Windows 10: Fresh Install Windows 10 TP Build 9860

I am at the moment upgrading 8.1 to 10 TP Build 9841 to test this scenario if it explains this ESD <> WIM dilemma. Got the idea from Adam's post which you now confirmed.

 

I got the link from: Chris 123 Blog
The link for ESD you added is not working. I found a link for the latest version, 4C ESD 4C

 

You have answered you query with the last sentence. You get the ESD with a clean install and the wim with an upgrade.

I have no idea why the mechanics of installing are making it work like this. But, the Wim is the "Windows to go" item, which is available in the enterprise release only??

 

The WIM (Windows IMaging) is the normal file format for installing Windows, you can take any install media (DVD / USB / ISO) for any Windows version and edition and browse to its Sources folder, the file install.wim will be there. It is the Windows; it contains everything to install Windows. It is a big file, about 90% of the total size of the Windows install disk or ISO. In Windows 10 Technical Preview's case, the size of the installation ISO is 3.7 GB including a 3.3 GB install.wim.

The ESD (Electronic Software Delivery) is a relatively new highly compressed file format used by Microsoft for delivering Windows upgrades. Basically it is nothing else than a compressed WIM file, reducing the size needed to be downloaded with almost 30%. It was first time used in Windows 8 to 8.1 upgrades, the upgrade when launched from Windows Store downloaded the ESD file.

From our (users) point of view ESD saves both time and bandwidth needed for the download, for example the ESD file for the build 9860 x64 is 2.58 GB whereas the same as WIM file is 3.3 GB. The bootable ISO file created from either of them is 3.7 GB.

I did some quite extensive testing yesterday and last night to find out in which cases the user gets the build upgrade as WIM and and in which cases as ESD. Results can be seen in this post in the tutorial thread: ESD to ISO - Create Bootable ISO from Windows 10 ESD File

 

I have Win10 Pro (not Enterprise) and I got an .ESD file with my 9860 update. Using this link with its latest Decrypt tool:

Get ISO image for Windows 10 build 9860 for a clean install | Winaero

I now have a Win 10 9860 ISO file.

I wonder how I know that the install.esd file I am using is for the 9860 update tho? It SEEMS to be but...

My final .iso file

JM1_CPRA_X64FRER_EN-US_DV9.iso

 

The Ten Forums tutorial for the same, with a simplified decrypter: ESD to ISO - Create Bootable ISO from Windows 10 ESD File

The file install.esd (Win10 TP clean install) or install.wim (Win10 TP upgraded from 8.1) in folder C:\RecoveryImage is for the currently installed build as this was the first build upgrade you did. In your case now the file is build 9860 and will only be replaced when you upgrade to next build if you delete the whole folder which upgrade will then recreate, or at least delete the marker file DONOTREPLACE.txt file in said folder.

If the marker file is not deleted prior to upgrade to next build ithe ESD file in C:\RecoveryImage will remain build 9860 and the upgraded build ESD file will be found in C:\$Windows.~BT\Source (notice: C:\$Windows.~BT is a hidden folder).

 

I am downloading the latest build .iso file now because it wouldn't download via Settings>Upgrade Builds.

Is there a way to run it as an Upgrade of 9841 which was Clean installed?

How does the Recovery folder work for Clean Installs? Does it only provide the Reset and Refresh, or do something more?

Does the Do Not Delete file only pertain to preserving Factory Recovery partitions for those particular Upgrades, or 8/8.1 Recovery via Reset/Refresh?

 

Just wipe out your hard drive/ partition and do a clean install of 9860. Even the successful online uograde caused a lot of errors that dragged the performance down. I clean installed mine with the ISO I created and everything is better now.

 

The link given in my original post is no longer working. Here's the link for the latest version of esd-decrypter-V4c:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxg...ew?usp=sharing

 

It's a totally normal ISO. Mount it or burn to disk / USB and run the setup from 9841 desktop to perform an in-place upgrade.

A clean installed 9841 does not have the recovery folder C:\RecoveryImage with image (ESD or WIM), nor does a clean installed Build 9860. It is only available in upgraded systems, created by the upgrade process.

When upgraded to a new build, 8.1 to 10 9841 or 9841 to 9860, the upgrade checks if the C:\RecoveryImage contains the file DONOTREPLACE.txt from a previous upgrade. If the file is present, the recovery image (ESD or WIM file) in the same folder will not be overwritten.

Example scenarios:

Example 1.) Windows 8.1 upgraded to Windows 10 TP Build 9841. The C:\RecoveryImage contains the recovery image for Windows 10 TP Build 9841. If the DONOTREPLACE.txt is present when user later upgrades to Build 9860, the recovery image will not be replaced but remains Build 9841.

Example 2.) Build 9841 clean install, upgraded to Build 9860. Recovery image at C:\RecoveryImage is Build 9860. User deletes the DONOTREPLACE.txt file. When the next build upgrade becomes available and user upgrades, the recovery image will be replaced with that of the new upgraded build.

 

You can also just mount the ISO and run Setup.exe to do an upgrade/inplace install.