Simple Q: If I download a Win 11 ISO, does it come with the latest updates included?


M

mingle

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Sounds like a silly question, but if I get onto the MS website and download a Win 11 25H2 iso (via direct d/l or via the media creation tool), does it come with all current (as of the date of the download) updates included?

Cheers,

Mike.
 

My Computer My Computer

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Windows 11
OS
Windows 11
No, the released Windows updates not included with Windows 11 ISO, if they were you will have very big Windows 11 ISO.
 

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At a glance

Windows 11AMD Ryzen 7 5700GMicron Technology DDR4-3200 16GBNVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
HP Pavilion
CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Motherboard
Erica6
Memory
Micron Technology DDR4-3200 16GB
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
Sound Card
Realtek ALC671
Monitor(s) Displays
Samsung SyncMaster U28E590
Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160
Hard Drives
SAMSUNG MZVLQ1T0HALB-000H1
A couple of days ago I downloaded the 25H2 version using Media Creation Tool. It downloaded Build 26200.6899, which was not the latest build at the time.

I don't know if there is a way to check which build will be downloaded with MCT. You have to try and see.
 

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System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro build 26200.8524Intel i7-4790Teams DDR3-1600 4x4 GBMSI Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel i7-4790
    Motherboard
    Asus H97 Pro Gamer with add-on TPM1.2 module
    Memory
    Teams DDR3-1600 4x4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1150
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell P2425D
    Screen Resolution
    2560 by 1440 pixels
    Hard Drives
    Corsair NVMe M.2 Core XT 1000 GB (Windows 11 v.25H2); Samsung SATA Evo 870 500 GB (Windows 11 v.25H2);
    PSU
    Corsair HX850
    Case
    Gigabyte Solo 210
    Cooling
    Zalman CNPS7X Tower
    Keyboard
    Microsoft AIO Wireless (includes touchpad)
    Mouse
    HP S1000 Plus Wireless
    Internet Speed
    500 Mb fiber optic
    Browser
    Chrome; MS Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

  • At a glance

    MacOS 12 MontereyIntel Core i58 GBIntel integrated
    Operating System
    MacOS 12 Monterey
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Apple Macbook Air
    CPU
    Intel Core i5
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel integrated
    Screen Resolution
    1440 by 900 pixels
    Hard Drives
    128 GB
    Keyboard
    Built-in
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless
    Internet Speed
    802.11 ac
    Browser
    Chrome; Safari
    Antivirus
    N/A
suatcini54 said:
I don't know if there is a way to check which build will be downloaded with MCT. You have to try and see.
Click to expand...

Read under the Option:

Option One
Download Latest Windows 11 64-bit ISO using Media Creation Tool (MCT)

This will be for a Windows 11 Version 25H2 build 26200.6899 ISO file with install.esd.
Click to expand...

www.elevenforum.com

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 www.elevenforum.com
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two Other systems

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8894Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4770K CPU @ 3.50GHz32.0 GB of I forget and the box is in storage.Gigabyte nVidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super OC 6GB
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8894
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Sin-built 2013
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4770K CPU @ 3.50GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus VI Formula
    Memory
    32.0 GB of I forget and the box is in storage.
    Graphics Card(s)
    Gigabyte nVidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super OC 6GB
    Sound Card
    ROG SupremeFX Formula 8-Channel High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    5 x LG 25MS500-B - 1 x 24MK430H-B - 1 x Wacom Pro 22" Touch Screen Tablet
    Screen Resolution
    All over the place
    Hard Drives
    Too many to list. OS on Samsung 1TB 870 QVO SATA
    PSU
    Silverstone 1500
    Case
    NZXT Phantom 820 Full-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 Elite Class Dual Tower CPU Cooler / 6 x EziDIY 120mm / 2 x Corsair 140mm somethings / 1 x 140mm Thermaltake something / 2 x 200mm Corsair.
    Keyboard
    Corsair K95 / Logitech diNovo Edge Wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech: G402 / G502 / Mx Masters / Mx Air Cordless
    Internet Speed
    2000/500Mbps
    Browser
    All sorts
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky Premium
    Other Info
    ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
    TP-Link BE9300 WiFi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 (Archer TBE550E)
    TP-Link TX201 V1 2.5GB Lan

    Grandstream HT812 - VoIP
    ASUS DSL-AX82U - Mesh
    ASUS RT-AC68U - Mesh
    ASUS RT-BE88U Router

    Brother MFC-L2880DW Printer

    I’m on a horse.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8894 (Wifes)13th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1340P Process...16GB LPDDR5-52001x Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8894 (Wifes)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    LENOVO Yoga 7 14IRL8 - Type 82YL
    CPU
    13th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1340P Processor(Core™ i5-1340P)
    Memory
    16GB LPDDR5-5200
    Graphics card(s)
    1x Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Optimized with Dolby Atmos®
    Screen Resolution
    QHD 2880 x 1800 OLED
    Hard Drives
    M.2 512 GB SSD PCIe
    Mouse
    Logiteck MX Master 3S
    Internet Speed
    2000/500
    Antivirus
    Defender / Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    …still on a horse.


