ESD to ISO: How DISM Can Help You Convert Windows Images Easily
How to Decrypt ESD to ISO using DISM in Windows 10
If you have ever downloaded a Windows 10 update or upgrade from Microsoft's website, you may have noticed that it comes in a file format called ESD. But what is an ESD file and how can you use it? In this article, we will explain what an ESD file is, what DISM is, why you may want to decrypt an ESD file to an ISO file, and how to do it using DISM in Windows 10.
DISM Decrypt ESD TO ISO
What is an ESD file?
An ESD file is a type of file used for downloading digital software products provided by Microsoft, such as Windows updates and applications[^6]. ESD stands for Electronic Software Download[^6]. An ESD file stores an encrypted and compressed version of a WIM file[^6]. A WIM file is a type of file that contains a complete copy of a Windows image[^9]. An image is a collection of files and settings that are required to install or restore or modify a Windows system. A WIM file can also be converted to an ISO file. An ISO file is a type of file that contains an exact copy of a disc, such as a CD or DVD. An ISO file can be mounted as a virtual drive or burned to a physical disc.
An ESD file has some advantages over a WIM or ISO file. For example, an ESD file is smaller in size, which makes it faster to download and easier to store. An ESD file is also more secure, as it is encrypted and can only be decrypted by authorized users. However, an ESD file also has some disadvantages. For instance, an ESD file cannot be mounted or burned directly, which limits its usability. An ESD file also cannot be modified or customized, which reduces its flexibility.
What is DISM?
DISM is a command-line tool that stands for Deployment Image Servicing and Management. DISM can be used to service and manage Windows images, including ESD, WIM, and ISO files. DISM can perform various tasks, such as:
Mounting and unmounting images
Adding and removing drivers, packages, features, and updates
Capturing and applying images
Splitting and merging images
Converting images between different formats
Checking and repairing image health
DISM is a powerful and versatile tool that can help you manage your Windows images in various scenarios. For example, you can use DISM to:
Create a custom Windows installation media
Update or repair your Windows system image
Capture and deploy Windows images across multiple devices
Optimize the performance and size of your Windows images
DISM is not the only tool that can work with Windows images. There are some alternatives to DISM, such as:
Windows System Image Manager (WSIM), which is a graphical user interface (GUI) tool that can create and modify answer files for Windows installation
ImageX, which is a command-line tool that can capture and apply Windows images
Oscdimg, which is a command-line tool that can create ISO files from Windows images
Why decrypt ESD to ISO?
As we have seen, an ESD file is a compressed and encrypted version of a Windows image that can be downloaded from Microsoft's website. However, some users may prefer to have an ISO file instead of an ESD file for various reasons. For example, you may want to decrypt an ESD file to an ISO file if you want to:
Create a bootable USB or DVD for installing or reinstalling Windows 10
Extract specific files or folders from the Windows image
Modify or customize the Windows image according to your needs
Backup or archive the Windows image for future use
Share or distribute the Windows image with others
Having an ISO file instead of an ESD file can give you more control and flexibility over your Windows image. However, there are also some drawbacks of converting an ESD file to an ISO file. For instance, you may face some challenges such as:
Finding the right ESD file for your Windows version and edition
Decrypting the ESD file without damaging or corrupting it
Verifying the integrity of the decrypted ISO file
Dealing with the larger size and longer download time of the ISO file
Handling the possible compatibility or security issues of the ISO file
How to decrypt ESD to ISO using DISM?
If you have decided to decrypt an ESD file to an ISO file, you will need a tool that can perform this task. One of the tools that can do this is DISM, as we have mentioned earlier. DISM can convert an ESD file to a WIM file, and then convert a WIM file to an ISO file. However, before you use DISM to decrypt an ESD file, you will need some prerequisites, such as:
A Windows 10 device with administrator privileges
A copy of the ESD file that matches your Windows version and edition
A folder to store the decrypted WIM and ISO files
A command prompt window with elevated rights
Once you have these prerequisites, you can follow these steps to use DISM to decrypt an ESD file:
Open a command prompt window as an administrator. You can do this by typing "cmd" in the search box on the taskbar, right-clicking on the Command Prompt app, and selecting "Run as administrator".
