NTVader2000
New Member
I know that I can do this manaully but was hope NTLite ad a way to do this automatically.
Bootable ISO that allows the user to select either Windows 10 or 11
- Thread starter NTVader2000
- Start date
Not automatically, but it takes a few steps with NTLite. For this example, we will roll W10 into the W11 ISO.
1. Extract (7-Zip) both W10 & W11 ISO's to separate folders.
2. Add the W10 ISO's folder.
3. Select the W10 edition you want to export (right-menu -> Export / WIM), save to file as W11 ISO folder's sources\install.wim.
5. Load any edition (doesn't matter). Enable Unattended mode, now click on "Prompt edition selection" in the menu header. There is no need to update Unattended's other settings unless you need to.
6. If your target PC (Dell, HP, or Lenovo) has an OEM license key, we need to create an EI.cfg if you want to install a different version of Windows than matches the factory license. Like replacing Home with Pro. Skip this step if you don't have OEM keys, or re-installing the same edition.
Open a CMD window as Administrator, and use Notepad to write a new file sources\EI.cfg in NTLite's mounted Windows folder.
7. Apply your changes. Booting the ISO, Setup will present a list of images to install.
1. Extract (7-Zip) both W10 & W11 ISO's to separate folders.
2. Add the W10 ISO's folder.
3. Select the W10 edition you want to export (right-menu -> Export / WIM), save to file as W11 ISO folder's sources\install.wim.
When asked to confirm, choose "No" to overwrite (which will append to W11's WIM).
Repeat steps if you're exporting multiple editions.
4. Forget the W10 folder (don't need it). Add the W11 ISO's folder.5. Load any edition (doesn't matter). Enable Unattended mode, now click on "Prompt edition selection" in the menu header. There is no need to update Unattended's other settings unless you need to.
6. If your target PC (Dell, HP, or Lenovo) has an OEM license key, we need to create an EI.cfg if you want to install a different version of Windows than matches the factory license. Like replacing Home with Pro. Skip this step if you don't have OEM keys, or re-installing the same edition.
Open a CMD window as Administrator, and use Notepad to write a new file sources\EI.cfg in NTLite's mounted Windows folder.
Code:
[Channel]
Retail
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07. Apply your changes. Booting the ISO, Setup will present a list of images to install.
Hellbovine
Well-Known Member
Please know I mean no negativity in my reply or inferences here, I'm only trying to discuss and learn more:
In what scenario(s) does having W10 and W11 on the same USB drive benefit? This question applies to other similar posts on this forum too, such as combining x86/x64 Windows, and so forth. People tend to call these AIO (all in one), which is a little confusing because that's also what companies (HP, Dell, etcetera) call their prefab computers.
USB drives are so small and cheap, and it seems like it's more work (or the same at best) to create a USB drive with both operating systems, as it is to make them individually. Combining things onto one USB drive also increases the chances of bugs appearing, as well as user-errors, so it doesn't come without risks too.
I guess what I'm mostly curious about, is if these are niche cases for very peculiar situations, or is this common? It can be hard to differentiate this on a forum like NTLite, because we get a lot of sysadmin people here who work on weird legacy situations, that really should be resolved by just upgrading all the hardware/software, but so many companies are cheap and shortsighted, meaning these sysadmins have to make the best of what they've got. I understand that part, but still can't figure out where AIO fits into the picture, and for the average home user I really can't see it.
Edit: anyone that has experience with this can answer, I'm not trying to single out anybody. I'm hoping to hear from someone that has actually done these things, and why it was necessary.
In what scenario(s) does having W10 and W11 on the same USB drive benefit? This question applies to other similar posts on this forum too, such as combining x86/x64 Windows, and so forth. People tend to call these AIO (all in one), which is a little confusing because that's also what companies (HP, Dell, etcetera) call their prefab computers.
USB drives are so small and cheap, and it seems like it's more work (or the same at best) to create a USB drive with both operating systems, as it is to make them individually. Combining things onto one USB drive also increases the chances of bugs appearing, as well as user-errors, so it doesn't come without risks too.
I guess what I'm mostly curious about, is if these are niche cases for very peculiar situations, or is this common? It can be hard to differentiate this on a forum like NTLite, because we get a lot of sysadmin people here who work on weird legacy situations, that really should be resolved by just upgrading all the hardware/software, but so many companies are cheap and shortsighted, meaning these sysadmins have to make the best of what they've got. I understand that part, but still can't figure out where AIO fits into the picture, and for the average home user I really can't see it.
Edit: anyone that has experience with this can answer, I'm not trying to single out anybody. I'm hoping to hear from someone that has actually done these things, and why it was necessary.
Last edited:
NTVader2000
New Member
Thank you 'garlin' . Much appreciated.
We are starting to transition to Windows 11 from Windows 10. 37 of the 59 models we have support Windows 11. We have both a USB (on exceedingly rare occasions) and a 2Pirint HTML Pixy boot solution for when we have to re-image a device. The above solution will not be technically user selectable but driven by a task that will determine the model and if it supports Windows 11. If so, then install Windows 11. If not, install Windows 10. For now, it will be user selectable until we complete our testing.
We are starting to transition to Windows 11 from Windows 10. 37 of the 59 models we have support Windows 11. We have both a USB (on exceedingly rare occasions) and a 2Pirint HTML Pixy boot solution for when we have to re-image a device. The above solution will not be technically user selectable but driven by a task that will determine the model and if it supports Windows 11. If so, then install Windows 11. If not, install Windows 10. For now, it will be user selectable until we complete our testing.
Ventoy provides a single interface to boot into one of many separate ISO images.
However, it doesn't solve the problem if you wanted to install multiple images from one single ISO. If you used Ventoy, then you would have to copy over all your tweaks, Unattended and Post-Setup settings to each ISO that was being offered.
However, it doesn't solve the problem if you wanted to install multiple images from one single ISO. If you used Ventoy, then you would have to copy over all your tweaks, Unattended and Post-Setup settings to each ISO that was being offered.