    Wireless Network: Wi-Fi 6E 2x2 AX; Bluetooth® 5.1 or above
    Ports: 1x 1 Novo button; 2 in 1 Audio Combo jack; Micro SD Card Reader; HDMI 1.4b; 2 x USB Type-C (TBT4)
    USB 3.2 Gen 2 DP 1.4a
    PD 3.0); 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A
    Camera
    1x 1080P FHD IR/RGB Hybrid with Privacy Shutter and Dual Array Microphone
    Graphics
    1x Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Monitor
    14" WUXGA
    Form Factor
    Convertible Notebook
  • Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8894 (Wifes)

    Yoga 7 2-in-1 14IML9 - Type 83DJ

    Processor: Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 155H Processor(Core™ Ultra 7 155H)

    Memory: 32GB LPD5X-7467

    Hard Drive: 1 TB SSD PCIe

    Wireless Network: 1x Wi-Fi 6E 2x2 AX; Bluetooth® 5.1 or above

    Ports: 1 x HDMI 2.1 TMDS; 1 x Novo Button; 1 x Combo Audio Jack
    2 x USB-C (USB 4.0)
    1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1

    Camera: 1080P FHD IR Hybrid with Dual Microphone

    Graphics: Intel® Arc™ Graphics

    Monitor: 14" 2.8K

    ...Where's my horse?
FreeBooter said:
No, the released Windows updates not included with Windows 11 ISO, if they were you will have very big Windows 11 ISO.
Click to expand...
No hardly any difference as updates most replace old versions.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro + Win11 Canary VM.I9 13th gen i9-13900H 2.60 GHZ16 GB solderedIntegrated Intel Iris XE
OS
Windows 11 Pro + Win11 Canary VM.
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
ASUS Zenbook 14
CPU
I9 13th gen i9-13900H 2.60 GHZ
Motherboard
Yep, Laptop has one.
Memory
16 GB soldered
Graphics Card(s)
Integrated Intel Iris XE
Sound Card
Realtek built in
Monitor(s) Displays
laptop OLED screen
Screen Resolution
2880x1800 touchscreen
Hard Drives
1 TB NVME SSD (only weakness is only one slot)
PSU
Internal + 65W thunderbolt USB4 charger
Case
Yep, got one
Cooling
Stella Artois (UK pint cans - 568 ml) - extra cost.
Keyboard
Built in UK keybd
Mouse
Bluetooth , wireless dongled, wired
Internet Speed
900 mbs (ethernet), wifi 6 typical 350-450 mb/s both up and down
Browser
Edge
Antivirus
Defender
Other Info
TPM 2.0, 2xUSB4 thunderbolt, 1xUsb3 (usb a), 1xUsb-c, hdmi out, 3.5 mm audio out/in combo, ASUS backlit trackpad (inc. switchable number pad)

Macrium Reflect Home V8
Office 365 Family (6 users each 1TB onedrive space)
Hyper-V (a vm runs almost as fast as my older laptop)
As far as I know, Microsoft uploads a new ISO every few months? This means it is not always the most updated, but once you install Windows 11 you can also install all updates to get the latest build. There is no compatibility check when installing standard updates, only for upgrading to a new version (such as from 23H2 to 24H2 or 25H2). So even us we unsupported computers can receive and installs all updates from Windows Update except of course those upgrading to a newer version. For upgrading to a newer version we have to manually download the respective ISO, bypass compatibility check and run Setup. So, just download the current available ISO, install Windows 11 and then install all updates. See respective sticky thread how to bypass compatibility check if you have an unsupported computer.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8875)Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz4GBMobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8875)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, no SSE4.2, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8875)Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generat...2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB...
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8875)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB (GV-N3050WF2OCV2-6GD)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue SA510 2.5 1000GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Deepcool Gamma Archer CPU cooler, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
spapakons said:
As far as I know, Microsoft uploads a new ISO every few months?
Click to expand...
Incorrect. Windows download ISO is rarely updated, maybe once or twice over its supported lifetime. 24H2 ISO has yet to be replaced.

MCT may be updated 3-5 times over its supported lifetime. MS simply does not provide pre-updated images every month to the non-Volume Licensing user. End of story. You're supposed to allow Windows Update to do its thing.

This is why UUP dump is a popular option. The point of the site is to create a pre-updated image without you having to understand anything except which is the most current build number.
 

