What am I doing wrong?
- Thread starter atay3
- Start date
Update:
NOTHING special. Nothing aggressive - frankly nothing that no one else would do
Build time:
End Result
Success.
Install time - approx. 6 mins.
So - I think it is worth discussing what I am seeing here. The test removes the following from my equation:
1. Hyper-V environment. I was starting to actually think something was really wrong here
2. My Oct 10, 2025 template is bang on - as I expected it would be after using these identical settings for years
3. This MS ISO is faultless as it was in Oct 25 as a source
4. NT Lite (v2025.10.10631) is - as expected - is/was as rock solid as usual
Which leaves us with this weekends mess.
Using the first three items on the list above - but doing it all within NT Lite (2026.1.10671) results in - at least for me - an unbootable and unusable ISO - every time now.
As I continue to suspect - there is something going on with the latest version of NT Lite and it appears that Nuhi is going to need to get involved because no matter what template I use (or even painstakingly recreate) OR what MS 25H2 ISO I use (AND even 24H2 ISOs) - I am unable to produce an ISO that will actually install - at all.
It appears - at least for now - I will stick with v2025.10.1063. and my next test will be with the Jan 2026 25H2 ISO from MS - which started this whole mess for me in the first place. If that one creates an ISO that installs perfectly (as I expect it will) - this will most certainly confirm for me that the latest version of NT Lite has major problems - somewhere.
Open to more discussion or testing or whatever needs to be done - but this is interesting discovery - at least for me.
S
- Installed NT Lite (v2025.10.10631) on a different machine
- Imported my exact Settings XML from Oct 10, 2025
- Loaded the identical MS ISO ("GE" release of 25H2 ISO from MS: en-us_windows_11_business_editions_version_25h2_x64_dvd_41c521e7
- Loaded (overwrite) my Oct 10, 2025 template against this ISO
NOTHING special. Nothing aggressive - frankly nothing that no one else would do
Build time:
End Result
Success.
Install time - approx. 6 mins.
So - I think it is worth discussing what I am seeing here. The test removes the following from my equation:
1. Hyper-V environment. I was starting to actually think something was really wrong here
2. My Oct 10, 2025 template is bang on - as I expected it would be after using these identical settings for years
3. This MS ISO is faultless as it was in Oct 25 as a source
4. NT Lite (v2025.10.10631) is - as expected - is/was as rock solid as usual
Which leaves us with this weekends mess.
Using the first three items on the list above - but doing it all within NT Lite (2026.1.10671) results in - at least for me - an unbootable and unusable ISO - every time now.
As I continue to suspect - there is something going on with the latest version of NT Lite and it appears that Nuhi is going to need to get involved because no matter what template I use (or even painstakingly recreate) OR what MS 25H2 ISO I use (AND even 24H2 ISOs) - I am unable to produce an ISO that will actually install - at all.
It appears - at least for now - I will stick with v2025.10.1063. and my next test will be with the Jan 2026 25H2 ISO from MS - which started this whole mess for me in the first place. If that one creates an ISO that installs perfectly (as I expect it will) - this will most certainly confirm for me that the latest version of NT Lite has major problems - somewhere.
Open to more discussion or testing or whatever needs to be done - but this is interesting discovery - at least for me.
S
Anonymous Internet User
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This is the version of NTLite that I used to create my Windows 11 25H2 build. As I mentioned earlier I saw this exact behavior "Why did my PC restart" and I seem to think this was because of older VMWare version. But I've gone through so many iterations of the build, including re-starting from scratch, that I may simply remember things wrong. But, in the end, this NTLite version worked for me with Windows 11 25H2.
Update:
Build time:
End Result
Success.
