What is the proper ei.cfg entry for Windows 11?


Spartan

Spartan

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I see different stuff all over the web. What is the exact text to enter for the ei.cfg file to be able to install any edition (RETAIL not Volume License)?

Also, when installing if I select don't have a product key, I only see home, education, and pro but not Pro for Workstations.


What gives?
 

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I use the following:
[Channel]
Retail

Works to give you the menu choice of which version (Home/ Pro/ Education etc.) to use on clean installs, regardless of BIOS embedded keys, using the MS USB/ DVD creation tool.
There might be others depending on what you want to achieve.
Pro for Workstations is a separate purchase.
 

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Spartan said:
when installing if I select don't have a product key, I only see home, education, and pro but not Pro for Workstations.
Click to expand...
That would be the case if you used the MCT to make an ISO with an install.esd. If you use the option at Download Windows 11 to download the ISO direct you get an install.wim that has four more editions, including Pro Education and Pro Workstation.


W11-esd-editions.jpgW11-wim-editions.jpg

www.tenforums.com

See Full Details about a Windows 10 ISO file or USB

How to See Full Details about a Windows 10 ISO file or USB
www.tenforums.com www.tenforums.com
 

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This is all you need

Code: 
[Channel]
Retail
 

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I use this

[Channel]
_Default
[VL]
0
 

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rockyanexp said:
I use this

[Channel]
_Default
[VL]
0
Click to expand...
That does not work anymore with Build 26080 multi edition ISO. It just does not prompt anymore for edition selection during clean install.

It still works fine with 23H2 Build 22631.2861. Why did they change it in Build 26080?
Here is the menu I get with 22631.2861 simply using that
ei.cfg

[Channel]
_Default
[VL]
0

Here it is with Build 22631.2861 created with MCT, just adding the above ei.cfg in the Sources folder. What and why did they change in 26080?
1715585117669.png

Looks to me that when they recently modified the oobe setup for Dev and Canary they lost the edition selection menu and reverted to an old logic that requires both files EI.cfg and PID.txt to select the edition to be installed instead of the one that came with the PC.

Join Windows Insider – Get early access to Windows 11 features & updates

Join the Windows Insider Program to preview Windows features, provide feedback, and shape what's coming next to Windows.
aka.ms
 
Last edited:

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Uhh… what’s the difference between Ed and Pro Ed??
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro
OS
Windows 11 Pro

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel I9-9900K64GBNVIDIA RTX 2060
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Windows 11 Pro 25H2
Computer type
PC/Desktop
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Dell XPS 8930
CPU
Intel I9-9900K
Memory
64GB
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NVIDIA RTX 2060
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NVIDIA High Definition Audio
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3840 x 2160
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512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
fg2001gf11F said:
They may have an answer here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows11/comments/17e1ryj/whats_the_difference_between_windows_11_pro
www.intel.com

Windows 11 Education Operating System and Devices – Intel

An overview of Windows 11 Education operating systems and features, including security, productivity, personalized learning, and accessibility.
www.intel.com www.intel.com

​

Click to expand...
Forget Reddit

Actually other than "Change license" within Ms - the best way IMO is to download from UUPDUMP the relevant windows build you want and then include extra editions in the prompt.to be included in the iso.

Then when running the install you will get prompted for the edition you want to install. If using dism /Apply-Image select the appropriate edition via index=<n>

Cheers
jimbo
 

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jimbo45 said:
Forget Reddit

Actually other than "Change license" within Ms - the best way IMO is to download from UUPDUMP the relevant windows build you want and then include extra editions in the prompt.to be included in the iso.

Then when running the install you will get prompted for the edition you want to install. If using dism /Apply-Image select the appropriate edition via index=<n>

Cheers
jimbo
Click to expand...
The question asked by dacrone was simply:
What is the difference between Windows 11 Education and Windows 11 Education Pro.
Nothing to do with uupdump. 😂🤷‍♂️
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel I9-9900K64GBNVIDIA RTX 2060
OS
Windows 11 Pro 25H2
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Dell XPS 8930
CPU
Intel I9-9900K
Memory
64GB
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA RTX 2060
Sound Card
NVIDIA High Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
4k Samsung
Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160
Hard Drives
512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
😂 so just a newer con by Microsoft to hustle more money out of people via bloating education edition with garbage and labeling it ed pro so they can charge you to “upgrade” to education and get no actual new features. Got it.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Here is an example with Build 26080 for installing Windows 11 Pro for Workstations on a machine that came with standard Pro.
I also repeated the same test with Canary Build 26212.5000 multi edition ISO created from uupdump.
As I suspected, I got exactly the same behavior. No way to get the edition selection menu during setup. 😝🤐🤷‍♂️
Had to use both files to install a specific edition.

1) EI.cfg

[EditionID]
Pro for Workstations
[Channel]
_Default
[VL]
0

2) PID.txt

[PID]
Value=DXG7C-N36C4-C4HTG-X4T3X-2YV77

(Note that the PID in this case is a generic key for Pro for Workstations).
Again, there is no edition selection menu. The edition is selected with the 2 files above saved in the Sources folder. 😎

1715631388294.png
 
Last edited:

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel I9-9900K64GBNVIDIA RTX 2060
OS
Windows 11 Pro 25H2
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Dell XPS 8930
CPU
Intel I9-9900K
Memory
64GB
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA RTX 2060
Sound Card
NVIDIA High Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
4k Samsung
Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160
Hard Drives
512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
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