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How to Fix the Missing boot.wim Files Error During Windows 11 Setup?

By: Author Alex Lim

Posted on

Categories Troubleshooting

Home » Troubleshooting

Why Does Windows 11 Installation Fail With Missing boot.wim Files?

Windows 11 setup sometimes stops working. You see an error message about a missing boot.wim file. This problem makes many people feel stuck and worried.

The error looks like this: "Windows was unable to locate required installation file [boot.wim]." It comes with error code 0x80070002. When this happens, your computer cannot finish installing Windows 11.

What Causes This Problem?

Several things can go wrong during Windows installation:

  • Your USB drive has broken files
  • Security software blocks the setup
  • Missing files in the installation folder
  • Computer hardware problems
  • Wrong system settings

The good news? Most of these problems have easy fixes.

Solution 1: Make a New USB Drive

Bad installation files cause most boot.wim errors. Creating fresh installation media fixes this problem quickly.

What you need to do:

Step 1: Get clean Windows files

  1. Go to Microsoft's website
  2. Download the Media Creation Tool
  3. This gives you perfect, unbroken files

Step 2: Create your USB drive

  1. Use the Media Creation Tool for simple setup
  2. Or try Rufus software for more control
  3. Pick GPT format for newer computers
  4. Double-check you selected the right USB drive

Step 3: Test the new drive

  1. Safely remove the USB when done
  2. Put it in your computer
  3. Start the installation again

This method works for most people. Old or damaged installation files cannot help you install Windows properly.

Solution 2: Turn Off Security Software

Antivirus programs sometimes think Windows setup is dangerous. They block important files and cause the boot.wim error.

Steps to follow:

Step 1: Disable all protection

  1. Turn off your antivirus program
  2. Disable Windows Defender too
  3. Stop any other security tools

Step 2: Try installing again

  1. Start Windows setup
  2. Let it finish completely
  3. Turn your antivirus back on after installation

Security software protects your computer. But during installation, it can cause more problems than it solves.

Solution 3: Check Your Installation Files

Sometimes the boot.wim file goes missing from your USB drive. You need to make sure it exists in the right place.

How to check:

Step 1: Open your USB drive

  1. Look for a folder called "Sources"
  2. Open this folder

Step 2: Find the boot.wim file

  1. It should be inside the Sources folder
  2. If missing, your USB drive is broken
  3. Make a new USB drive using Method 1

Step 3: Understanding different file types

  1. You might see install.esd instead of install.wim
  2. This is normal for some USB drives
  3. But boot.wim must always be there

Missing files mean your installation media got damaged somehow.

Solution 4: Fix Windows Settings (For Upgrades)

People upgrading from older Windows versions sometimes hit a wall. Windows blocks the upgrade because of missing settings.

Registry fix steps:

  1. Press Windows + R
  2. Type "regedit" and press Enter
  3. Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate
  4. Look for "OSUpgrade" folder
  5. Create it if missing
  6. Add the upgrade permission
  7. Make a new DWORD value
  8. Name it "AllowOSUpgrade"
  9. Set the value to 1
  10. Restart and try again
  11. Reboot your computer
  12. Start the upgrade process

This tells Windows that upgrades are okay. Sometimes Windows forgets this setting.

Solution 5: Check Your Computer Hardware

Broken computer parts can stop Windows installation. RAM problems and bad USB ports cause many headaches.

Hardware troubleshooting:

Try different USB options

  • Use a different USB drive
  • Try different USB ports
  • USB 2.0 ports work better than USB 3.0 sometimes

Remove extra hardware

  • Unplug unnecessary devices
  • Take out extra RAM sticks
  • Disconnect extra hard drives

Test your memory

  • Use Windows Memory Diagnostic
  • Or download MemTest86
  • Replace broken RAM before installing Windows

Simplify your setup

  • Connect only one hard drive during installation
  • Add other drives after Windows works

Bad hardware creates random errors. Simple setups work better than complex ones.

Advanced Option: Convert File Types

Some special installations need install.wim files instead of install.esd files. Most people can skip this step.

When you might need this:

  • Custom business installations
  • Special deployment tools
  • Advanced IT setups

How to convert files

  1. Copy install.esd to your hard drive
  2. Open Command Prompt as administrator
  3. Run this command: 
    DISM /Export-Image /SourceImageFile:install.esd /SourceIndex:1 /DestinationImageFile:install.wim /Compress:maximum /CheckIntegrity
  4. Replace the old file with the new one

This step helps with very specific situations. Regular users rarely need file conversion.

Most people solve this error with the first method. Creating new installation media fixes corrupted files that cause the problem.

Start with the simple solutions. Work through each method until Windows installs properly. Your computer will run Windows 11 smoothly once you get past this error.