MediaCreationTool.bat

MediaCreationTool.bat is a Windows batch script that wraps Microsoft's official Media Creation Tool to make downloading and deploying Windows 10 and 11 much more flexible. The standard Media Creation Tool from Microsoft is limited in which editions it can target and how automated the process can be. This script sits on top of it and adds options that are normally not accessible.

The script offers five preset modes when you run it. Auto Upgrade downloads the right Windows media for your current system and launches the installer in a way that keeps your files and applications. Auto ISO creates an installer image file on your hard drive. Auto USB writes the installer to a USB drive. Select lets you manually choose the Windows edition, language, and processor architecture. The fifth mode runs the official tool without any modifications for users who only need the standard behavior.

What makes this tool notable is how it handles edition mismatches. When you are upgrading a machine running an unusual Windows edition, such as an LTSC or embedded version, the standard installer often refuses to preserve files and apps because the editions do not match. This script adjusts the Windows registry to tell the installer that a compatible edition is present, which allows the upgrade to proceed while keeping your data. You can even rename the script file itself to include the target edition, version number, or language, and the script reads those values from its own filename.

For Windows 11 specifically, the script patches the installer media to skip hardware requirement checks, which Microsoft added for TPM, CPU compatibility, and related criteria. It also configures the installer to allow local accounts on Windows 11 Home, which the standard setup tries to prevent.

The project grew steadily from 2018 through 2021, adding support for each new Windows version as it released.