Fido

download windows iso

Fido is a PowerShell script primarily designed for use in Rufus, but can also be used standalone, whose purpose is to automate access to official Microsoft Windows retail ISO download links and also to provide easy access to bootable UEFI. Shell images.

This script exists because although Microsoft has made the retail ISO download links free and public (for Windows 8 and Windows 10 at least), it only does so after actively forcing users to jump through numerous unfair hoops. The consumer experience, if not downright unfriendly, and this greatly diminishes what people really want (direct access to ISO downloads).

As for the reason one might want to download Windows retail ISOs as opposed to ISOs created by Microsoft's own Media Creation Tool (MCT), it's because using official retail ISOs is currently the only way to argue with absolute certainty. The operating system content has not been changed. Indeed, only Microsoft retail ISOs are the only thing you can get an official SHA-1 (from MSDN or sites like this if you have access) as there is only one administrator for each. You can be 100% sure that the image you are using is intact and safe to use.

This gives you the assurance that the content you use to set up your operating system somewhat matches what Microsoft has published, which is really critical to verify beforehand if you have the slightest concern about security.

On the other hand, regardless of the way Microsoft's Media Creation Tool produces its content, it is currently impossible to verify with absolute certainty, as no two MCT ISOs are ever the same (due to the fact that MCT always regenerates ISO content on the fly). Whether any MCT-generated ISO is safe to use. Unlike in the case of retail ISOs in particular, it's impossible to tell if an MCT ISO has deteriorated after generation.