The way BDD capture system works is: You make the capture selection and choose all the applications and settings you want. BDD install launches and installs image to your menu driven specs, then syspreps machine, reboots and captures the image. If you are trying to deploy a raw vista os to a machine and configure it manually, you need to make a WinPE boot cd or usb key with imagex on it. Deploy raw vista os to target machine. Set configurations you wish, add apps, updates, etc... drill down to c:\windows\system32\sysprep folder and run sysprep.exe as administrator. select oobe, shutdown options. put Boot CD or USB key in PC and boot to it. after WinPE command prompt comes up type: net use z: \\xx.xx.xx.xxx\distribution$\captures fill in the x's with your bdd server's ip address enter: domain\admin_id and password (domain name \ your id no spaces... press enter then supply password when prompted) I use a USB key so i then go to e: but go to the drive that has imagex loaded on it type: imagex /compress fast /flags "Enterprise" /verify /capture c: z:\image_name.wim "description" It will then capture your custom image and place it in your captures folder on distribution share. *note: When making a custom image, be very careful about adding vista updates to it, as several will kill your bdd build. To avoid this, I go to BDD server raw vista os build at: distribution\control\build\Unattend.xml and open it with notepad. Change "protect your pc" to 3 to disable automatic updates. I do this because as vista is logging in to the local adim for the first time, it is already downloading and installing updates. I leave the updating up to the client desktops after deployment, but it's up to you how you want to do it. As always, i am just some nerd at a keyboard telling you what to do... so do anything i suggest at your own risk. hope this helps!