A visual guide to 7Customizer

[blue4603]

Hi,

Since 7Customizer now has many features, I decided to make a guide.

Note: If you face problems in 7Customizer post it in the original thread here. Do not post it in this thread.

Recommended requirements:

1. Windows Vista or Windows 7 (32 bit or 64 bit)

2. WAIK for windows 7. Download it from here. You can use WAIK in any language (English,German,Italian .... etc).

3. A windows 7 installation source (32 bit or 64 bit)

4. .Net framework 3.5 if you use Windows Vista. Download it from here.

(Optional) 6. VirtualBox (to test the customized installation). Download from here.

Note: 7Customizer can be used in Windows XP. However, It will require additional steps but this is beyond the scope of this guide.

Steps:

1. Download 7Customizer from here

2. Extract the files. It is recommended to extract it to a folder which does not have white spaces

in this example I will extract it to e:\7Customizer

3. If you have a Windows 7 ISO, you can use Winrar or Ultraiso to extract the ISO to a folder. It is recommended extract it to a folder which does not have white spaces

in this example I will extract it to e:\win7

4. Start 7Customizer.exe. If prompted by UAC just choose allow.

5. Choose the path for dism and imagex and oscdimg first. It is located inside your WAIK installation(Usually C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools).

If you are using a 32 bit Windows choose imagex and dism and oscdimg that are located in x86 folder inside the WAIK 7 installation

If you are using a 64 bit Windows choose imagex and dism and oscdimg that are located in amd64 folder inside the WAIK 7 installation

In this example I am using Windows 7 x86 (The windows that I am using not the one I am customizing)

6. Choose the installation path

7. Choose the edition you want to customize from the list and then press start.

In this example I chose Ultimate edition

8. In the languages tab you could integrate language packs. The language packs are .cab files downloaded from Microsoft website. (You could Google for them)

Note:If you have a language pack in a .exe file use exe2cab utility to convert it to cab file. Download from attachments

In this example I will integrate the Arabic language pack and the French.

9. In the updates tab you could integrate updates pack. The updates pack are .msu files downloaded from Microsoft website.

10. In the drivers tab you could integrate drivers. To integrate drivers you have three options:

a. integrate a driver using a .inf file.

b. integrate a driver using a folder that has driver files.

c. integrate drivers using a folder that has multiple drivers in multiple folders.To use this option check the "include subfolders" option and browse for the folder.

Note: You should check "include subfolders" first and then browse for the drivers folder

11. In the tweaks tab you could tweak some aspects of your installation. Choose your preferred tweaks.

12. In the services tab under the tweak tabs you could tweak services like disabling or setting them to manual. However some services depends on other services. If you select a service, its description and its dependencies(Services depends on this service and services needed by this service) will be displayed on the right side.

Services are colored depending on the start up type

1. Automatic is Green

2. Automatic delayed is Orange

3. Disabled is Red

4. Manual is Peach

Services are sortable by name or by start up type. To sort the services click on one of the column headers.

13. in the themes part you could integrate themes. The themes are .themepack files downloaded from the net.

In this example I have some themes which I downloaded from Microsoft (link).

14.In the Wallpapers part you could integrate wallpapers. The wallpapers are .jpg or .bmp or .png or .gif files.

15.In the unattended part you could automate Windows setup. Fill in the appropriate information.

Note: If you leave some fields blank, setup might fail.

Note: The computer name should be no more than 15 characters in length. Do not use white spaces nor these characters:

/ \ * , . " @

Also apply these rules to user name. 7customizer will remove these characters when saving autounattend.xml

Note: If you chose skip user and you leave the user name empty, 7Customizer will set the user name to win7user.

Note: If you leave the computer name empty, 7Customizer will set the computer name to win7pc with a random number from 1 to 100 eg win7pc10, win7pc88 ... etc.

16. After you finish just go to the apply tab.

In the apply tab you could choose if you want to create an ISO file immediately after the execution process ends. Just check the option "Create ISO immediately" and enter a label for the ISO file and browse for the folder you want to save your ISO in.

(Optional) Before you start the execution you could save a preset file so you could load it later through the "Preset" menu.

After that click apply to start the execution.

Note: If you want to create an ISO file immediately after finishing the execution, check "Create ISO immediately" option an click apply.

Note: You could hide the execution window (The command window) and just display the done message by selecting the option "hide execution ..."

(Optional) Debug mode is used to pause the execution of the instructions when you apply your changes. This is used to solve problems.

So leave it unchecked.

Note: This will take time depending on what packs you integrate.

After the execution finishes, you will see a message that shows you that everything is done. Now you have a customized Windows 7 installation.

(Optional but highly recommended) Test the ISO in VirtualBox. If you are happy with your customized installation, then you could burn your ISO to a DVD and install it on your machine.

That concludes this guide.

I hope it was helpful for you. If you find bugs post them to the original thread here.

Regards

exe2cab.rar

Edited October 4, 2011 by blue4603

[nice_guy75]

No DISM.exe in Servicing folder, what should I do now.

