Solved Should I use MCT or Rufus for creating a bootable USB on a heavily modified Windows?

Sheikh · Sep 29, 2025

Hey everyone,

I'm currently running a heavily modified version of Windows — lots of system files have been altered or replaced. I want to create a bootable USB to install a clean version of Windows, and I'm debating between two options:

Using the Media Creation Tool (MCT)
Downloading the ISO directly from Microsoft's website and using Rufus to create the bootable USB

My main concern is whether MCT relies in any way on the current system files during the process, or if it downloads everything fresh from Microsoft's servers. Given that my OS is modified, I’m worried MCT might not behave as expected.

Has anyone used MCT on a non-standard Windows setup? Would you recommend sticking with Rufus instead?

Would love to hear your thoughts or experiences! Thanks.

antspants · Sep 29, 2025

Sheikh said:
Using the Media Creation Tool (MCT)

Downloading the ISO directly from Microsoft's website and using Rufus to create the bootable USB

Hi mate

At some point ~~after~~ before MCT has ~~finished~~ started downloading the ISO, you are asked if you want to have media created on a USB drive or if you just want the ISO on it’s own.

The difference is; MCT gives you a later version of Windows 11 24H2 than you get from downloading from the Microsoft page.
At the time of this post, it is as follows:

Download Latest Windows 11 64-bit ISO using Media Creation Tool (MCT)
This will be for a Windows 11 Version 24H2 build 26100.4349 ISO file with install.esd.

Download Windows 11 64-bit or ARM64 ISO from Microsoft
This will be for a Windows 11 Version 24H2 build 26100.1742 ISO file with install.wim
Build 1742 was the first ISO released for 24H2.

Download Official Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft

This tutorial will show you how to download an official Windows Server or Windows 11 64-bit or ARM64 ISO file from Microsoft. Microsoft provides ISO files for Windows Server and Windows 11 to download. You can use these ISO files to clean install or in-place upgrade Windows 11. The Flight Hub...

www.elevenforum.com

OR 25H2

You can find the Windows 11 25H2 Build 26200.6584 RTM ISO in the first post of this thread.
Scroll down the first post, select the country you’re wanting.

Get ready for Windows 11 version 25H2 - Enablement Package and ISO downloads available

UPDATE 9/30: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/windows-11-version-25h2-now-available.40396/ Windows IT Pro Blog: How easy is it to move to Windows 11, version 25H2? As easy as a quick restart if you're on version 24H2! Today, Windows 11, version 25H2 became available to the Windows Insider...

www.elevenforum.com

Sheikh said:
My main concern is whether MCT relies in any way on the current system files during the process, or if it downloads everything fresh from Microsoft's servers. Given that my OS is modified, I’m worried MCT might not behave as expected.

Everything’s fresh

I’d use Rufus, simply because it’s such a great app.

zbook · Sep 29, 2025

Sheikh said:
I'm currently running a heavily modified version of Windows — lots of system files have been altered or replaced.

Sheikh said:
I want to create a bootable USB to install a clean version of Windows, and I'm debating between two options:

Using the Media Creation Tool (MCT)

Downloading the ISO directly from Microsoft's website and using Rufus to create the bootable USB

Does the computer have the minimum requirements (healthcheck, whynotwin11)?

What is meant by "'install a clean version of Windows"'?

a) clean install

b) custom install

c) reset save files

d) reset remove files

e) in place upgrade repair

etc.

If you plan a clean install then any edition / version can be in use.

All partitions are manually deleted creating an unallocated disk drive.

A Media Creation Tool (MCT) or Rufus can be used for a clean install.

Then MCT vs Rufus is user preference.

Sheikh · Sep 29, 2025

zbook said:
Does the computer have the minimum requirements (healthcheck, whynotwin11)?

What is meant by "'install a clean version of Windows"'?

a) clean install

b) custom install

c) reset save files

d) reset remove files

e) in place upgrade repair

etc.

If you plan a clean install then any edition / version can be in use.

