This tutorial will cover creation of Windows 11 Installation Media on Ubuntu.
Table of contents
Common Pitfalls
Unfortunately there are a number of common pitfalls when creating Windows 11 Installation Media on Linux as Rufus is unavailable on Linux and most Linux Bootable USB utilities create a FAT32 formatted USB which truncates the install.wim making corrupt installation media. The install.wim typically exceeds 4.0 GB, the upper file size for the legacy FAT32 File Format:
The NTFS File Format can accommodate the size of the install.wim. However some Dell Models require Windows Installation Media to have a FAT32 Formatted Boot Partition and will not list a USB with a single NTFS partition as a Boot Device. Therefore it is recommended to create a Bootable USB with a small FAT32 Boot Partition and a NTFS Install Partition allowing installation of Windows 11 or Windows 10 on all supported systems:
One additional complication is that Microsoft have not slipstreamed the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver into the boot.wim and install.wim and the Windows Installation Media therefore lacks the storage controller driver and cannot access the NVMe SSD. The version of Intel Rapid Storage Controller driver is linked to the Processor Generation:
And the extracted driver used should also correspond to the SATA/NVMe operation. This is normally RAID On and will also enable RAID functions with the VMD Controller when supported:
Unfortunately the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver is no longer available as a .zip file from Intel and is available only as an .exe from Intel or Dell. Fortunately the Dell .exe package can be extracted in Linux:
System Information
Open up All Apps and select Settings:
Then select About. This will give the Ubuntu Version and details about the Hardware Model (in this case XPS 13 9305) and Processor Generation (in this case 11th Generation):
This tutorial assumes a modern Ubuntu Version (Ubuntu 23.04+). There may be difficulties reproducing this tutorial on an old Linux Version as the old Linux Kernel lacked a functional NTFS driver.
Downloading a Windows ISO
Windows Installation Media can be downloaded from Microsoft:
It is recommended to use Windows 11 for a system with an 8th Generation Processor and Newer and to use Windows 10 for a system with a 4th-7th Generation Processor.
Windows 11 can be installed on a system with a 6th-7th Generation Processor although performance is likely to be impaired compared to Windows 10.
Select the last link on the page to download the ISO:
Select the multi-edition ISO for x64 devices:
Then select Download Now:
Select the Language. Note English International is English (UK):
Select 64 Bit Download:
Wait for the ISO to Download:
Checking ISO Checksums
Open the Downloads folder. Right click it and select Open in Terminal:
Right click the ISO file and select Rename:
Copy the File name using Ctrl + c:
To compute the sha256 checksum input the following command:
sha256sum Win11_23H2_EnglishInternational_x64.iso
To paste in the Terminal use Ctrl + Shift + v:
To copy the checksum use Ctrl + Shift + c:
On the Software Download Page, select Verify your Download:
Press Ctrl + f and then Ctrl + c to paste in your ISO checksum. The checksum should match Microsoft's listing otherwise the download is corrupt and you will need to redownload:
Mounting the ISO
The ISO can be right clicked and mounted to view its contents:
Partitioning the USB Flash Drive
Insert a 16+ GB USB Flash Drive:
To partition it, GParted will have to be installed. Open the Ubuntu software store and search for GParted.
Note that Ubuntu uses Snap packages by default but is a Debian based distribution so also has access to Debian packages. Snap packages are usually more secure and recommended when available. GParted is a system utility and needs more access so is only available as a Debian package:
Select GParted Partition Editor:
Select Install:
Installation will require authentication. Input your password to proceed:
Launch GParted from the All Apps screen:
Use of GParted will require authentication. Input your password to proceed:
Your OS Boot drive will be selected by default:
Change it to the USB Flash Drive:
Right click any partition on the USB flash drive and select Unmount:
Select Device → Create Partition Table:
Select GPT and then Apply:
Right click the USB flash drive and select New:
Set the New size to 1024, the File System to FAT32 and the Label to BOOT:
Right click the remaining unallocated space on the USB flash drive and select New:
Set the New size to the default (spanning the rest of the drive) the File System to NTFS and the Label to INSTALL:
Select Apply:
Select Apply:
When the Operations are complete select Close:
Then close GParted:
The drive is now partitioned and each partition will be mounted by Ubuntu:
Copying Files
Copy all the files from the Mounted ISO except Sources to the BOOT Partition:
These are large files so open the side menu and examine the progress:
Wait for the copying operation to proceed:
Right click the Boot partition and select New Folder:
Call it sources:
Open both sources folders:
Copy the boot.wim from the ISO sources to sources:
Copy all the files from the mounted ISO to the INSTALL Partition:
These are a number of large files, particularly the install.wim. Once again monitor the progress and make sure all the files are copied across:
Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver
The Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver from Intel does not extract properly on Linux so it is recommended to use the Dell packages driver. If using a non-Dell system download the driver for the XPS model with the same generation of processor, the Dell driver is just a repackaged Intel Driver.