[aldinof]

nice tutor bro.....

unfortunately i didn't find this tutor a few days ago......

[Adadu]

No DISM.exe in Servicing folder, what should I do now.

Use WAIK 7 for Windows 7, i got the same problem using WAIK Vista for Wind 7

WAIK 7 from microsoft

[aldinof]

no problem at all w/ WAIK win7

[premier69]

thanks for the guide!

Will there be any forthcoming options to remove garbage like media center and built in games, anything useless to down size the hdd footprint of the eventual install?

[stobbepe]

Is there a way to change the default location for the users directory from C:\ to D:\?

Thanks,

[grabben]

thanks for the guide!

Will there be any forthcoming options to remove garbage like media center and built in games, anything useless to down size the hdd footprint of the eventual install?

Why dont you actually take a look in the original thread for 7C ?

Is there a way to change the default location for the users directory from C:\ to D:\?

Thanks,

Why are you asking that in this thread?

This is only a visual guide to 7C?

[Kalabaza]

Hello, I'm going to make an installation with this tool. But just found a couple of mistakes in some text.

In tweaks in start menu the computer has defualt in the value, and in one registry it says SPP Notification SService and another one says Windows Connect Now - Config Registrar. Just a couple of esthetically details.

About the program, I have to cancel the process in the middle of the integration of a language pack and after that try to redo the process but there was an error: unable to access the image... What can I do in this case?

UPDATE: After doing the process againg and deleting the folder of the tool I manage to get it in working condition again.

Edited January 11, 2010 by Kalabaza

[equancy]

Whatever I've done...

I can't set default language on windows 7 Enterprise X64.

It's allways set en-US and mine languge isn't in the list on setup screen, there is only english.

I've tried both of : Vlite and 7customizer but won't happend.

anybody has an idea about why?

Edited February 28, 2010 by equancy

[Adadu]

Hi guys, I hope someone can help me with my problem. I get an error when i try to indicate my source folder.

=== 7Customizer Started===

7Customizer verion: 0.4.0a

7Customizer path: D:\7Customizer\7Customizer.exe

Current directory: D:\7Customizer

OS: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7600.0

OS architecture: x86

Work folder found: True

Mount folder found: True

Extract utility found: True

Configuration file found: True

bootorder.txt file found: True

Boot sector file found: True

Elevated: True

Getting drive info

Free space: 85,5070381164551 GB

Getting drive info: Done

Saved Imagex path: C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\imagex.exe

Saved DISM path: C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\Servicing\Dism.exe

Saved odcdimg path: C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\oscdimg.exe

Windows source path selected

Sources folder found

install.wim found

install.wim size: 1121 MB

Added: "C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\imagex.exe">work\testimagex.txt

Testing imagex

Imagex result begin:

Imagex result file created.

ImageX Tool for Windows

Copyright © Microsoft Corp. All rights reserved.

Version: 6.1.7600.16385

Imagex result end.

Added: "C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\Servicing\Dism.exe">work\testdism.txt

Testing dism

dism result begin:

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool

Version: 6.1.7600.16385

dism result end.

added: "C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\x86\imagex.exe" /XML /info "D:\seven\sources\install.wim">work\imagesinfo.xml

Starting imagex

Imagex created imagesinfo.xml Successfully

Reading images information from imagesinfo.xml

First 5 lines of imagesinfo.xml

<WIM>

<TOTALBYTES>1176050831</TOTALBYTES>

<IMAGE INDEX="1">

<NAME>Windows 7 Ultimate</NAME>

<FLAGS>Ultimate</FLAGS>

Number of Available Images: 1

Reading image indiceis

Reading image displaynames

Reading image names

Reading image architectures

Reading image edition IDs

Unexpected Error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

at _7Customizer.Form1.selectImagePathBtn_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)

I tryed to start 7Customiser in C:\ and in D:\ also, i get the same error. Can you help me and tell me what i did wrong?

Thank you,

Adadu

[nice_guy75]

I guess you must be knowing that but just reminding you, there shouldn't be any spaces in the entire path of the soruce folder.

[Adadu]

I guess you must be knowing that but just reminding you, there shouldn't be any spaces in the entire path of the source folder.

It's very odd, but last time when i tryed to use that program, it woked. Now... i don't know where i go wrong... And I don't use any spaces... it's c:\seven or d:\seven

[myselfidem]

@Adadu

I will try to give you some help.

This post is only for read the "7Customizer visual guide". Made by Blue.

Return, please to the topic: "7 Customizer a replacement for vlite for windows 7"

http://www.msfn.org/...-for-windows-7/

And see my answer, thank you.

Edited April 17, 2010 by myselfidem

[Adadu]

@Adadu

I will try to give you some help.

This post is only for read the "7Customizer guide Using v0.3.3 8" Jan.2009. Made by blue.

Return, please to the topic: "7 Customizer a replacement for vlite for windows 7"

http://www.msfn.org/...-for-windows-7/

And see my answer, thank you.

THANKS. I own you one.