How to download the Windows 8.1 ISO

[Mustang]

Once the files are saved to a desktop folder off Windows 8.1 Pro disk, and edited to add ei.cfg file, when I try to burn a bootable ISO image from the files, it asks you to select the boot file.

It will only allow you to select one boot file, but there are lots of different boot files to choose from. So far I've burnt three ISO images to DVD using different boot files and none of them will boot.

Can anyone point me to the correct one to use for the boot option?

 

[alphanumeric]

If you use a program like UltraISO, you can add files to the actual ISO file and save it as a new ISO file that you can make DVD's from. That will keep the ISO intact and bootable and make burning a DVD from it easy. The other way to do it is to make a bootable thumb drive from the original ISO and then just add your files to the thumb drive.

 

[Mustang]

Thanks for the input, but I haven't got an ISO. I'm saving the files from my friends DVD he gave me and trying to create an ISO from the files saved from it to desktop, after editing them.

 

[alphanumeric]

Those same utilities will let you create an ISO from a DVD or CD. Then edit it and save a new one.

 

[Mustang]

#alphanumeric: Thanks a lot for the input. Will download UltraISO and give it a go. :thumb:

I was using ImgBurn.

 

[alphanumeric]

There are others, free ones too, I mentioned Ultra ISO because I've used it in the past. ImgBurn might be able to do it too. Put the DVD in the drive and see if it gives you the option to make an ISO from it.

 

[theog]

Do not use ImgBurn, I use NERO, which will make a ISO from a DVD/CD.

ImgBurn is worth a try.

 

[pparks1]

Do not use ImgBurn, I use NERO, which will make a ISO from a DVD/CD.

ImgBurn is worth a try.

Imgburn will do it, is what I use.

 

[Mustang]

#alphanumeric: I downloaded trial version of UltraISO and it couldn't burn the edited files as ISO as it said trial version images were limited to 600MB and the files were 3.94GB.

#pparks theog: I am not trying to create an ISO from the DVD. I saved the files from the Win 8.1 Pro DVD to desktop, then replaced the existing ei.cfg; then tried to create an ISO file from the edited files on my desktop. But to make it bootable ImgBurn wanted to know which file was the boot file. And there are heaps of different files/folders related to boot. I tried three and made three bootable DVD but none of them would boot.

So I created an ISO from the DVD then tried to modify the files using UltraISO but it said it was too big.

Does anyone know which is the correct boot file to choose?

This shows the boot folder. But there are heaps more boot related files under the folders en.gb, fonts, resources.

​

 

[theog]

I downloaded trial version of UltraISO and it couldn't burn the edited files as ISO as it said trial version images were limited to 600MB and the files were 3.94GB.

Pro upgrade & Pro Retail.

 

[Clint]

Have you tried to add the ei.cfg and Pid.txt files to the source folder in the files on your desktop? Then copy all these files to a new DVD, not as an ISO.

 

[Mustang]

#Clint: No haven't tried that but will give it a go. Would you burn the disc as data?

 

[Clint]

C

lint: No haven't tried that but will give it a go. Would you burn the disc as data

Yes, That's what I would try.

 

[alphanumeric]

Have you tried to add the ei.cfg and Pid.txt files to the source folder in the files on your desktop? Then copy all these files to a new DVD, not as an ISO.

Doing it that way usually results in the DVD not being bootable anymore.

 

[alphanumeric]

Do not use ImgBurn, I use NERO, which will make a ISO from a DVD/CD.

ImgBurn is worth a try.

Imgburn will do it, is what I use.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Looks like this is the person to ask.

 

[Clint]

Doing it that way usually results in the DVD not being bootable anymore.

I thought that's what he had now.

 

[Mustang]

Do not use ImgBurn, I use NERO, which will make a ISO from a DVD/CD.

ImgBurn is worth a try.

Imgburn will do it, is what I use.

I already have an ISO and disk made from that ISO, but I want to edit the ei.cfg file in the ISO.

I tried to do it using Mode > Build but maybe I don't understand how to use it despite reading the help files. It just says you can choose the source files then use the+ or delete buttons to add or remove files. But I can't get it to work.

 

[Mustang]

Solved: Had one last go at getting the right boot disk file and got it ... etfsboot

​

So ImgBurn did the trick, but it took 5 burns before I got the right boot file.

I used the option: Files to ISO Image > Advanced options > Make DVD bootable.

Then chose the source of the boot file from the folder on desktop that contained the 8.1 files copied from the DVD - including the modified ei.cfg file.

 

[alphanumeric]

Doing it that way usually results in the DVD not being bootable anymore.

I thought that's what he had now.

Yes, but doing what you suggest won't make it bootable. I should have elaborated more. If you copy the files from a bootable disk to a folder and then copy or burn them to a CD or DVD, that DVD won't be bootable like the original was. There is more to it than just having the files on the media.

 

[Clint]

Yes, but doing what you suggest won't make it bootable. I should have elaborated more. If you copy the files from a bootable disk to a folder and then copy or burn them to a CD or DVD, that DVD won't be bootable like the original was. There is more to it than just having the files on the media.

OK Thanks, I did not know that. I'm glad he didn't give up and got it fixed. Congratulations Mustang.