> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.foundryosd.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.foundryosd.com/foundry-osd/media.md).
# Start: create deployment media
The **Start** page shows whether your configuration is ready, then creates an ISO file, a USB drive or PXE boot files from it. Foundry OSD uses the options, passwords and files as they are when you select the button.
Expand a group to read its rows. A row that needs attention has a Review button.
## Before you start
* The [ADK](/foundry-osd/adk.md) page reports **ADK is ready**. Until then **Start** cannot be opened.
* 20 GB are free on each drive that holds `%ProgramData%\Foundry`, `%LocalAppData%\Foundry` or the Windows temporary folders, and on the drive of the ISO file. On most PCs this is the Windows drive.
## Read the readiness rows
The bar at the top reads **Ready to create ISO and USB media**, **Ready to create ISO media**, **Ready to create USB media** or **Readiness items needing action:** with a number. It reads **Review media output warnings** when no row needs attention but neither a valid ISO path nor a usable USB drive is set.
Below it, five groups list one row per page of the app:
| Group | Rows | Fix on |
| --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **General** | **Architecture**, **Secure Boot**, **WinPE boot language**, **Windows PE time zone**, **Automatic restart**, **Password protection**, **WinPE drivers**, **Network cache** | [General](/foundry-osd/general.md), [Network cache](/foundry-osd/network-cache.md) |
| **Network** | **Ethernet 802.1X**, **Wi-Fi** | [Network](/foundry-osd/network.md) |
| **Windows Autopilot** | **JSON profile**, **Zero-Touch**, **Interactive** | [Windows Autopilot](/foundry-osd/autopilot.md) |
| **Domain Join** | **Zero-Touch**, **Interactive** | [Domain Join](/foundry-osd/domain-join.md) |
| **Customization** | **OS selection**, **Machine naming**, **OOBE**, **Custom Windows images**, **Custom drivers**, **Post-installation**, **Unattend**, **Optional features**, **AppX removals**, **AI components** | [Customization](/foundry-osd/customization.md) |
Each row shows its value and one state: **Configured**, **Default**, **Disabled**, **Not configured**, **Not selected**, **Downloading** or **Needs attention**. **Downloading** appears on a PC that [follows a folder](/foundry-osd/configuration-sharing/follow-a-folder.md#new-versions) while shared content is still arriving.
On such a PC, media creation is blocked until the shared content is installed: every create, update and PXE action is unavailable, and the readiness bar reads **Waiting for shared content** with "Shared content is still being downloaded. Media creation is available once the download is complete." It becomes available again by itself when the download completes. When the content failed or stalled, the bar reads **Shared content could not be installed** or **Shared content is not available**, with the reason: check the **Configuration sharing** card in **Settings**, as described in [Shared content missing](/troubleshooting/foundry-osd/configuration-sharing.md#content-failed).
**Needs attention** means something on that page is missing or not valid. The row shows the reason and a button, **Review** followed by the row name, that opens the page to fix. Its group opens by itself. Clear every such row before you create media. The **Network cache** row stays **Configured** when the shares are behind: its summary adds **Outdated** or **Not published**, and creating media publishes to the shares. See [Publish](/foundry-osd/network-cache.md#publish).