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Windows 7
OS
Windows 7
antspants said:
Read under the Option:



www.elevenforum.com

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 www.elevenforum.com
Click to expand...
I am sorry I went right to the Microsoft Windows 11 download page instead of reading Dear @Brink 's most useful tutorial. Silly of me.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro build 26200.8524Intel i7-4790Teams DDR3-1600 4x4 GBMSI Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel i7-4790
    Motherboard
    Asus H97 Pro Gamer with add-on TPM1.2 module
    Memory
    Teams DDR3-1600 4x4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1150
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell P2425D
    Screen Resolution
    2560 by 1440 pixels
    Hard Drives
    Corsair NVMe M.2 Core XT 1000 GB (Windows 11 v.25H2); Samsung SATA Evo 870 500 GB (Windows 11 v.25H2);
    PSU
    Corsair HX850
    Case
    Gigabyte Solo 210
    Cooling
    Zalman CNPS7X Tower
    Keyboard
    Microsoft AIO Wireless (includes touchpad)
    Mouse
    HP S1000 Plus Wireless
    Internet Speed
    500 Mb fiber optic
    Browser
    Chrome; MS Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

  • At a glance

    MacOS 12 MontereyIntel Core i58 GBIntel integrated
    Operating System
    MacOS 12 Monterey
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Apple Macbook Air
    CPU
    Intel Core i5
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel integrated
    Screen Resolution
    1440 by 900 pixels
    Hard Drives
    128 GB
    Keyboard
    Built-in
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless
    Internet Speed
    802.11 ac
    Browser
    Chrome; Safari
    Antivirus
    N/A
Just download whichever version the official ISO is and update. Once I downloaded from UUP Dump and it took so long to download and integrate all the updates, I could have just installed the official version and run Windows Update. No gain, unless you have to install Windows 11 on more than one computer.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8875)Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz4GBMobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8875)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, no SSE4.2, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8875)Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generat...2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB...
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8875)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB (GV-N3050WF2OCV2-6GD)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue SA510 2.5 1000GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Deepcool Gamma Archer CPU cooler, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
@garlin There's a pretty big difference between current 24H2 ISO and the May ISO. Is that MS cramming bits in for 25H2? I've never really paid attention to the sizes; is that normal leading up to Microsoft giving us the FU? (pun intended)

Code: 
Name                                                             Size
----                                                             ----
en-US Windows 11 Consumer Editions 24H2 2025-05 x64.iso   6,367.09 MB
en-US Windows 11 Consumer Editions 24H2 2025-06 x64.iso   6,746.80 MB
en-US Windows 11 Consumer Editions 24H2 2025-07 x64.iso   6,826.79 MB
en-US Windows 11 Consumer Editions 24H2 2025-08 x64.iso   6,968.72 MB
en-US Windows 11 Consumer Editions 24H2 2025-09 x64.iso   7,329.68 MB
en-US Windows 11 Consumer Editions 24H2 2025-10 x64.iso   7,407.11 MB
 

My Computer My Computer

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Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2 [rev. 8893]
OS
Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2 [rev. 8893]
Michael Niehaus covers this topic in Windows 11 cumulative updates: How can they possibly be that big?

image-2.webp

They jammed a crap load of AI models into the offline CU. He says if you're using WU, then it's smart enough to skip that content on a non-AI PC. But you don't have a choice of AI or non-AI CU's for offline integration, since you can't predict the target system's HW beforehand.

Also: good luck in getting a new Checkpoint CU...
 

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Windows 7
OS
Windows 7
I remember years ago how painful updates were after an OS install. You typically had to run Windows update 3 or 4 times, with reboots in between to get the latest updates. These days are fortunately over.

During the install, if you are connected to the internet, you automatically download the latest cumulative update. And if you aren't getting those install updates, as soon as you connect to Windows update, you get the latest cumulative updates and just a couple other small updates.

So, updates are pretty darn fast these days. I don't see any need anymore to slipstream updates into my media. I don't install Windows all that often either.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel Core i5-8279u32GB DDR4 2666MhzIntel Iris Plus 655
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink SEI8
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-8279u
    Motherboard
    AZW SEI
    Memory
    32GB DDR4 2666Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Iris Plus 655
    Sound Card
    Intel SST
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus ProArt PA278QV
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe
    PSU
    NA
    Case
    NA
    Cooling
    NA
    Keyboard
    NA
    Mouse
    NA
    Internet Speed
    500/50
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    Mini PC used for testing Windows 11.