All partitions are manually deleted creating an unallocated disk drive.

A Media Creation Tool (MCT) or Rufus can be used for a clean install.

Then MCT vs Rufus is user preference.

No, I want to install Windows 11 25H2 when it's officially released, on a fresh device without an operating system. I just wanted to make sure that the ISO file created by the Media Creation Tool (MCT) doesn't use any local files, because I've modified them and that might cause problems. As dear antspants noted, it won't use any files from my current Windows installation. So, it's safe to use MCT to create a bootable USB drive.

zbook · Sep 29, 2025

A media creation tool can be created on one computer and then used on others.

The currently installed Windows operating system has no impact.

In contrast creating a MCT can be performed on an apple computer computer but there are many threads in which computer end users had problems installing Windows.

antspants · Sep 29, 2025

Sheikh said:
As dear antspants noted, it won't use any files from my current Windows installation

So when you start MCT, "Before" it downloads (I thought it was after, sorry) you will see two Windows.

Uncheck this > "Use the recommended options for this PC"

Next window select this > "ISO file"

cereberus · Sep 29, 2025

antspants said:
So when you start, "Before" it downloads (I thought it was after, sorry) you will see two Windows.

Uncheck this "Use the recommended options for this PC"

View attachment 146954

Next window select this "ISO file"

View attachment 146955

There has been an annoying change as the iso has an install.esd > 4GB so more complicated to write to a usb drive.

If you write to a usb direct, MCT splits the install file into install.swm files and no need to mess around.

MS are so dumb at times, it is unreal.

Why on earth did they not change install.esd in the iso to install.swm files as well!

zbook · Sep 29, 2025

This link may be useful:

Create Windows 11 Bootable USB Installation Media

This tutorial will show you how to create a bootable USB flash drive used to install Windows 11 with UEFI support. You can use a Windows 11 installation USB flash drive to clean install, upgrade, reset, or repair Windows 11. The installation USB can also be used as a recovery drive to boot to...

www.elevenforum.com

antspants · Sep 29, 2025

cereberus said:
There has been an annoying change as the iso has an install.esd > 4GB so more complicated to write to a usb drive.

If you write to a usb direct, MCT splits the install file into install.swm files and no need to mess around.

MS are so dumb at times, it is unreal.

Why on earth did they not change install.esd in the iso to install.swm files as well!

I am not sure that this is relevant at this point because any changes to the ISO made by Sheikh (If any at all) will be completed before RUFUS (Not MCT) creates the media.

But I do recall you making a thread about this recently.

Sheikh · Sep 29, 2025

antspants said:
any changes to the ISO

I don't modify official images directly. Instead, I use UUPDump to create customized images, as it provides options before generating the ISO file. After that, I integrate my settings using NTLite.

My friend is about to buy a laptop, and I want to create a bootable USB for him. However, before doing so, I wanted to ensure this method works well with modified images. He prefers official installations and isn't comfortable with modified ones. My only concern was that the Media Creation Tool (MCT) might copy some of my modified system files instead of downloading fresh ones.

Thanks for your support, my friends.

Thread marked as solved.

antspants · Sep 29, 2025

Sheikh said:
I don't modify official images directly. Instead, I use UUPDump to create customized images, as it provides options before generating the ISO file. After that, I integrate my settings using NTLite.

My friend is about to buy a laptop, and I want to create a bootable USB for him. However, before doing so, I wanted to ensure this method works well with modified images. He prefers official installations and isn't comfortable with modified ones. My only concern was that the Media Creation Tool (MCT) might copy some of my modified system files instead of downloading fresh ones.

Thanks for your support, my friends.

Thread marked as solved.

Ok. I thought you might be adding one of your genius creations to the ISO

All should go well for you. Just uncheck the two things in the images I posted.

Or uncheck "Use the recommended options for this PC" and then let MCT create the media.

Solved Should I use MCT or Rufus for creating a bootable USB on a heavily modified Windows?

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