Installing Windows From Linux Without Usb

Ishmael42 2 min read (234 words)

“Absence of limitation is the enemy of art”

For this, you need grub that supports ntfs, part_gpt - doesn’t matter if it’s grub installed from linux or grub2win installed from windows.

Steps

  1. Extract the contents of the iso to two separate NTFS partitions (Apart from the partition to which you are going to install windows). You DONOT format these two partitions during the installation process.

  2. Add the following grub boot entry to your grub config (or boot from it if you are in a console.)

SH 
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menuentry "Windows 10 IoT LTSC 2021" {
    insmod ntfs
    insmod fat
    insmod part_gpt
    search --no-floppy --file /setup.exe --set=root
    chainloader /efi/boot/bootx64.efi
}

  1. Boot into the installation media, and continue installation as usual. Make sure to not format the NTFS partition that’s not used for boot.

    You can do this, by using command prompt (opens on Shift-F10) -> diskpart.

    Two volumes here are important to us - “X:” which contains installation media, and another volume which may contain a disk letter or a partition. You must not overwrite or flash either of these partitions.

Why two partition?

It is a workaround to make sure the windows installer sees an install.wim file.

For some reason, the install.wim file is being removed from the mounted source partition.

Since it is removed, the installer fails to proceed, asking you to install drivers or insert drives.