Why does the Win 10 installer not have the install.wim file, but the install.esd file?

Lately a lot of you have emailed me and wondered ” Why doesn’t my Windows 10 installer have install.wim file but install.esd file? Are there any differences between these 2 files? ”

And to answer this question, I will write a detailed analysis for you.

As you all know, in my previous articles, often related to Windows installation instructions, I will guide you to use the file. install.wim right? And actually I have not met any Windows 10 installer that has a file format install.esd both.

But many of you have too much question, so I decided to understand this issue clearly. I asked your friend to upload the file and share the link for me to download, so that I can see how strange it is, and here are the results that I have learned. But first let’s find out what file install.wim it is.

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#first. What file is the install.wim file?

Yes ! As I mentioned to you in the previous tutorials, the install.wim file is a core file in the Windows installer and it is located in the source directory of the installer.

The install.wim file contains all the file folders of the system, during the Win installation process, this file will be fully extracted to the hard drive partition you have chosen, making the operating system workable.

#2. Why doesn’t my Windows 10 installer have the install.wim file?

As far as I find out, in some cases when you download the Windows 10 installer there will be no files install.wim it is instead a file install.esd.

Actually, the install.esd file is a new alternative to the install.wim file, this file has a higher compression level, so the size of the install.esd file will usually be smaller than the install.wim file, although the files in it are the same.

In some cases your Windows 10 installer will be the file install.esd that is:

• Because you use the Windows 10 installer support tool provided by Microsoft, for example the Windows Media Creation Tool.
• Or maybe you downloaded a link shared by someone online, and they also used the Windows Media Creation Tool to download ?

=> In short, any format is fine, so if your Windows 10 installer doesn’t have the install.wim file, don’t be too surprised.

Using the install.esd file to replace is the same. In some cases the install.esd file will save you the storage space for that USB stick, because in this format the size is usually 30% smaller.

# 3. Instructions to convert the install.wim file to install.esd

If you want to convert the install.wim file format to the install.esd format, you can do it by the following way. Also very simple, you do it step by step.

+ Step 1: Create a folder, name it whatever you want, but it is best to be short and without accents, without spaces.

For example I will create a folder named install in the drive partition E, so the path will be e:install

+ Step 2: Mount that Windows installer to the virtual drive => then copy the file install.wim go to the directory you just created in bước 1 Italy.

Tips: If you are using Windows 8 or above, you can Mount quickly by right-clicking on the file *.iso (installer) => select Open With => continue to select Windows Explorer to open => now the iso file will immediately be mounted to the virtual drive.

Yes ! this is the file install.wim that I have copied to the install directory

+ Step 3: Please open it cmd With administrative rights, if you do not know you can see this article.

+ Step 4: You use the following command to convert:

Dism / Export-Image / SourceImageFile:e:install install.wim / SourceIndex: 1 / DestinationImageFile:e:install install.esd / Compress: recovery / CheckIntegrity

Inside: e:install is the path to the directory where you copied the install.wim file.

Press Enter to perform the conversion. The conversion is in progress, it should take about 3 – 10 minutes. Depending on the computer configuration and the size of the install.win file of the installer.

Yes, if the message shown below appears, it means the conversion has been done.

+ Step 5: Go back to the folder you created in step 1 to get the file install.esd that you just converted is done ?

# 4. How to convert the install.esd file to install.wim

On the contrary, if you want to convert files install.esd to format install.wim then you also do completely the same way as above.

I think this will probably be more useful, because normally we will use the file install.wim is more. And some software that supports installing Windows like WinNT Setup also only supports the format .wim never mind.

Perform:

You follow the instructions above, but above bước 4 Please replace it with the following command:

Dism / Export-Image / SourceImageFile:e:install install.esd / SourceIndex: 1 / DestinationImageFile:e:install install.wim / Compress: max / CheckIntegrity

Note: Remember to change the path to match your directory. That’s it, it’s as simple as that ?

# 5. Epilogue

Okey, so after reading this article, you understand Why does your Windows installer have no install.wim file? Alright ?

At the same time, through this article, you also know a very good tip that is convert file from install.wim to install.esd or vice versa from install.esd to insall.wim is very easy, right!

If you know anything about these two formats, do not hesitate to share them with everyone by commenting below. Hope this article will be useful to you, wish you success!

Kien Nguyen – techtipsnreview