  • At a glance

    Windows 10 ProRyzen 9 5900x64GB DDR4-3600EVGA GeForce 3080 FT3 Ultra
    Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900x
    Motherboard
    Asus Rog Strix X570-E Gaming
    Memory
    64GB DDR4-3600
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA GeForce 3080 FT3 Ultra
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ. ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV 27” WQHD
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2TB WD SN850 PCI-E Gen 4 NVMe
    2TB Sandisk Ultra 2.5" SATA SSD
    PSU
    Seasonic Focus 850
    Case
    Fractal Meshify S2 in White
    Cooling
    Dark Rock Pro CPU cooler, 3 x 140mm case fans
    Keyboard
    Corsiar K65 RGB Lux
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    500/50
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender.
Figures the graph goes way up in May. I usually keep the last six ISOs on hand. :facepalm:
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2 [rev. 8893]
OS
Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2 [rev. 8893]
pparks1 said:
So, updates are pretty darn fast these days. I don't see any need anymore to slipstream updates into my media. I don't install Windows all that often either.
Click to expand...
Normal updates are helped by a heavy dose of delta (differential) compression, so you don't need to include the entire file for minor fixes.
 

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Windows 7
OS
Windows 7
garlin said:
Run this batch script.
Click to expand...
Hi @garlin

I ran the script you provided but it closed as fast as it opened. I didn't see anything and it didn't output a text file or anything.

Did I do something wrong ?
 

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System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro build 26200.8524Intel i7-4790Teams DDR3-1600 4x4 GBMSI Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel i7-4790
    Motherboard
    Asus H97 Pro Gamer with add-on TPM1.2 module
    Memory
    Teams DDR3-1600 4x4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1150
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell P2425D
    Screen Resolution
    2560 by 1440 pixels
    Hard Drives
    Corsair NVMe M.2 Core XT 1000 GB (Windows 11 v.25H2); Samsung SATA Evo 870 500 GB (Windows 11 v.25H2);
    PSU
    Corsair HX850
    Case
    Gigabyte Solo 210
    Cooling
    Zalman CNPS7X Tower
    Keyboard
    Microsoft AIO Wireless (includes touchpad)
    Mouse
    HP S1000 Plus Wireless
    Internet Speed
    500 Mb fiber optic
    Browser
    Chrome; MS Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

  • At a glance

    MacOS 12 MontereyIntel Core i58 GBIntel integrated
    Operating System
    MacOS 12 Monterey
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Apple Macbook Air
    CPU
    Intel Core i5
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel integrated
    Screen Resolution
    1440 by 900 pixels
    Hard Drives
    128 GB
    Keyboard
    Built-in
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless
    Internet Speed
    802.11 ac
    Browser
    Chrome; Safari
    Antivirus
    N/A
It doesn't output to a file, it just reports the build number to the screen. Run it from the command line, and not Explorer.
Code: 
C:\Users\GARLIN\Downloads>MCT_ISO_version.bat
26200.6899.251011-1532.25h2_ge_release_svc_refresh
 

My Computer My Computer

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Windows 7
OS
Windows 7
garlin said:
It doesn't output to a file, it just reports the build number to the screen. Run it from the command line, and not Explorer.
Code: 
C:\Users\GARLIN\Downloads>MCT_ISO_version.bat
26200.6899.251011-1532.25h2_ge_release_svc_refresh
Click to expand...
Thank you. I couldn't think of running it inside the command prompt window.

Have a nice weekend.
 

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    Windows 11 Pro build 26200.8524Intel i7-4790Teams DDR3-1600 4x4 GBMSI Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
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    MacOS 12 MontereyIntel Core i58 GBIntel integrated
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    Apple Macbook Air
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    Intel Core i5
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    Built-in
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    N/A
Thanks for the replies...

Today (12-Nov-2025 13:00 AEST) I downloaded the latest 25H2 ISO directly from the MS websites AND also used the Media Creation Tool to build a 25H2 ISO.

Interestingly the two ISO were of noticeably different sizes and also different 'service-pack' versions:

Direct-download ISO = 26200.6584 and 7.20GB in size.
MCT created ISO = 26200.6899 and 5.69GB in size.
 

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Windows 11
OS
Windows 11
The install images for the downloaded and MCT versions use different compression schemes.

Direct download uses the WIM format (less compression). But it's ready for offline editing.
MCT uses the ESD format (more compression). To edit the image, you must first convert ESD->WIM (which is a time consuming process).

If you edit the image, it can be optionally compressed to ESD format (which is a time consuming process).

MS presumes most non-technical users will use MCT to both download and copy the ISO to a DVD or USB drive without a need for editing. So MCT uses the ESD format to save on network traffic.

That 1.5 GB download difference quickly adds up, when considering the worldwide users who want a new Windows ISO.

The two builds are one month apart (at this moment), so the differences are neglible. But if you wait until next year... 25H2 download ISO will probably be stuck on .6584 and the MCT will creep forward to some undetermined build. You will not get a monthly advance from MCT, it's whatever the next critical milestone build that MS considers important to push out. Which might be a random number of months later in 2026.

There's no point in "spinning the wheel" to see if MCT delivers a newer version. It's easier to stay current with Windows news, and @Brink will report when MCT refreshes the 25H2 ISO.
 

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Windows 7
OS
Windows 7
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