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

[IcemanND]

I wrote up this tutorial for my coworkers but my boss is reluctant to let me give it out. He's afraid i will create too much additional support work for me. So rather than let it collect dust on my hard drive I thought I would at least post it here for everyone else's reading pleasure. If you have additions, changes, find errors, etc. let me know and I'll update as appropriate and give credit where due. Also, this does not have anything to do with WDS directly; though I'm sure that some of the processes described in the document may apply.

Creating WIM Images for System Deployment Using Windows Vista PE 2.pdf

6/25/2010 - fixed some typos and other minor corrections, renamed - 16450 prior downloads

1/14 - added export command to build_all.cmd script and removed erroneous spaces. Updated information on adding Mass storage drivers for current Mass Storage Driverpack version - Thanks DigeratiPrime. 1439 prior downloads

8/25 - updated added method for adding drivers to running PE and shrinking image using export command. Thanks to p4ntb0y for the suggestions. 896 prior downloads 7/26 - Updated PDF to reflect comments from JuMz and chiners_68. Thanks guys. 140 prior downloads

A new version using Windows 7 based PE 3.0 is here:

[aviv00]

what this mean i could make the installation if xp like vista ?

faster ?

[IcemanND]

No, this is not an install method but an imaging method.

[JuMz]

Nice guide. In the appendix, you mention the use of BTS Driver packs in WinPE but in the guide, you did not mention how to use them...How did you get them to work? I thought the DriverPacks were not compatible in WinPE installations....Did you just end up extracting the packs and then using a script to drill down to each folder and inject them?

[tap52384]

You didn't mention Sysprep in the manual; that might be important to note, since you also mention the fact that the destination system may be a compatible system, and doesn't have to be the exact same machine. Also, is there a way to install WinPE 2.0 to the hard drive?

[IcemanND]

@jumz - I only used the network and Massstorage packs for the drivers and installed them using the install_drivers.cmd on page 17. I'll try and clarify that in the guide.

@tap52384 - I didn't mention Sysprep because I didn't want to go into how to create your base image. There are many different methods to create the base image, some will use sysprep some will not it all depends upon what you want to do. that is why in the requirements we have "system configured as desired and ready for image capture"

[chiners_68]

I was following your guide which is very good but cannot get any of your scripts with PEIMG to work.

Where are you running this exe from..? I presume c:\program files\Windows AIK\tools\petools as its not copied down to c:\WinPE_x86 or subdirectories with the mount script.

all I keep getting is " The Image directory sp[ecified is not valid windows PE image"

Also is your build all another script to run or all of the above scripts in one..?

in this all build.cmd you have msd & network.cmd install scripts of which you do not mention in your document. these are obviously adding drivers from the bts packs but what do these scripts contain..?

[IcemanND]

Yes build_all.cmd is all of the scripts combined together.

install_msd.cmd and install_network.cmd are the install_drivers.cmd which was modified to point to those directory folders. I will edit the document to clarify this.

I also noticed that the paths at the beginning of build_all.cmd are what I use on my machine and not the defaults that other people might use.

PDF edited and replaced (7/26)

@chiners_68 - it sounds like your PE image is not mounting correctly to c:\winpe_x86\mount

[Jazkal]

Could I make one suggestion?

Page 7, item A:

Note: WinPE-SRT-Package currently does not work, Microsoft to fix at a later date.

[Tripredacus]

This looks really cool. I will look at it on Monday to see if we can implement it into the Deployment Server I am working on.

[IcemanND]

@jazkal - I will add it to the next published version. Thanks

[kyor]

Thanks for the nice guide

[TheSickman]

tanks a lot for this

tried it and wurks like a charm

Edited July 31, 2007 by TheSickman

[p4ntb0y]

Iceman very nice would you mind if I used parts of your doc for my documentation? I don't beleive in recreating the wheel :-)

By the way do you have any info on the Multicast option in Windows 2008?

I heard that the new version of SMS will do wim deltas which also ties into 2008 intresting times ahead.

Regards

[IcemanND]

No, I've only read that there will be multicast ability as part of Server 2008 and whatever they are calling WDS in that version.