Tiny11 Builder Updated with Better Edge Removal

NTDEV is pushing forward quickly on Tiny11 Builder updates: Just days after an update that disabled telemetry tracking, he’s back with a new version. And this one adds several new changes and features.

“This new release of Tiny11 Builder enables the ability to use images that have ESD files instead of the standard WIM,” he writes in the release notes for the Tiny11 Builder 01-05-24 release. “It also suppresses some of the output, making it a bit easier to track what is going on. It also cleans up the last remains of Edge! Last, but not least, it fixes an issue with logging.”

As individuals, we often deal with Windows disk image files in ISO format, and use those to create USB-based Windows installation media. ESD and WIM are related file types, but are more often used by admins, IT pros, PC makers, and others that need to deploy Windows at scale.

The WIM (Windows Imaging Format) file was introduced with Windows Vista. It contains one or more Windows install image(s), and can be found in a typical Windows ISO file. An ESD (Electronic Software Distribution) file is basically a WIM file that’s been compressed and encrypted. WIM files are easier to work with, but ESD files are smaller, quicker to download, and fit better on FAT32-formatted install media.

I downloaded the latest Tiny11 Builder and ran through the script to see if I could detect any changes. Mostly, what I saw was clearer language during the process, but the resulting ISO file was still pretty big at 5.26 GB. (In fact, I’m not sure if it’s any smaller than before.) I will reinstall Windows 11 using this installer tonight or tomorrow and see if it improves on the experience I had earlier.