MCT1903 Misnomer Not Available
In perusing my usual newsfeeds this morning, I saw what looked like an interesting story. It says something like “Use the MCT to Get Win10 May 2019 Update without Insider signup.” (Check that link to get the full title, please.) But the story promises more than it actually delivers. Yes, it turns out there’s a download link to a file named MediaCreationTool1903.exe. But if you actually grab that file, and start looking at what’s inside, you’ll see that MS hasn’t yet made the right behind-the-scenes connections. It’s actually the same ISO you’ll get if you visit the Download Windows 10 page at Microsoft (17763.379, to be more precise).
The filename looks tantalizing, but there’s nothing new under that hood . . . yet!
Why Say MCT1903 Misnomer Not Available?
More than mildly curious, I downloaded the MediaCreationTool1903.exe file. I took the option of saving the files it proffers in ISO form. I named that ISO Windows1903MCT.iso just to make it easy to identify. But after mounting that ISO to drive N:, I ran DISM against the install.esd it includes in its /Sources folder. Index 6 covers Windows 10 Pro, and here’s what I got in response to the DISM command shown:
The MCT may be labeled 1903, but the contents are indisputably 1809. Sigh.
Is this a Put-up Job?
I imagine some enterprising Windows-head found this file by presuming it existed, supplying the URL (the same one linked in paragraph 1), and grabbing same. But MS has obviously not yet made the right connections for this tool to grab the 1903 release. The obvious reason why is because it’s not released yet, so those connections haven’t yet been made. So no, it’s not a put-up job. It’s just not ready for prime-time/real use just yet. The existence of the file is simply indicative that someday in the near future (before the end of May) it will actually work the way it’s should. But in the meantime, steer clear.