Install time - 6:38 (VM Start to Win 11 Desktop)
So - now this REALLY confirms the following:
1. Hyper-V environment - Good
2. My Oct 10, 2025 template - Good
3. This Jan 2026 MS ISO - Good
4. NT Lite (v2025.10.10631) - Good
5. NT Lite (v2026.1.10671) = Bust (here for me specifically). For reasons yet unknown.
Added bonus is now others have confirmed this goofy message (which I must admit - have never seen before ever in my travels):
Again - would love to know exactly what is going on here because it appears there is something really wrong with NT Lite (2026.1.10671)
S
- Installed NT Lite (v2025.10.10631) on a different machine
- Imported my exact Settings XML from Oct 10, 2025
- Loaded the newest MS ISO (en-us_windows_11_business_editions_version_25h2_updated_jan_2026_x64_dvd_09c1e011)
- Loaded (overwrite) my Oct 10, 2025 template against this new ISO
Build time:
End Result
Success.
Install time - 6:38 (VM Start to Win 11 Desktop)
So - now this REALLY confirms the following:
1. Hyper-V environment - Good
2. My Oct 10, 2025 template - Good
3. This Jan 2026 MS ISO - Good
4. NT Lite (v2025.10.10631) - Good
5. NT Lite (v2026.1.10671) = Bust (here for me specifically). For reasons yet unknown.
Added bonus is now others have confirmed this goofy message (which I must admit - have never seen before ever in my travels):
Again - would love to know exactly what is going on here because it appears there is something really wrong with NT Lite (2026.1.10671)
S
No - NTLite 2026.1.10671 IS a bust with my "Oct 10, 2025 template" AND with every other template I have either here on hand (20+ different variations) or even one that I created yesterday by hand, replicating each of my specific settings - one by one, setting by setting.
Took me 35 minutes to rebuild this thing exactly to spec - and it still did not work.
Then I did a clean rebuild of my 24H2 template as well for use with Windows 11 IoT ENT LTSC (24H2) using NTLite 2026.1.10671 - and it failed too.
Today - however - I have already built three separate ISOs with NT Lite (v2025.10.10631) and not a single one has failed.
ALL of them using existing templates and known good (authentic) MS ISO images directly from MSDN/MVS
Whatever is going on here - NTLite 2026.1.10671 has issues.
S
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I haven't had any problems with the update (only following some changes we're making with Nuhi)
But I'm not using a VM for testing or other, only a dedicated partition.
Perhaps try using the old setup (which I've been using from the start) if you haven't already
Settings => System > Boot/Setup - Legacy
But I'm not using a VM for testing or other, only a dedicated partition.
Perhaps try using the old setup (which I've been using from the start) if you haven't already
Settings => System > Boot/Setup - Legacy
Understood. Like the XML or what exactly do you mean by compare?
Yesterday I took "comparison" to the highest possible level and recreated my usual template - by hand - one setting at a time - so it was 100% identical to my usual template (Oct 10, 2025).
Even recreated the Unattend file as well - the same 25 changes went into the Unattended section - took me over 35 minutes.
Then to make sure I was covering ALL bases - I redid my usual 24H2 template - by hand - that I use exclusively with Win 11 Iot ENT LTSC (24H2) and that took another half hour.
Didn't matter - they both still failed.
Tested both of those "manual" templates in NT Lite (v2025.10.10631) - this morning and they both were perfect - right to the desktop in about 6:30secs
Until someone can clearly explain just what the hell this message is getting at:
Quite possibly the most ridiculous text I have ever seen (we think an update will help"?) - I am "connected" for any and all builds I have ever done.
AND - "Make sure your PC is plugged in? Pretty sure if my PC wasn't plugged in - I would not see this message or anything else at all.
I think I have removed all possible variables in my testing and the bottom line for me - NTLite (v2026.1.10671) has issues. Major issues
S
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Once the presets are generated (an .xml file like this: "Auto-saved 7531a409"), use Notepad++ (or another text editor that can compare files) and compare the two XML files generated by NTLite.
I do it every time, sometimes but rarely, Nuhi changes the name of an entry, and therefore NTLite doesn't recognize that entry in the saved preset.
The most recent one I can remember was the setting for Search in the taskbar.
scaramonga
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I'm pretty sure that 'Xbox Core' has to remain?, all the other Xbox rubbish can be rid of.
Content Delivery Manager can always go, never had any issues removing that.
Pretty big changes coming again this patch Tuesday, so who knows?
