[DISCUSSION] Windows 11 26H1 Build 28000 (PC) [x64/arm64 Retail - br_release]

Discussion in 'Windows 11' started by Enthousiast, Nov 7, 2025.

  1. ciscokid

    ciscokid MDL Senior Member

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    Awesome thank you
     
  2. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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  3. itsmemario1

    itsmemario1 MDL Expert

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    So the x64 build 28020.xx is timebombed now, but an already installed 28000 will keep working (forever)?
    Yet it grabs canary updates instead of the retail updates?
     
  4. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    Yep.
    Should be, will become 26H2 and retail available for x64 too in the second half of 2026.

    28000.xxxx arm64 should take retail channel updates (or enrolled into the canary channel it will also be upgraded to 28020) and x64 will remain canary and be upgraded to 28020.xxxx

    I have no arm64 device so i can't tell from experience.
     
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  5. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    #186 Enthousiast, Dec 29, 2025
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2025
    (OP)
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  6. Paul Mercer

    Paul Mercer MDL Guru

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    #187 Paul Mercer, Dec 29, 2025
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2025
    there are NAME, DESCRIPTION, DISPLAYNAME, DISPLAYDESCRIPTION
    it looks like they are using NAME instead of DISPLAYNAME for inplace upgrade, so try to change the NAME

    it doesn't matter much since FLAGS is more important

    upd: just tried it, nope
    seems like this stuff is hardcoded somewhere
     
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  7. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    #188 Enthousiast, Dec 29, 2025
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2025
    (OP)
    It does matter because nobody will be able to guess what Pro is which of the 4 choices.

    Yeah, it is hardcoded it seems (probably in branding.dll), the MAS crew also checked it an no solution found.

    I also tried this code from @abbodi1406 as a test:

    Code:
    set dsc="Win 11 (%BRANCHE%) Professional x64 %LANG% (%BUILD%.%DELTABUILD%)"
    wimlib-imagex.exe info "AiO\x64\Sources\aio.install.wim" 9 %dsc% %dsc% --image-property DISPLAYNAME=%dsc% --image-property DISPLAYDESCRIPTION=%dsc% --image-property FLAGS="Professional"
    
    and the other indexes with their info.
    
     
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  8. Paul Mercer

    Paul Mercer MDL Guru

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    I meant for index structure

    anyway, it's definitely the new installer, so someone could check the binaries
    another msft innovation, I'm not impressed anymore
     
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  9. tistou77

    tistou77 MDL Guru

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    And the "old setup" doesn't work for the upgrade ?
     
  10. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    If you know how to invoke the upgrade to use the legacy setup.

    As shown from boot it works as expected, only upgrades don't show the new index info.
     
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  11. tistou77

    tistou77 MDL Guru

    Mar 22, 2008
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    I've never tested it, that's why I asked :)

    Are you launching the upgrade from setup.exe in the root directory of the image ?
    Have you tried the one in the Source directory ?
    That's the one used for a clean install and old setup
     
  12. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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  13. tistou77

    tistou77 MDL Guru

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    Oh ok, a false "lead" then
     
  14. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    #195 Enthousiast, Dec 29, 2025
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2026
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  15. tistou77

    tistou77 MDL Guru

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    At the very beginning of the 24h2 version, to get the old setup, I used the 23h2 ISO and replaced the 23h2 install.wim file with the 24h2 one.
    Wouldn't that work for the upgrade ?

    EDIT : Use the 23h2 ISO and copy install.wim from 26h1. But again, I haven't tested it for a clean install, so I haven't tested it for an upgrade.
     
  16. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    Then it would not be able to perform inplace upgrades from 24H2 and up.
     
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  17. tistou77

    tistou77 MDL Guru

    Mar 22, 2008
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    I edited my post.

    I figured that if it worked for the 24h2 / 25h2, maybe it would work for the 26h1 as well (unless Microsoft has changed something)
    The setup.exe file to launch the upgrade would be the one from 23h2
     
  18. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    #199 Enthousiast, Dec 29, 2025
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2026
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  19. pm67310

    pm67310 MDL Guru

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    For official upgrade the better sku are education , because support large edition " windows home #core , pro, pro education , education, workstation , enterprise ) and minimum build are windows 8.1
     
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