Go to Dell Drivers and Downloads:
Select Browse All products:
Select your Model, in my case an XPS 13 9305:
| XPS 13 Model | Intel Generation | Windows Version |
| 9333 | 4th | Windows 10 |
| 9433 | 5th | Windows 10 |
| 9350 | 6th | Windows 10 |
| 9360 9365 | 7th | Windows 10 |
| 9370 | 8th | Windows 11 |
| 9380 | 9th | Windows 11 |
| 7390 | 10th | Windows 11 |
| 9300 9305 9310 | 11th | Windows 11 |
| 9315 | 12th | Windows 11 |
| 9320 | 13th | Windows 11 |
For Operating System select Windows 11 or Windows 10 and for category select Storage:
Look for Intel Rapid Storage technology and select Download:
The Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver is a .exe:
To extract it P7zip needs to be used. Open up the Ubuntu software store and search for P7Zip. This is available as a Snap package. Select Install:
Installation will require authentication. Input your password to proceed:
Open All Apps and select P7Zip:
Select the Downloads folder:
Select the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver .exe and then select Extract:
append /IntelRST to the file path and select OK:
Then close P7Zip:
The driver is now extracted:
Open the extracted folder:
And open the next folder:
Until you find a Windows10 (this shows up for the Windows 11 driver) folder:
And a Windows 10 build (this means this built + newer builds, including Windows 11):
Finally you will get to the extracted drivers:
In this folder is a folder containing the driver for each storage controller operation:
On this system VMD should be used:
The Windows setup needs to load the driver using the iaStorVD.inf file:
Go to the Drivers folder and select Copy:
Then paste it in the INSTALL partition:
The Windows 11 Installation Media is now ready:
Dell UEFI BIOS Setup
Power up the Dell PC and press F2 to enter the UEFI BIOS setup.
The overview will give details about the processor, including the generation, memory, video controller, wireless device, and drives:
Old Boot Entries should be deleted from Boot Configuration:
Most mainstream Linux distributions support Secure Boot so this setting should be enabled by default. Secure Boot is required for Windows 11 and recommended for Windows 10:
The Storage Controller Operation has to be AHCI/NVMe to run Linux as there is no Linux Kernel VMD Driver:
For Windows, this Storage Operation will result in a performance loss and RAID On should be Enabled. For this system the RAID functions with a VMD Controller:
Windows 11 also requires TPM 2.0 Security to be enabled:
Dell Data Wipe can optionally be enabled to wipe the systems internal drives before Windows installation. Dell Data Wipe is found under a Maintenance tab opposed to a Security tab in some Dell Models.
Note: Dell Data Wipe will take about a minute to wipe a fast NVMe SSD in parallel however will take several hours to wipe a slow HDD sequentially.
The settings can be applied:
Select Exit:
Your Computer will restart and the Dell Security Manager will display the Data Wipe Operation. Select Continue:
Select Erase:
The NVMe SSD should be wiped in a couple of minutes. If the system has any SSDs or HDDs these will take slightly longer and several hours respectively:
Select OK:
Booting from a Windows USB
Power up the Dell PC and press F12 to enter the Boot Menu. On this system the BOOT FAT32 Partition displays as UEFI Samsung Flash Drive and the INSTALL NTFS partition displays as UEFI Samsung Flash Drive 2 and the Windows setup will begin if either partition is selected.
On some other systems only the BOOT FAT32 Partition will display:
The Windows setup, doesn't have the Storage Controller for this system and therefore no NVMe SSD is listed. Select Load Driver:
Select the INSTALL (D:) partition, then the Drivers folder and then either the VMD, RAID or AHCI folder. In this case the VMD folder should be selected to match the setting in the Dell UEFI BIOS Setup:
Highlight all the drivers listed and select Next:
Once the Storage Controller is loaded, the Windows setup should see your NVMe SSD:
