Why won't Ventoy boot a Microsoft Windows 10 ISO file?

[Steve2926]

Many thousands of people have no problem - so maybe you should check the checksum (CRC32\SHA1) of the ISO file that is on your USB drive? Otherwise, give exact details of which ISO you are using.

[ksalame23]

Hello everyone! I'm Khodor Salame. I recently downloaded Ventoy and used it to boot ISO files containing Knoppix Linux, and Microsoft Windows 7. However, Ventoy always fails to boot the Microsoft Windows 10 ISO file and then returns to the main Ventoy screen and freezes in black. I manually reformatted the primary partition to NTFS before copying the ISO files to my 128 gigabyte USB storage device. I also tested the Windows 10 ISO file using VMware Workstation Player and the installation worked perfectly. I don't understand why Ventoy always fails to boot the Windows 10 ISO file? Is this a software bug in Ventoy? Do I need to configure Ventoy? Does it matter if the Windows 10 ISO file contains multiple editions of Windows 10 such as x64/x86-bit architecture? Will this issue be fixed by next Ventoy software update? Thank you for your help and support.

[Renatus]

Hello everyone! I'm Khodor Salame. I recently downloaded Ventoy and used it to boot ISO files containing Knoppix Linux, and Microsoft Windows 7. However, Ventoy always fails to boot the Microsoft Windows 10 ISO file and then returns to the main Ventoy screen and freezes in black. I manually reformatted the primary partition to NTFS before copying the ISO files to my 128 gigabyte USB storage device. I also tested the Windows 10 ISO file using VMware Workstation Player and the installation worked perfectly. I don't understand why Ventoy always fails to boot the Windows 10 ISO file? Is this a software bug in Ventoy? Do I need to configure Ventoy? Does it matter if the Windows 10 ISO file contains multiple editions of Windows 10 such as x64/x86-bit architecture? Will this issue be fixed by next Ventoy software update? Thank you for your help and support.

Hi,

I recognise the issue, it only happens with the latest ISOs from Microsoft, for instance no problems with Win 10 1909 and 1709, I hope it gets fixed soon.
Ventoy is great, but this is annoying.
Regards

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Many thousands of people have no problem - so maybe you should check the checksum (CRC32\SHA1) of the ISO file that is on your USB drive? Otherwise, give exact details of which ISO you are using.

Hi, did you speak with those thousand people having no problem, or you are just assuming because they don't complaint that everything is working properly?
This occurs with the latest ISOs from Microsoft corresponding to the latest Windows versions, for instance download an ISO with Rufus or with the Microsoft Windows Update tool, and check if it works for you.
Regards

[Steve2926]

I just downloaded a Win10 ISO (x64 UK) using official MS Download Tool. Tested using Ventoy 1.0.35. Legacy and UEFI64. No issues.
I would suspect your ISO (check the checksum of the file ON THE VENTOY USB DRIVE and compare with expected checksum), the PC you are booting it from (is it a fake?), or your USB drive and the way you prepared it.
Many others would be reporting a problem and they are apparently not...
Can you give more details?
Legacy or UEFI?
Type of ISO (dual, country/language, etc.) how made.

[Renatus]

I just downloaded a Win10 ISO (x64 UK) using official MS Download Tool. Tested using Ventoy 1.0.35. Legacy and UEFI64. No issues.
I would suspect your ISO (check the checksum of the file ON THE VENTOY USB DRIVE and compare with expected checksum), the PC you are booting it from (is it a fake?), or your USB drive and the way you prepared it.
Many others would be reporting a problem and they are apparently not...
Can you give more details?
Legacy or UEFI?
Type of ISO (dual, country/language, etc.) how made.

For instance the following image from rufus



https://software-download.microsoft.com/...5ef1f2ee9d

md5: 2ff3aa5bb18ddc990e13a3994c125b5a

USB drive is booting with many other ISOs, Ubuntu, Strelec, and others without issues, just newest windows versions don't work
USB was created with ventoy2disk tool and I used version 1.0.41
PC is an Intel NUC with a i3 cpu

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I forgot to add, UEFI boot

[Steve2926]

I downloaded that ISO and tested using Virtual Box UEFI x64 (Ventoy 1.0.35 - Ventoy for Easy2Boot)
Boots fine for me and also OK on Lenovo IdeaPad 300.
Does your NUC have a UEFI64 BIOS  (not UEFI32)?
How much RAM does it have?
Can it Legacy boot?

