Windows 10 Unexpected Install.esd File on Windows 8.1: What Could It Mean?

[Trouble]

I could be mistaken but.....
I noticed that my computer seemed to be acting oddly, a little slower than normal, not much just a little.
I wondered what the heck was going on.... could it be??
Seems I have a brand new folder on my C drive dated today and within that folder, a brand new install.esd, also dated today.
Hmmmmmm

This is on my Windows 8.1 computer.

 

[Mike]

In Windows 8 here:

Well played, Microsoft. Well played.

 

[Mike]

============================================================
                      ESD File Info
============================================================

       OS: Windows 10 Pro
     Arch: x64
 Language: EN-US
  Version: 10.0.10240

 

[Trouble]

So off I go to Control Panel, Windows Update, just to see if I could trigger the thing "check for updates".... nada.
Stills says Windows 10 upgrade reserved...... We'll let you know.....

 

[Mike]

Link Removed

The final build number consumers will update to on July 29th Link Removed 10240.16405.150725-1815.th1, and those keeping track will notice the delta number has increased from 16384. Those upgrading will actually download 10240.16384 alongside the day one patch handsomely titled KB3074683, and will be applied automatically during the upgrade so by the time the consumer lands on the desktop, they'll be running 10240.16405.

 

[Mike]

So off I go to Control Panel, Windows Update, just to see if I could trigger the thing "check for updates".... nada.
Stills says Windows 10 upgrade reserved...... We'll let you know.....

Can you right-click properties on the c:\$Windows.~BT folder and get a readout of the file size (not file size on disk)? Here it is 6.10 GB (6,554,844,434 bytes).

 

[Trouble]

Yep... this is what I see.

 

[Mike]

Yep... this is what I see.
View attachment 30330

 

[Trouble]

Interesting the file size discrepancy .... wonder what might account for that?
And the number of files??

 

[Mike]

Interesting the file size discrepancy .... wonder what might account for that?
And the number of files??

No idea. Well, good thing I backed up all of my files

 

[Trouble]

So.... OK....
You or me??
Who's going to be the first one to run Setup.exe from the root of the new folder.

 

[Mike]

I am reluctant to hit the button! However, here is something interesting:

C:\$Windows.~BT\Updates\GDR\598642fd-3d3d-4551-a84d-f50f144b6e4e\windows10.0-kb3074683-x64.cab

This appears to be the staging update for KB3074683, which, numerically speaking, would coincide with what WinBeta says will be the large update to this build that is being included with the installer.

 

[kemical]

I say both try it... Doesn't seem to have come across the pond yet unless someone else in the UK say's different.

 

[Trouble]

Evidently, it is triggering itself somehow, maybe somewhere in scheduled tasks.

And failing.

 

[kemical]

Thats not good...

 

[Mike]

I just checked that now. Also it is important to note that trying to copy the entire $Windows.~BT folder WILL fail, as there appears to be a NTFS-encrypted SafeBoot area in that folder that can not be read by even a user with SYSTEM permissions. I had hoped to copy it and give the update a try in a virtual machine to see what would happen, but it is not possible.

 

[kemical]

I think it keeps looking for the next bit of the download... As soon as they release it your machines will grab it?

 

[Mike]

@kemical thinks it is looking for the final update to unlock, which probably isn't available yet.

Here is more information about this:

0x80240020 NO INTERACTIVE USER Operation Did Not Complete Because There Is No Logged-on Interactive User. | Microsoftfixit

 

[Trouble]

I think it keeps looking for the next bit of the download

Pretty sure you're right about that. It seems to be missing a key ingredient

 

[Saltgrass]

You must be referring to a non-Insider system. From what I read on the reserve a copy banner, it will be downloaded in the background, and at some appointed time a message will appear asking to install. Many folks are seeing the downloads already.

I suppose the build number puts the confusion over the RTM to rest...