Question Creating an installation media for an old version of Windows 10

[Arcaeca]

I am going to try to do a clean reinstall of Windows 10 on my laptop after lots of fiddling around with drivers that I can't get to work. So I went to the Windows 10 Create Installation Media page and installed it on a fresh USB drive... and only afterwards realized that it's version 22HD, the final(?) version of Windows 10. This is not what I want - the version of Windows I am currently running is much older and I am happy with it and do not want to update unless I absolutely have to.

This is what I see in System Information: Windows 10 Pro, build 17763 which some Googling tells me corresponds to version 1809, and from "Hardware abstraction layer" near the bottom I guess I'm specifically looking for 1809.1131. Right?

When I look up how to make installation media for older version I find this Microsoft forum thread which directs me here (https://tb.rg-adguard.net/public.php) to download old versions in .iso format, which then have to be unpacked onto the USB drive. Now, not only is 1809.1131 not present (1809.1 is, maybe good enough?), the editions drop down only gives me Windows 10 (which I assume is Home) and Windows 10 Home China - neither of these are Pro, right? If I follow the redirect link at the top of the page, go to Operating Systems - again there is no 1809.1131, I guess 1809.1098 is the closest? - there are two consumer versions and two business versions (https://files.rg-adguard.net/files/2d824225-486a-c37f-b69c-3c20cf122256) - are any of these Pro? I don't know how to tell.

What is the recommended place to get the right version of Windows 10 I'm looking for and get it onto the USB drive in the correct format?

 

[USAFRet]

Why do you need/want an older version?

 

[Arcaeca]

I already told you why. I want to keep the version I already have, just do a fresh reinstall of it.

 

[stonecarver]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ0W98L-JRo


This is what you need to do but his voice it hard to understand. At least to give you an Idea of the path your looking for.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

the version of Windows I am currently running is much older and I am happy with it and do not want to update...I want to keep the version I already have

but, why?
is there some sort of shady reason that you don't want to reveal this information?
or do you have an actual excuse why you'd prefer an outdated version of the software?

build 17763 which some Googling tells me corresponds to version 1809...

drop down only gives me Windows 10 (which I assume is Home) and Windows 10 Home China - neither of these are Pro, right?

if the laptop manufacturer doesn't offer a replacement OEM Windows install package then
your only option for a fresh install of this outdated build is likely to find an old installation disk for sale somewhere like eBay.

but Windows offers the option to "reset" a current installation back to factory defaults.
then you can try to reinstall whatever it is you think you have corrupted within the OS.

 

[Arcaeca]

but Windows offers the option to "reset" a current installation back to factory defaults.
then you can try to reinstall whatever it is you think you have corrupted within the OS.

Okay. I tried this. I made a full clone of the existing SSD as a backup.

I went to Settings > Update and Security > Recovery > Reset my PC > Remove Everything. It throws a popup saying "Could not find the recovery environment. Insert your Windows installation or recovery media and restart your PC with the media."

Oh, okay, so I need to make a recovery drive first. I plug in a USB drive and go to Settings > Update and Security > Recovery > Create a Recovery Drive, it takes me to a Google Search that says to go to Start > Create a recovery drive. Immediately when I open this, the popup says "We can't create a recovery drive on this PC - Some required files are missing. To troubleshoot problems when your PC can't start, use your Windows installation disc or media."

According to this Microsoft forum thread, I should try changing the recovery environment image partition to the C: drive. So I run

reagentc /setreimage /path \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition2\Recovery\WindowsRE

And get told that "The Windows RE image cannot be stored in the specified volume. Use the RETAIN command in DISKPART to prepare the volume and try again."

And according to this other Microsoft forum thread, I should scan an replace corrupt system files by running

sfm /scannow

Which I do, and I get told "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them."

I'll ask around some other places. Apparently my build is actually 17763.1158 but apparently Windows isn't supplying .iso files for versions that old, so I'll have to do everything in my power to see if I can't get one from this laptop.

 

[DSzymborski]

Everything in your power to install a janky copy of an extremely specific Windows version?

I'm sorry, you're going to have to contextualize this somewhat. Advice just isn't useful divorced of context.

 

[artk2219]

I am going to try to do a clean reinstall of Windows 10 on my laptop after lots of fiddling around with drivers that I can't get to work. So I went to the Windows 10 Create Installation Media page and installed it on a fresh USB drive... and only afterwards realized that it's version 22HD, the final(?) version of Windows 10. This is not what I want - the version of Windows I am currently running is much older and I am happy with it and do not want to update unless I absolutely have to.

This is what I see in System Information: Windows 10 Pro, build 17763 which some Googling tells me corresponds to version 1809, and from "Hardware abstraction layer" near the bottom I guess I'm specifically looking for 1809.1131. Right?

When I look up how to make installation media for older version I find this Microsoft forum thread which directs me here (https://tb.rg-adguard.net/public.php) to download old versions in .iso format, which then have to be unpacked onto the USB drive. Now, not only is 1809.1131 not present (1809.1 is, maybe good enough?), the editions drop down only gives me Windows 10 (which I assume is Home) and Windows 10 Home China - neither of these are Pro, right? If I follow the redirect link at the top of the page, go to Operating Systems - again there is no 1809.1131, I guess 1809.1098 is the closest? - there are two consumer versions and two business versions (https://files.rg-adguard.net/files/2d824225-486a-c37f-b69c-3c20cf122256) - are any of these Pro? I don't know how to tell.

What is the recommended place to get the right version of Windows 10 I'm looking for and get it onto the USB drive in the correct format?

You should be able to pull it from archive.org, it wont be a fast download, but it should be there. That specific version is way out of date and no longer receives updates, if its just what you're used to, you really should consider moving to a newer version. If its for a particular piece of software or something I get it, sometimes apps can be picky.

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