The Specified Image file did not contain a resource section

[Tripredacus]

I am starting a new Vista Unattend and I got an error during WDS Deployment:

Windows could not prepare the computer to boot into the next phase of installation

I checked Panther and it basically said it couldn't find the hard drive. And indeed, the hard drive was blank. So I decided to check my XML in WSIM, and I needed to generate a new Catalog. WSIM gave me an error:

The specified image file did not contain a resource section

It led me to a log file, and I'm not really sure what to make of this. Any ideas on what direction I should be going in?

1:56 PM : 
1:56 PM : Windows SIM was unable to generate a catalog. For troubleshooting assistance, see the topic: 'Windows System Image Manager Technical Reference' in the Windows OPK or Windows AIK User's Guide.
1:56 PM : 
1:56 PM : System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The specified image file did not contain a resource section

Server stack trace: 
   at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.WimImageInfo.PreCreateCatalog()
   at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageInfo.CreateCatalog()
   at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.CatalogCreatorImpl.CreateCatalog(OfflineImageInfo offlineImageInfo)
   at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink._PrivateProcessMessage(IntPtr md, Object[] args, Object server, Int32 methodPtr, Boolean fExecuteInContext, Object[]& outArgs)
   at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink.SyncProcessMessage(IMessage msg, Int32 methodPtr, Boolean fExecuteInContext)

Exception rethrown at [0]: 
   at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg)
   at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type)
   at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.ICatalogCreator.CreateCatalog(OfflineImageInfo offlineImageInfo)
   at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.CatalogGenerator.CreateCat(ProgressDialog pd, Object o)

Update

The error above was using the Install.wim from the Vista DVD. So I thought maybe there was a problem using that. I exported Image index 1 (Vista Business) from the Install.wim and added that instead. This is how I did it in 2003 anyways. But it still makes this error.

However, WSIM is acting up also. It gave me an XML (node is missing) error opening it once, and sometimes it won't close and I have to use Task Manager. Thinking perhaps there is a permissions issue, I have done the following:

- added the logged on user (is already Builtin/Administrator) to the Enterprise Admin group. Also changed local security policy to always elevate (which removed UAC prompts). Environment is Server 2008 Standard x64 and OPK Tools (think WAIK) for Windows 7 RC.

[ajua]

Are you doing this on Windows 7? In my laptop it gave me an error when making a catalog, but as I was messing with UAC I think there were problems running it without admin credentials.

I'm using WAIK for Windows 7 RC to make XML for Vista installations without any problems.

The only problem when it couldn't make a catalog, giving me many errors was when I tried to load a vLited image I made long time ago with WAIK for Vista SP1...

[Tripredacus]

Source media is Vista Business RTM x86

Host OS is Server 2008 Standard x64

WSIM from OPK for Windows 7 RC

[lamaq]

Did you have any luck with this issue? I'm having the same problem with a Windows 7 image using WAIK (Win 7) on Windows Server 2003 (x86).

[Tripredacus]

Haven't had the time to back to this project yet, sorry.