Windows 11 => Education Edition - an alternate to Enterprise IoT LTSC

Discussion in 'Windows 11' started by -Jim-, May 2, 2026.

  1. -Jim-

    -Jim- MDL Senior Member

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    #1 -Jim-, May 2, 2026
    Last edited: May 2, 2026
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  2. verndog

    verndog MDL Senior Member

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    I just today ran across someone suggesting the Education edition. Thanks for your posting and the video. I'll give it a whirl. :)
     
  3. -Jim-

    -Jim- MDL Senior Member

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    Welcome to the Thread.

    Remember to not be online during the install so you can use a local account if you don't select that option with Rufus. I typically leave it disconnected just in case anyway.
     
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  4. rayman95

    rayman95 MDL Senior Member

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    No need to disconnect
     
  5. verndog

    verndog MDL Senior Member

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    i downloaded Win11_25H2_English_x64_v2.iso, but where is Education edition? It appears only windows 11 install. how to install Education only?
     
  6. Ace2

    Ace2 MDL Guru

    Oct 10, 2014
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    learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/policy-based-inbox-app-removal/policy-based-inbox-app-removal?tabs=gpo
     
  7. verndog

    verndog MDL Senior Member

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    ok, i figured it out. 'ei.cfg'. Installed!
     
  8. -Jim-

    -Jim- MDL Senior Member

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  9. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    #9 Enthousiast, May 3, 2026
    Last edited: May 3, 2026
    No non LTSC SKU can be compared to a LTSC SKU, for the main reasons LTSC exists, the 5 (+5 for IoT LTSC) year long term support and no forced feature upgrades.

    It is because you are installing on a system with a MSDM for home (most likely), since windows 8 the setup looks for that in the bios and when it finds it it will auto select the SKU and in most cases that will be Home and on business hardware that will be Professional.

    The ei.cfg or pid.txt will circumvent that and a generic ei.cfg will enable you to select any of the available SKUs on the ISO or a SKU specific ei.cfg will autoselect that SKU.

    Pid.txt will do the same, the key you put in will select the SKU at setup.

    TIP, next time use a Business ISO for all SKUs except Home.

    PS, keys can be found in every build post, the product.ini file will contain all keys for the specific build, gVLK and passkeys.
     
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  10. -Jim-

    -Jim- MDL Senior Member

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  11. pm67310

    pm67310 MDL Guru

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    Good alternative to iot ltsc / ltsc are enterprise iot ( same as enterprise no ltsc but bypass many requirement
     
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  12. verndog

    verndog MDL Senior Member

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    What I found out on my system is the Education uses a lot more space than the standard Windows Pro. I just don't see the benefit of using Education.
     
  13. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    Sorry for my blunt reaction but did you once look at the sticky threads?

    Every couple of years this happens, all has to be re-invented and republished and when people invest the time and energy to create entire threads for the info it is not read.
     
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  14. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

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    #14 Enthousiast, May 3, 2026
    Last edited: May 3, 2026
    Education has the option to set Telemetry to 0, like the enterprise editions (non ltsc and ltsc) can, it is not really different in size, all Pro and up SKUs are virtual ediitons based on Pro and can be switched by simply entering the keys shown in the product.ini file (https://forums.mydigitallife.net/th...anguage-to-pro-or-any-other-higher-sku.85294/)..

    it also has the same servicing time as the Enterprise non ltsc version.
     
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  15. kyrcy

    kyrcy MDL Senior Member

    Feb 25, 2020
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    What is the difference between Windows 11 Pro Education and Windows 11 Education? And do they both have the option to set Telemetry to 0?
     
  16. Carlos Detweiller

    Carlos Detweiller Emperor of Ice-Cream
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    The former is a lesser edition and based on Pro. The latter is based on Enterprise.

    To my knowledge, only Education has is, ProEdu doesn't.
     
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  17. kyrcy

    kyrcy MDL Senior Member

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    Are they both in the same Windows 11 Consumer ISOs?
     
  18. Carlos Detweiller

    Carlos Detweiller Emperor of Ice-Cream
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  19. DichVAN

    DichVAN MDL Junior Member

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    Education, Enterprise, IoTEnterprise, Windows Enterprise multi-session / Virtual Desktops, Windows Pro for Workstations......... all of them are Virtual Edition of Professional Edition.

    Ex Education: Simplest Education Edition is Professional Edition with different Key. That's all.
     
  20. -Jim-

    -Jim- MDL Senior Member

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