In the command prompt window, type the following command and press Enter: dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:C:\path\to\your\ESDfile.esd. Replace C:\path\to\your\ESDfile.esd with the actual location and name of your ESD file. This command will display some information about your ESD file, such as its index number, name, description, size, and edition.
Note down the index number of the edition that you want to decrypt. For example, if you want to decrypt Windows 10 Home edition, look for the index number that corresponds to it.
Type the following command and press Enter: dism /export-image /SourceImageFile:C:\path\to\your\ESDfile.esd /SourceIndex:yourindexnumber /DestinationImageFile:C:\path\to\your\WIMfile.wim /Compress:max /CheckIntegrity. Replace C:\path\to\your\ESDfile.esd with the actual location and name of your ESD file. Replace yourindexnumber with the actual index number of your edition. Replace C:\path\to\your\WIMfile.wim with the location and name where you want to save your WIM file. This command will export and decrypt your ESD file to a WIM file.
Wait for the process to complete. It may take some time depending on the size of your ESD file and the speed of your device.
Type the following command and press Enter: dism /Capture-Image /ImageFile:C:\path\to\your\WIMfile.wim /CaptureDir:C:\path\to\your\sourcedir /Name:"Windows 10" /Description:"Windows 10" /Compress:max /CheckIntegrity. Replace C:\path\to\your\WIMfile.wim with the actual location and name of your WIM file. Replace C:\path\to\your\sourcedir with the location where you want to capture your WIM file. You can also change the name and description of your WIM file as you like This command will capture and compress your WIM file.
Type the following command and press Enter: oscdimg /bootdata:2#p0,e,bC:\path\to\your\boot\etfsboot.com#pEF,e,bC:\path\to\your\boot\efisys.bin /u2 /udfver102 /o /lWindows10 /m /h C:\path\to\your\sourcedir C:\path\to\your\ISOfile.iso. Replace C:\path\to\your\boot with the location of your boot files. Replace C:\path\to\your\sourcedir with the location where you captured your WIM file. Replace C:\path\to\your\ISOfile.iso with the location and name where you want to save your ISO file. This command will create an ISO file from your WIM file.
Wait for the process to complete. It may take some time depending on the size of your WIM file and the speed of your device.
Congratulations, you have successfully decrypted an ESD file to an ISO file using DISM.
How to verify the integrity of the decrypted ISO file?
After you have decrypted an ESD file to an ISO file using DISM, you may want to verify the integrity of the ISO file. This means checking if the ISO file is complete, accurate, and free of errors or corruption. Verifying the integrity of the ISO file can help you avoid problems such as installation failures, system crashes, or data loss. One of the ways to verify the integrity of the ISO file is to use a checksum tool. A checksum is a unique value that is calculated from the data in a file. By comparing the checksum of your ISO file with the checksum of the original ESD file, you can confirm if they are identical or not. To verify the integrity of the ISO file using a checksum tool, you can follow these steps:
Download and install a checksum tool, such as MD5 & SHA Checksum Utility, HashMyFiles, or HashTab.
Open the checksum tool and browse for your ISO file.
Select the algorithm that matches the one used by Microsoft to generate the checksum for the ESD file. For example, Microsoft usually uses SHA-1 or SHA-256 algorithms.
Click on Calculate or Generate to get the checksum value for your ISO file.
Compare the checksum value with the one provided by Microsoft for the ESD file. You can find the checksum value for the ESD file on Microsoft's website, or by using a tool such as Get-FileHash in PowerShell.
If the checksum values match, it means that your ISO file is intact and valid. If they do not match, it means that your ISO file is corrupted or tampered with, and you may need to repeat the decryption process or download a new ESD file.
