[GUIDE] Creating WIM images of Windows XP for system deployment using

[A1dan]

Thanks nice guide, im getting an error when PE boots on my reference machine "imagex is not a recogised internal or external command" I'm thinking it has not made it onto my disk but I got no errors before this so some words of wisdom would be great, any ideas where i have gone wrong?

P.S. Longhorn indeed has multicast ability but unless you have gigabit your not goging to make full use of it I think and its still called wds .

Edited July 31, 2007 by A1dan

[IcemanND]

That would be Page 6 step 6, the second xcopy command copies imagex to the mounted image, then you have to commit the changes when you unmount it (step 10).

[Tripredacus]

This worked out very well for me. We got an order in for a machine that we could not get Ghost to recognise the drivers in DOS. So I imaged the machine using the PE. All said and done, I was able to load a 1.5GB XP Pro image on a computer in 100 seconds (it was about 1% per second). Now if I could only get it so my WDS doesn't take down the network I would be using it for everything.

[ANELSON1914]

Mannn you don't know how much time and money you saved me with tutorial. Thanks a bunch

[Kingskawn]

Cool tutorial!

I've got a question: Can I use this tutorial to deploy an image to several pcs at a time? Which programs let me deploy this image? Can I use it with BDD or later on SCCM (newest SMS2003)?

[IcemanND]

@ kingspawn - Yes, in theory, though as of right now I know of no application that allows multicasting of WIM images. It is in the works as mentioned in the document for server 2008 and WDS (still in beta).

[joe blog]

Hi Iceman,

Followed your guide all the awy and created the boot CD. But when i boot to it, I get the DOS screen with things like 'USB support successfully initialized', ' No FAT32 volumes found, exiting'; 'Caldera DR-DOS 7.03', but then it presents me with the A:\> dos prompt and my keyboard just doesn't work anymore. Could it be becase I am using USB keyboard?

I have tried a couple of machines (Dell Optiplex GX620 andoptiplex 745) .

Please help.

[IcemanND]

I have never had a problem with PS2 or USB keyboards.

What all have you added to the CD? You might try starting with the base cd I describe in the guide, add you applications you want and then run them manually rather than automatically, it might be something you are loading that could be causing the issue.

[Tripredacus]

I am now wondering if there is a way to create a standardised XP image that does not capture the drivers for the motherboard and HDDC for example. Because I can't use an image captured from a Shuttle onto a different motherboard, or else Windows will just reboot constantly.

[kyor]

@ joe blog

>Caldera DR-DOS 7.03

Perhaps you have a floppy in your floppy drive. Make sure you boot from your created Boot cd.

If you have Problems under Dos to use your USB Keyboard, you have to enable USB Legacy Support in your Bios.

But you don't need it for WinPE. The USB driver is loaded during the WinPE Start.

[joe blog]

I have started with a base install, no applications at all. I have also noticed that when it boots to the Cd-rom, just after the writing 'Starting Caldera Dr Dos', it says

Device name: MSCD001

No Drives Found Aborting Installation. Then it carries on with the rest of what I reported in my previous post.

Any chance I could get a working boot disk from some website to get me cracking or if someone can upload some boot CD to yousendit.com for me to pickup. My e-mail address is: ndiosha@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks

[p4ntb0y]

Iceman has done a very nice guide very precise and complete

It is unfair to bombard this thread with issues that are semi connected. I would start a new thread if you have a problem so the maxium people will see it.

USB keyboards have never been a problem with winpe 2.0

with the caldera dr-dos where is this in the guide? I think maybe your trying to load a 16bit app?

I don't know

On the uploading of boot cd's Your not allowed to distro winpe sources.

To be honest iceman is a brave man posting his guide as a you get a flood of mails on how do you do this etc and it puts people off posting guides. He has a job to do not be the support point for everything that is related to this guide.

This guide has everything you reguire.

A good start would be to RTFM winpe.chm

@A1Dan

the speed of the switch will help but the data only gets sent once so that all clients respond so Multicast will help on whatever speed the hardware is it will just take a bit longer

[joe blog]

That's exactly the problem. I appreciate his guide and followed it word for word. Burnt the cd without any probs, but when I boot to it it halts. If Iceman is happy to help who do you think you are to stop him? Not everyone is as selfish as you.

[p4ntb0y]

look I am not flaming you and iceman can indeed do what he wants to I just telling you what it can be like.

I can't be selfish can I if I am trying to help you?

PS don't make this into a flaming session there is no need beleive me

@Joe Blog

What hardware you booting on?

[IcemanND]

Ok, guys, cool it.

@JoeBlog - where did caldera come from???

If you follow the guide the first thing you would see would be the normal "press any key to boot from cd/dvd...." prompt, then the progress bar will appear as it loads. You should not have anything from caldera if you followed the guide and are writing the created ISO to a CD and booting from the cd. The last thing you should end up with is the default Vista background, looks like green and blue rays going up the screen, with a dos window open that rean winpeint and then dumps you to an X:\windows\system32 prompt.

You don't need any boot disk. All you need to do is download the WAIK, link in the Guide. Everything you need to follow the guide is included in it.

@Tripredacus - do a search for "hardware independent image" or "universal image" via google or here in the forums, it has been disused in multiple threads here different approaches to do what you are after. If you can't git it worked out start another thread over in the windows xp forum.