Content Delivery Manager can always go, never had any issues removing that.
Pretty big changes coming again this patch Tuesday, so who knows?
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I'm removing all Xbox components, no problem.
The new features from the Preview (which will be in Patch Tuesday) have already been addressed (leftovers added to existing components, etc...)
Share your preset (after removing any personal information, etc...) and see if we can find something
For the record, I'm not using virtual environment and using 2026.1.10761 (64-bit). Official ISO direct from MS - Win11_25H2_English_x64.iso and building the ISO with NTLite on both stock 25H2 and LTSC 2024 as host machines. I don't touch deployed and always modifying mounted.
I moved to a modified version of Windows 25H2 to build the ISO. This version is stripped with other tools that removes things like security features and defender. I did a simple test of just removing Edge Chromium and had none of the issues experienced in the original post. I know I didn't include it in my original post, but I did a similar test before when building on stock Windows of just removing 1-2 things marked as safe for removal in NTLite (using color labels) and had the same messy experience described in the original post.
I don't have time to test another ISO tonight, but I will try building the gaming preset again tomorrow on the modified 25H2 and report back.
I moved to a modified version of Windows 25H2 to build the ISO. This version is stripped with other tools that removes things like security features and defender. I did a simple test of just removing Edge Chromium and had none of the issues experienced in the original post. I know I didn't include it in my original post, but I did a similar test before when building on stock Windows of just removing 1-2 things marked as safe for removal in NTLite (using color labels) and had the same messy experience described in the original post.
I don't have time to test another ISO tonight, but I will try building the gaming preset again tomorrow on the modified 25H2 and report back.
Anonymous Internet User
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Same. Xbox can go if you don't need any Xbox functionality. I only keep Xbox Identity Provider as I have been told it's needed for Store login and it's protected by one of the NTLite compatibility settings, didn't verify this though.
Glad to see you haven't given up
Probably not a good idea. I would not use an image modified by other tools with NTLite.
Removing Edge always works, it's routine stuff, it's one of the things that never causes any issues. There is something else wrong with that preset that touches some of the other components in 25H2.
If you have a fast SSD, I'd do this in steps. NTLIte working dir can grow huge. Here is what I do:
1) Apply Windows updates only and build the image and test the ISO in a VM, then backup both the NTLite app directory and the working directory. Do not add Windows updates later once you started removals!
2) Apply your REG files, post-install actions, configure the settings and unattended sections, add drivers (these usually don't break anything and are easy to undo), test again and backup. This is your good base now, do not overwrite this backup.
3) Now you can start removals, you have a good base to revert to if something breaks which will save you time and frustration. Start with the known stuff that is proven to be safe to remove, like Edge, OneDrive, Xbox, etc. Little by little, don't do all removals at the same time. Build and test every time. If you have the space, make intermediate backups too.
4) Do more complex and uncertain removals later once all previous removals worked, nothing is broken and you have a good backup to revert to..
EDIT: Steps were mis-numbered!
Keep in mind that not everything can be changed and modded in NTlite itself. Some useful changes and tweaks are done by adding REG files, for examploe: removing the Suggested section from the Start Menu.
I'm done for now. This was a very long and tedious build process. I'm happy with the end result but it was too much, and so I'm staying on this build and no updates until Microsoft adds something significant and verifiably worth upgrading, such as the new NVME driver or noticeable performance improvements to the File Explorer.
So far they said they will preload Explorer into RAM, meh... Instead of fixing crappy code, they're gonna simply preload crappy code to RAM.
So, gonna play some games and keep an eye on Windows news.
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This is great info. Can you expand on how you handle moving from Steps 1-2 etc.
Example - once you "build" the actual ISO in Step 1 - is that .wim considered your "step 1" preset?
And when you move to Step 2 etc - are you actually loading the "modified" .wim (from Step 1) and applying your REG files etc to this *.wim.?
Effectively creating a "new" *.wim and building it up in layers?
I have always started from a clean ISO - every time. And I have also only ever applied a master preset (end to end) each time.
Have never really taken the time to consider working in stages - and maybe I should
Any info you can share would be great.
S