How to use the decrypted ISO file?
Now that you have verified the integrity of your decrypted ISO file, you may wonder how to use it. There are several ways to use an ISO file, depending on what you want to do with it. Here are some common ways to use an ISO file:
Mounting the ISO file as a virtual drive
A virtual drive is a simulated drive that can be created by software and used as if it were a physical drive. Mounting an ISO file as a virtual drive means making it appear as a disc inserted in a virtual drive. This way, you can access and explore the contents of the ISO file without burning it to a physical disc. To mount an ISO file as a virtual drive in Windows 10, you can follow these steps:
Right-click on your ISO file and select "Mount". This will create a virtual drive with a letter assigned to it.
Open File Explorer and navigate to This PC. You should see your virtual drive under Devices and drives.
Double-click on your virtual drive to open it. You should see the files and folders inside your ISO file.
To unmount your virtual drive, right-click on it and select "Eject". This will remove your virtual drive from This PC.
Burning the ISO file to a physical disc
A physical disc is a round-shaped storage device that can be inserted in a disc drive, such as a CD or DVD. Burning an ISO file to a physical disc means copying the data from the ISO file to the disc. This way, you can use the disc as a bootable or installation media for Windows 10. To burn an ISO file to a physical disc in Windows 10, you will need a blank disc and a disc burner. You can follow these steps:
Insert a blank disc into your disc burner.
Right-click on your ISO file and select "Burn disc image". This will open the Windows Disc Image Burner.
Select your disc burner from the drop-down menu and check the box for "Verify disc after burning" if you want to check the integrity of the burned disc.
Click on "Burn" to start the burning process.
Wait for the process to complete. It may take some time depending on the size of your ISO file and the speed of your disc burner.
Eject your disc from your disc burner. You should see a label with the name of your ISO file on your disc.
Installing Windows 10 from the ISO file
If you want to install or reinstall Windows 10 on your device, you can use the ISO file that you have decrypted from the ESD file. You can either mount the ISO file as a virtual drive or burn it to a physical disc, as we have explained above. Then, you can follow these steps to install Windows 10 from the ISO file:
Backup your important data and files before installing Windows 10.
Restart your device and boot from the ISO file. You can do this by changing the boot order in your BIOS or UEFI settings, or by pressing a key such as F12 or Esc during startup.
Follow the instructions on the screen to select your language, keyboard layout, and other preferences.
Click on "Install now" to start the installation process.
Enter your product key if you have one, or click on "I don't have a product key" if you don't.
Select the edition of Windows 10 that matches your ISO file and accept the license terms.
Choose whether you want to upgrade your existing Windows system or perform a custom installation.
Select the drive or partition where you want to install Windows 10 and click on "Next".
Wait for the installation process to complete. It may take some time depending on the speed of your device and your internet connection.
Follow the instructions on the screen to set up your user account, password, security questions, privacy settings, and other preferences.
Congratulations, you have successfully installed Windows 10 from an ISO file.
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned what an ESD file is, what DISM is, why you may want to decrypt an ESD file to an ISO file, and how to do it using DISM in Windows 10. We have also learned how to verify the integrity of the decrypted ISO file, and how to use it for various purposes. We hope that this article has been helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between ESD and WIM files?
An ESD file is a compressed and encrypted version of a WIM file. A WIM file is a complete copy of a Windows image that can be used for installation or restoration. An ESD file is smaller and more secure than a WIM file, but it cannot be mounted or modified directly.
What is the difference between WIM and ISO files?
A WIM file is a single file that contains a Windows image. An ISO file is a single file that contains an exact copy of a disc, such as a CD or DVD. A WIM file can be converted to an ISO file, and vice versa. An ISO file can be mounted as a virtual drive or burned to a physical disc, but a WIM file cannot.
Can I use DISM to decrypt ESD files from other sources?