## Choose what to create
| I want to | Go to |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Start virtual machines, or attach media through a remote management console | [Create an ISO](/foundry-osd/media/create-iso.md) |
| Deploy physical devices, and reuse downloads between deployments | [Create a USB drive](/foundry-osd/media/create-usb.md) |
| Deploy physical devices from a drive that works like an ISO, or from a drive smaller than 16 GB | [Create a drive without cache](/foundry-osd/media/create-usb.md#create-a-drive-without-cache) |
| Apply new options to a Foundry USB drive and keep its downloads | [Update a USB drive](/foundry-osd/media/update-usb.md) |
| Start devices from an existing PXE server with **Create PXE files** | [Deploy with PXE](/foundry-osd/media/pxe-deployment.md) |
## What each media type carries
| Content | ISO | USB drive | PXE files |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Boot image `sources\boot.wim`: Windows PE, its drivers, the program behind the startup console and your options | In the ISO | On the **BOOT** partition | `boot.wim`, with `boot.sdi`, `BCD` and `bootmgr.efi` to start it |
| Foundry Connect and, with Domain Join, the post-installation application | In the boot image | In `Runtime\` on the cache partition, **Foundry Cache** | In the boot image |
| Foundry Deploy | Not on the media: downloaded at each start | Not on the media: downloaded at the first start, then kept in `Runtime\` and reused until the drive is updated to another version | Not on the media: downloaded at each start |
| [Custom images](/foundry-osd/customization/custom-windows-images.md) | In the ISO, in `Cache\OperatingSystems\Custom\` | Same folder on the cache partition | Not delivered |
| [Custom drivers](/foundry-osd/customization/custom-drivers.md) | In the ISO, in `Cache\DriverPacks\Custom\` | Same folder on the cache partition | Not delivered |
| [Post-installation](/foundry-osd/customization/post-installation.md) content you imported | In the ISO, in `Cache\PreOobe\` | Same folder on the cache partition | Not delivered |
| Cache of downloaded Windows images and driver packs | None: every deployment downloads again | On the cache partition, kept by updates | None |
With the [network cache](/foundry-osd/network-cache.md) on, no media type carries the custom images, custom drivers and post-installation content: devices take them from the share of their IP scope, where Foundry OSD publishes them when it creates media. Every media type also reads Windows images and driver packs from that share before the Internet.
A USB drive [created without cache](/foundry-osd/media/create-usb.md#create-a-drive-without-cache) carries what the ISO carries, in the same folders, on one FAT32 partition named **FOUNDRY**. A USB drive created with **Create USB** has two partitions:
| Partition | Format | Holds |
| ----------------- | ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **BOOT** | FAT32, 2 GiB | Boot files and `sources\boot.wim` |
| **Foundry Cache** | NTFS, rest of the drive | `Runtime\`, `Cache\OperatingSystems\`, `Cache\DriverPacks\`, `Cache\Firmware\`, `Cache\PreOobe\`, `Logs\` |
The media runs the Foundry applications of the Foundry OSD version that created it, and downloads Foundry Deploy from that same release, at every start from an ISO or PXE files and once from a USB drive, which keeps it: [Windows PE startup](/foundry-connect/windows-pe-startup.md#which-version-runs) describes the sequence. To use newer applications, update Foundry OSD, then create the media again or [update the USB drive](/foundry-osd/media/update-usb.md).
Included custom images are stored on the **Foundry Cache** partition. To add `.wim` files to a USB drive yourself, see [Add an image to a USB drive by hand](/foundry-osd/customization/custom-windows-images.md#add-an-image-to-a-usb-drive-by-hand).
## While media is being created
A dialog titled **Creating ISO**, **Creating PXE files**, **Creating USB media** or **Updating USB media** locks the rest of the app. It shows the step, such as "Step 3 of 5: Customizing the boot image", the overall percentage, a line naming the current action, such as a download with its size, and the elapsed time. When the operation ends, the title gives the result, such as **ISO created** or **USB media creation failed**. To stop, select **Cancel** (or press Esc), then **Stop operation** within 10 seconds to confirm. The operation stops once the disk or image step in progress has finished: keep Foundry OSD open and the USB drive connected until the dialog reads "Media creation was canceled."
A canceled or failed ISO build keeps the previous file, and canceled or failed PXE files keep the previous ones. A canceled USB operation does not restore the drive. Once Foundry OSD has started writing the drive, the dialog adds "The USB drive may no longer start a device. Create or update it again before you use it."
## Related
* [General](/foundry-osd/general.md)
* [Configuration sharing](/foundry-osd/configuration-sharing.md)
* [Media creation troubleshooting](/troubleshooting/media-creation.md)
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