ESD compression on latest NTLite seemingly not working?

[tired-it]

I installed NTLite on a Windows 10 21H2 laptop so I can work on a Windows 11 24H2 image remotely. I go through the usual process of using an original ISO from Microsoft, updating it, applying some registry tweaks and the such. At the end, I generate two ISO files. A normal file and then a second using ESD compression.

Problem is, the ESD compression, which takes normally a half hour on my workstation PC completed in less than three minutes on my laptop. With the specs on the laptop, that should be impossible. Sure enough, after I check the created ISO, not only is the file bigger than the standard ISO, but it is still in its original format. There is not ESD compression being done, but NTLite does not show an error occurring. Everything is green, done. So, what's going on?

 

[garlin]

What's the name of the final image file? install.esd or install.wim?
If you opened the NTLite.log, does it confirm you asked for ESD compression?

 

[tired-it]

What's the name of the final image file? install.esd or install.wim?
If you opened the NTLite.log, does it confirm you asked for ESD compression?

I checked inside the ISO, I saw install.wim. No sign of ESD files. Even checking the log files in the ISO turns up nothing ESD related. And I specifically checked that option too. I did see some error about a .wim file unable to be located in the temp folder, but that's about it.

 

[garlin]

Check the timestamp on the ISO's install.wim. Sounds like the new WIM wasn't fully created before NTLite bailed.

 

[tired-it]

Check the timestamp on the ISO's install.wim. Sounds like the new WIM wasn't fully created before NTLite bailed.

7/17/2025 11:01:32 PM    Saving changes to the image - D:\cache.ntlite\w11_24H2\sources\install.wim - Windows 11 Professional 24H2 x64 - 10.0.26100.4656 (en-US)
7/17/2025 11:01:32 PM    SM [um]: D:\cache.ntlite\w11_24H2\sources\install.wim
7/17/2025 11:01:32 PM    - UnReg (di:1)
7/17/2025 11:05:51 PM    Deleting temporary files: D:\cache.ntlite\temp\NLTmpMnt
7/17/2025 11:05:51 PM    Deleting temporary files: D:\cache.ntlite\temp\NLTmpMnt_wt
7/17/2025 11:05:51 PM    Cleaning mount directory
7/17/2025 11:05:51 PM    SM [um]: clr
7/17/2025 11:05:51 PM    #
7/17/2025 11:05:51 PM    Cannot find image path: .wim
7/17/2025 11:05:51 PM    #

This is basically what I found. I repeated the whole process a second time to see if it was an anomaly, but still no success.

Not sure where else to look. This was a fresh NTLite install. I moved all the cache and temp folders onto an external SSD since the laptop has limited space. Defender was off too. Maybe it's better to go back to my workstation. I've already spent several hours troubleshooting one Windows issue recently and this new obstacle has wasted a couple more hours.

edit: Just adding that I can still make a normal ISO with the usual install.wim. It's just the ESD option that fails.

 

[tired-it]

Back on the workstation computer... and now the ESD compression option isn't working here. This is concerning; I am on a time sensitive project.

nuhi Any ideas?

 

[tired-it]

Update: I can manually right click on the Windows edition I want and choose to export as an ESD. Though.. this step really slows my workflow down.

 

[nuhi]

Tested it now, just selecting ESD compression and Applied, removing editions (suspected that as it was optimized lately) and without; all good in both cases.

Do you have a preset demonstrating it?
Also important for testing, does the image have more than one edition on it?

Maybe reinstall NTLite just in case the ESD library was deleted or corrupted.

Thank you.

 

[tired-it]

Tested it now, just selecting ESD compression and Applied, removing editions (suspected that as it was optimized lately) and without; all good in both cases.

Do you have a preset demonstrating it?
Also important for testing, does the image have more than one edition on it?

Maybe reinstall NTLite just in case the ESD library was deleted or corrupted.

Thank you.

I appreciate the attempt.

I don't have a preset demonstrating it as this was the last thing I was doing after tweaks. But even without tweaks, I get something similar happening. I'll make another attempt to be sure. This is the multi-edition ISO from the Microsoft website.

And this was also a fresh installation of NTLite, but I can reinstall. It happened on two different PCs though.

The only way I can guarantee ESD compression is to right click on the edition I want and export it as "install.esd" and drop it into the same folder as the cache. Then I can export a finished ISO from there.