No, DISM can only decrypt ESD files that are downloaded from Microsoft's website. If you try to decrypt ESD files from other sources, such as third-party websites or torrents, you may encounter errors or corruption. You should always download ESD files from trusted and official sources.
Can I use other tools to decrypt ESD files?
Yes, there are some other tools that can decrypt ESD files, such as ESD Decrypter, NTLite, or WinReducer[^ This command will create an ISO file from your WIM file.
Wait for the process to complete. It may take some time depending on the size of your WIM file and the speed of your device.
Congratulations, you have successfully decrypted an ESD file to an ISO file using DISM.
How to verify the integrity of the decrypted ISO file?
After you have decrypted an ESD file to an ISO file using DISM, you may want to verify the integrity of the ISO file. This means checking if the ISO file is complete, accurate, and free of errors or corruption. Verifying the integrity of the ISO file can help you avoid problems such as installation failures, system crashes, or data loss. One of the ways to verify the integrity of the ISO file is to use a checksum tool. A checksum is a unique value that is calculated from the data in a file. By comparing the checksum of your ISO file with the checksum of the original ESD file, you can confirm if they are identical or not. To verify the integrity of the ISO file using a checksum tool, you can follow these steps:
Download and install a checksum tool, such as MD5 & SHA Checksum Utility, HashMyFiles, or HashTab.
Open the checksum tool and browse for your ISO file.
Select the algorithm that matches the one used by Microsoft to generate the checksum for the ESD file. For example, Microsoft usually uses SHA-1 or SHA-256 algorithms.
Click on Calculate or Generate to get the checksum value for your ISO file.
Compare the checksum value with the one provided by Microsoft for the ESD file. You can find the checksum value for the ESD file on Microsoft's website, or by using a tool such as Get-FileHash in PowerShell.
If the checksum values match, it means that your ISO file is intact and valid. If they do not match, it means that your ISO file is corrupted or tampered with, and you may need to repeat the decryption process or download a new ESD file.
How to use the decrypted ISO file?
Now that you have verified the integrity of your decrypted ISO file, you may wonder how to use it. There are several ways to use an ISO file, depending on what you want to do with it. Here are some common ways to use an ISO file:
Mounting the ISO file as a virtual drive
A virtual drive is a simulated drive that can be created by software and used as if it were a physical drive. Mounting an ISO file as a virtual drive means making it appear as a disc inserted in a virtual drive. This way, you can access and explore the contents of the ISO file without burning it to a physical disc. To mount an ISO file as a virtual drive in Windows 10, you can follow these steps:
Right-click on your ISO file and select "Mount". This will create a virtual drive with a letter assigned to it.
Open File Explorer and navigate to This PC. You should see your virtual drive under Devices and drives.
Double-click on your virtual drive to open it. You should see the files and folders inside your ISO file.
To unmount your virtual drive, right-click on it and select "Eject". This will remove your virtual drive from This PC.
Burning the ISO file to a physical disc
A physical disc is a round-shaped storage device that can be inserted in a disc drive, such as a CD or DVD. Burning an ISO file to a physical disc means copying the data from the ISO file to the disc. This way, you can use the disc as a bootable or installation media for Windows 10. To burn an ISO file to a physical disc in Windows 10, you will need a blank disc and a disc burner. You can follow these steps:
Insert a blank disc into your disc burner.
Right-click on your ISO file and select "Burn disc image". This will open the Windows Disc Image Burner.
Select your disc burner from the drop-down menu and check the box for "Verify disc after burning" if you want to check the integrity of the burned disc.
Click on "Burn" to start the burning process.
Wait for the process to complete. It may take some time depending on the size of your ISO file and the speed of your disc burner.
Eject your disc from your disc burner. You should see a label with the name of your ISO file on your disc.
Installing Windows 10 from the ISO file
If you want to install or reinstall Windows 10 on your device, you can use the ISO file that you have decrypted from the ESD file. You can either mount the ISO file as a virtual drive or burn it to a physical disc, as we h