Here (gravycode.com/what-is-a-esd-file-windows-8) it written, that the "CryptoKey" can be found in an XML file: Code: <CryptoKey>[..............CUT..............]<CryptoKey> So somebody can test how to use it to decrypt ESD file.
it's relatively easy. Install Win8 in vbox (vhd). sysprep win8. mount vhd in windows and capture installation with imagex to install.wim. replace install.esd with install.wim and you are done - the encryption is gone
I've done the sysprep method on the Upgrade ISO, but if RTM ISO's take upgrade keys, then what would be the purpose of converting an Upgrade ISO? I guess that would be my main question.
In this message (hxxp://forums.mydigitallife.net/threads/38801-format-esd?p=662153&viewfull=1#post662153) user "LostED" shows a download protocol (?) with these lines: Code: CONX Downloaded File: [ C:\Users\user34\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebSetup\Download\WinPayload.esd ] CONX Decrypted File: [ C:\Users\user34\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebSetup\Download\WinPayload.esd.decrypt ] It seems to me that the downloaded file "WinPayload.esd" exists temporary as "WinPayload.esd.decrypt". So: Can we stop the deleting of "WinPayload.esd.decrypt" and rename the extension to ISO, ZIP or RAR ? I just try to download and give folder: C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebSetup\Download\ all rights. But denied permission of deleting files. Let's see what happens ...
If you take away delete permissions or hardlink the file before it gets deleted you should be able to keep it, yeah. Still, it's going to be just the same as the .wim on the DVD, I imagine.
I'm going crazy here. How do I assign a letter to the VHD? Disk management doesn't give me the option, and diskpart won't do what every guide on the net tells me it should be able to do.. Disabling the pagefile doesn't make any difference. What am I doing wrong?
do you mean the "change drive letter" in diskmanager dose not work ? and you are logged in as admin ? did you also try to remove (not delete ) the vhd from VBOX disk manager?
You cannot assign a drive letter to a disk - you only can assign a drive letter to a partition. So you need to create a partition. Then you can assign a drive letter to this partition. ... attach vdisk create part primary assign letter=x ...
This does not work. With denied deleting permission the download ends with "Download not successfully". But I see: Whilst downloading a "*.tmp" file is created in download folder. Whilst download shows 95% the "*.tmp" file is renamed into "WinPayload.esd". And no network traffic is shown for the rest of 5% download time. Then the file "WinPayload.esd.decrypt" appears. At this time folder "C:\ESD\Windows" is empty. After download is completed "WinPayload.esd" disappears. Extraction of "WinPayload.esd.decrypt" fills folder "C:\ESD\Windows" After extraction in "C:\ESD\Windows" is completed "WinPayload.esd.decrypt" is deleted. All these files have exact same file size - but different hash codes: Windows8-ProESDwithApps-64bit-EnglishUnitedKingdom-X1816623.esd WinPayload.esd WinPayload.esd.decrypt Neither "WinPayload.esd" nor "WinPayload.esd.decrypt" can be open with "7zip" as ISO, ZIP or RAR.
It's not even there. Yes. Yes. It's a partition, created by Vbox, just like swamp3 suggested. Edit: Well I'm trying to install updates and remove components, not really the same thing, but I guess that doesn't make much difference here.
"attach vdisk" will mount your VHD, also you can simply double-click a VHD file in explorer to mount it.
OK - when the partition exist, then you must select it: ... attach vdisk list part (shows partition numbers; e.g. partition 1) select part 1 assign letter=x ...
I used takeown/icacls, then tried the same thing again, still didn't work. So I detached and left it as it was. Came back just to try what Please-8 said. But I only got to attack vdisk and suddenly two new partitions popped up in explorer. Thank you all for your help!