OEM Vista install files?

[bizzybody]

Where do OEMs put the install files for Vista on computers? I want to see if I can copy them and slipstream Service Pack 1 when it's released, then create a bootable disc to do a clean install of Home Basic on my new laptop.

Edited November 7, 2007 by bizzybody

[gosh]

That of course depends on the OEM. OEM's could put the software in a hidden partition. I remember reading that bitlocker or winpe 2.0 supports hidden partitions...

-gosh

[dkhandel]

Hi dude,

In your OEM CD. Open "Sources" folder and look for Install.wim which contains OEM files to install Windows Vista. Please let me know if you have any other issue. Hope I understood your problem correctly.

Best wishes,

Dilip.

[manilaboyph]

can give about OEM in Vista And I want to know my vista is OEM already how can I do??? Thanks GOD BLESS!!

[bizzybody]

Hi dude,

In your OEM CD. Open "Sources" folder and look for Install.wim which contains OEM files to install Windows Vista. Please let me know if you have any other issue. Hope I understood your problem correctly.

Best wishes,

Dilip.

I don't have an OEM install CD. I have an Acer Aspire 5315 laptop. The recovery disc maker produces a set of discs that can only be used to restore the laptop to EXACTLY the out of box condition- complete with infestation of Norton Internet Security, a bunch of game demos, and a load of other useless junkware.

The CDs have some type of backup image files on them, so the Windows install files can't be plucked out from there.

The recovery disc creator can also create discs to re-install all the 3rd party software it came pre-stuffed with, and the drivers, but NOT Windows.

SOMEWHERE on the non-hidden partition must be the Vista install files- wherever it gets the needed files for when I plug things into the USB ports or install software that needs files from the install files. I haven't found a sources folder or install.wim file on the hard drive. I've set the options in the search to look in as many places as it will allow.

Is there a Win32 3rd party search program that will search EVERYWHERE on a 2000/XP/Vista hard drive, AND can be set to NOT search inside archives, text files etc? I rarely need to search inside files, 99.99999% of the time I just need to find a #%^ file and it's annoying when Windows won't look in ALL the folders.

[dkhandel]

Hi Dude,

Oops!, Since you do not have OEM CD I would advise not to play around with your recovery partition or recovery CD`s. Generally, Vendor practice to apply the factory image to their Laptop. It means, you have a master machine installed and configured with the default applications. Then capture image of the master machine by using the mechanism like Altirs RDeploy / Ghost / ImageX for Vista. In our case, they stored a copy in the hidden parition which may be a saving for the company rather delivering a separate CD to recover the system.

Do not attempt to slipstream because the files are already expanded in the hidden parition and you will not find (Install.WIM) elsewhere in your hard drive . Your hidden paritition looks alike when you newly brought the laptop with the default.

They should be using WinPE to deploy Windows Vista image. When you use recovery disk creator they just take a snapshot of cd partition and burn to CD. Thats all. However, Vendor do not recommend to delete this parition.

BTW, every vendor has their own way to clone the machine. bizzybody, do not put more effort on this.

Hope others agree with me or anybody have suggestions.

Best wishes,

Dilip.