Windows 11 Build 25284 (Dev) allows creating ReFS partitions in the setup program

ReFS with drive format in Windows 11 installer

Recently, it was discovered that Window 11 supports intallation on ReFS in Dev Channel builds. As it is a work in progress, the setup program could use an ReFS partition, but could not create one or format an existing one. There is some progress on this in Build 25284. Windows 11 Build 25284 is the latest build in the Dev channel as of this writing. It is notable for brings up with it the first third-party widget for the Facebook's Messenger app. There are also usual fixes and general improvements.

On the hidden features side, it is more interesting. There is a new option on the Windows Update page that will allow you to reinstall the current build using files from Windows Update. This allows performing an in-place upgrade without having an installation media or downloading anything manually.

Another find is related to the native ReFS support in the OS installer for consumer editions. It now supports partition format/creation, so it is no longer needed to create it in advance.

If you are brave enough to give it a try, follow the step below. But keep in mind that using such OS instance of anything mission-critical is a bad idea. The ReFS as a system drive FS feature is far from completion and may contain critical bugs. The installer is know for displaying BSoDs in this mode. I strongly recommend you to try ReFS in a virtual machine. You have been warned.

Enable ReFS with drive format in Windows 11 installer

  1. Download ViveTool from GitHub.
  2. Extract the app to the c:\vivetool folder.
  3. Open Terminal as Administrator, for that press Win + X and click Terminal (Admin).
  4. Finally, type these commands, one by one:
    1. c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id 42783107
    2. c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id 42189933.
  5. Restart Windows 11.
  6. Now, double-click the ISO file of your Windows 11 (build 25284 or above). If you don't have one, learn here how to download the ISO image for ANY build, including Insider Previews.
  7. In the File Explorer window that opens, double-click the setup.exe file and install Windows 11 on an non-partitioned drive. Windows 11 will create a system partition formatted as ReFS.

You are done!

Via Xeno

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

4 thoughts on “Windows 11 Build 25284 (Dev) allows creating ReFS partitions in the setup program”

  1. these commands do not work keep getting c:\vivetool0.3.2\vivetool : The term ‘c:\vivetool0.3.2\vivetool’ is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function,
    script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is
    correct and try again.
    At line:1 char:1
    + c:\vivetool0.3.2\vivetool /enable /id 42783107
    + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo : ObjectNotFound: (c:\vivetool0.3.2\vivetool:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException

      1. Your blog-engine has disfigured the command line commands for ViVeTool. You should put them on pastebin.com or gists.github.com. Since your engine doesn’t know how to publish raw pieces of source code.

        `vivetool /enable /id 42783107`
        ->>>
        `vivetool /enable /id:42783107`

  2. https://learn.microsoft.com/ru-ru/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/configure-uefigpt-based-hard-drive-partitions?view=windows-11#to-partition-hard-drives-and-prepare-to-apply-images

    DiskPart /s F:\CreatePartitions-UEFI.txt

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