAID? If you are using a RAID controller, you might have to provide your own device drivers for that.

Could also be that you have to recreate the USB stick, or use a different USB stick.

iko22 said:

That usually refers to the storage controller of the disk containing your windows installation, but it could also be that it does not like the USB stick that you are installing from.

What is the disk controller? SATA or RAID? If you are using a RAID controller, you might have to provide your own device drivers for that.

Could also be that you have to recreate the USB stick, or use a different USB stick.

Click to expand...

The usb stick I am using is a new never used before Kington Traveller SATA

scopio said:

Kington Traveller SATA

Click to expand...

Thats the disk drive not the Disk controller.

iko22 said:

Thats the disk drive not the Disk controller.

Click to expand...

Sorry the controller is SATA I do not use RAID

I am out of ideas at the moment, somebody else might chime in.

scopio said:

The usb stick I am using is a new never used before Kington Traveller SATA

Click to expand...

Is it just a standard Kingston usb pen drive? Maybe try reformatting it and start again? Maybe 32gb is too big. I’ve had some instances where a 32gb has had issues being accepted. Although presumably you’ve got windows 10 on that usb drive so if reformatting it would lose that. So maybe not.

scopio said:

How can I create a USB installation to accept the install.wim file?

Click to expand...

You downloaded the ISO directly from Microsoft. That one contains an install.wim that exceeds the 4GB maximum file size of Fat32.

If you download the Media Creation Tool instead, then run that to make an ISO you will get one with an install.esd. This is functionally identical to the install.wim, but uses higher compression so it's smaller than 4GB. This ISO can be mounted and the files just copied to a Fat32 USB to make a bootable install USB. No need for Rufus or anything else to make the USB, just copy everything over with File Explorer. This USB will boot on a UEFI machine, if you want it to also be able to boot on a Legacy bios machine you'll need to mark the partition Active (Disk Management can do that).