Convert ESD to WIM

There is no known way to decrypt Payload & esd file...

 

You just need to make a VM (if you use VirtualBox you can me a VM in the VHD format directly). Install Win8 via Upgrade ISO. If you need/want to install some updates, do that. When you're done, run sysprep: OOBE->Generalize->Shutdown. OK, you've sysprep'd your install. There will be a .vhd file (it'll be anywhere from 7gb to 11gb depending on the updates you've installed, and whether or not you've installed features like .NET 3.5) in the VirtualBox VM's folder (in your user account folder). You then open Disk Management, select Action->Attach VHD. Navigate to the .vhd file, attach it. You will then find that 2 partitions are attached/mounted. The large one will be your sysprep'd install. So when using imagex (or Gimagex if you need GUI) capture the larger partition. So if it's drive "H" then capture drive letter H, etc. So, for example: imagex /compress maximum /capture h: c:\install.wim "Windows 8 Pro" What that will do is capture drive "H" and save it to C:\ as "install.wim" and the image description is "Windows 8 Pro". You will then have your install.esd coverted to install.wim.

 

You might be able to save the activation from the capture method also. I believe data.dat is just a hidden file and tokens.dat is just in a system directory, so they might capture just fine.
If they don't you can go back and re-mount with dism and drop them in the store directory.
Example:

Code:

dism /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\win8\sources\install.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:\mnt
(then swap the files from windows\system32\spp\store) (data.dat and tokens.dat)
then dism /unmount-wim /mountdir:c:\mnt /commit

 

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wim TO esd:

Code:

DISM /Export-Image /SourceImageFile:C:\install.wim /SourceIndex:1 /DestinationImageFile:C:\install.esd /DestinationName:"Windows 8.1" /Compress:max

esd BACK TO wim:

Code:

DISM /Export-Image /SourceImageFile:C:\install.esd /SourceIndex:1 /DestinationImageFile:C:\install.wim /DestinationName:"Windows 8.1" /Compress:max

Will this not work on downloaded install.esd ?
What is the difference between install.wim converted to install.esd and existing ESD file.... ?

 

ESD is highly compressed image file...

 

rrohela

/Compress:max works fine and is fast

Use /Compress:recovery work and is very slow

Not possible....
I have converted install.wim to install.esd and install.esd BACK TO install.wim again

 

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Compress:None FTW

The downside is higher CPU usage and takes longer for re-installation. Not at all impressive once you figure in a 4TB hdd.

 

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its not that high & good when you need AIO on DVD-5......

 

Other than the DVD-5, is there any upper size limit for .wim's. Couldn't someone go nuts and create a master MSDN.wim with every OS ever and throw it on a single 64GB chip.

 

I'd like to see a Pre-Vista wim, how do you get around the HAL limitation?

 

You would boot a winPE session, but it would be customized with a script that would call setup.exe and perform a normal XP or 2000 unattended installation encapsulated inside a bootable .wim.

 

Are you saying that a installed windows 8.1 with install.esd will use more cpu than a installed windows 8.1 with install.wim?
Or were you just refering to the high cpu usage when converting the .wim to .esd?

I also noticed that install.esd is causing slower windows installation, almost 10 min slower than install.wim on my usb.

 

How you boot that 64GB chip with file size of wim above 4GB, with fat formatted?

above 4Gib file is not supported on FAT & windows setup booting is not supported from NTFS on uefi...

 

Trick question, I would use NTFS.