Solved New Media Creation Tool

Hi all.

There is a new Media Creation Tool from Microsoft: Download Windows 11

This new tool downloads directly Windows 11 Build 26100.4349 with install.esd

If you download the ISO directly on the same page, it still downloads Build 26100.1742 with install.wim

The choice is yours.

My windows is at 26100.4351, they're behind the times.

Just install either version, install all Windows updates and you will reach build 26100.4351

The .ESD version (MCT) is ideal for creating an UEFI boot (GPT) USB flash drive FAT32, 4GB file size limit).
The .WIM version is ideal for creating a Legacy BIOS (CSM, MBR) USB flash drive NTFS. Also you can more easily extract individual Windows versions from a .WIM file if you then want to combine them for a custom multi-version installer (such as Windows 10 32 & 64 Home/Pro and Windows 11 on the same USB).

suatcini54 said:

There is a new Media Creation Tool from Microsoft: Download Windows 11

This new tool downloads directly Windows 11 Build 26100.4349 with install.esd

Click to expand...

The Media Creation Tool has not changed, you can still use a 24H2 one you downloaded earlier.

When you run the MCT the first thing it does is download a 'products.cab' and extract from it a 'products.xml' file. It is this that tells the MCT what components to download, and it is this that has been updated to 26100.4349.

garlin said:

If you've already downloaded Media Creation Tool to install 24H2, you don't need to download MCT again. It's the same file.

MS pushed a different products.cab to a hidden URL that MCT checks every time it runs. Running it now will get you a new install version.

Click to expand...

@Bree and @garlin Thanks guys for informing me. It is much appreciated.

In the past, MCT used to be updated for new builds, if my mind serves me well. It seems I still linger in the past. But after UUPDUMP has come into my life, I stopped using MCT because UUPDUMP made a brilliant job of creating ISOs for every single update released by MS.

Besides, you have high badges in your avatars, meaning you have immense knowledge about computers. I really like the effort you put into this reputable forum and I very much like reading your posts, which all happen to be short academic articles to be published in reputable IT magazines.

Please do keep up the good work.

Happy computing.

suatcini54 said:

In the past, MCT used to be updated for new builds, if my mind serves me well.

Click to expand...

Your memory serves you well. If I remember correctly, MS had switched to using products.xml to define the downloads by Windows 10 version 2004. Prior that the build definitions were built in to the MCT and you had to download a new one each time.

Normally, a new MCT executable is provided every time a new W10/11 release is shipped (ie. 21H2, 22H2, 23H2, 24H2). Within each release, there can be multiple versions of the products.cab dropped at random times.

The times are random, because MS isn't in the business of providing a steady stream of pre-updated images but to capture release milestones, where important changes have been "baked in" the image. These are usually important security or servicing updates.

So even if you're installing an older image, certain key fixes are guaranteed to be there.

If you look in AveYo's MediaCreationTool.bat, he allows you to download older releases by finding the old MCT executables and their matching products.cab.