[Renatus]

I downloaded that ISO and tested using Virtual Box UEFI x64 (Ventoy 1.0.35 - Ventoy for Easy2Boot)
Boots fine for me and also OK on Lenovo IdeaPad 300.
Does your NUC have a UEFI64 BIOS  (not UEFI32)?
How much RAM does it have?
Can it Legacy boot?

I believe I discovered where the problem is, the BIOS in my Intel NUC was configured for UEFI boot only, so it only allows me to boot USB partition 1, I changed the BIOS to allow legacy boot, that way I can boot from USB partition 0 (also from partition 1), both alternatives bring me the Ventoy menu but only when I boot from partition 0, the Windows 10 instalation setup works, if I boot from partition 1, it doesn't.
Only legacy boot allows me to boot partition 0, so I wonder if someone without the possibility for legacy boot, can install Windows using the newest Windows 10 ISOs, and I say newest because old Windows 10 ISOs worked fine, without having to set boot legacy mode in BIOS, booting in UEFI from USB partition 1.
Hope I made it clear.

[Steve2926]

Sorry, not very clear...
The standard Ventoy drive has NOTHING on partition 0 - so how can you boot from it?
https://ventoy.net/en/doc_disk_layout.html
Both the legacy and UEFI boot files are on partition 1 (2nd partition)
The Ventoy menu displays the mode it has booted in and normally the BIOS also gives you a clue too, e.g. EFI: USB Kingston (Partition 1).
The BIOS menu often numbers partitions starting from 1 though (not 0) - so don't be confused by that.

So are you saying that if you place two Windows 10 x64 ISOs onto the first partition, then UEFI64 boot to Ventoy, you can boot to the older ISO but not the newer one using the same BIOS settings? 
P.S. Presumably you have formatted the first large partition as something which Windows can read (e.g. NTFS)?

[Renatus]

Sorry, not very clear...
The standard Ventoy drive has NOTHING on partition 0 - so how can you boot from it?
https://ventoy.net/en/doc_disk_layout.html
Both the legacy and UEFI boot files are on partition 1 (2nd partition)
The Ventoy menu displays the mode it has booted in and normally the BIOS also gives you a clue too, e.g. EFI: USB Kingston (Partition 1).
The BIOS menu often numbers partitions starting from 1 though (not 0) - so don't be confused by that.

So are you saying that if you place two Windows 10 x64 ISOs onto the first partition, then UEFI64 boot to Ventoy, you can boot to the older ISO but not the newer one using the same BIOS settings? 
P.S. Presumably you have formatted the first large partition as something which Windows can read (e.g. NTFS)?

In the NUC, Partition 0 corresponds to Partition 1 on the scheme and NUC Partition 1 to scheme Partition 2, and of course it can boot from NUC Partition 0 (or 1 on the scheme) because it's a legacy boot, so it boots from the MBR, doesn't need EFI partition for booting.
I did not reformat any partition, I just used the Ventoy tool, so the first partition remained with the original format (ExFAT).
Answering your question: "So are you saying that if you place two Windows 10 x64 ISOs onto the first partition, then UEFI64 boot to Ventoy, you can boot to the older ISO but not the newer one using the same BIOS settings? ", yes precisely that!
Just wanted to add I am an IT specialist, so I know very well what I am saying, and I am not a bit confused.

[Steve2926]

You said 'so it boots from the MBR, doesn't need EFI partition for booting.'

If you make a fresh Ventoy USB drive, then partition 1 is completely empty - but you can Legacy boot from the USB drive to the Ventoy menu (which then reboots because the partition 1 is empty). The Legacy boot files are on Partition 2. It DOES need the EFI partition for Legacy booting.

Please can you add screenshots of standard Ventoy USB drive with the two Windows files in the Ventoy menu.
Then show screenshot of UEFI-booting 'good' ISO and screenshot of booting 'bad' ISO.

Also, try formatting first partition as NTFS.

I can boot the ISO OK (partition 1 = NTFS, older Ventoy than you).

Another explanation is that NUC is causing an issue. Can you boot on different systems as a test?