Create install.wim via reverse integration?

[ricktendo]

I have only tried putting my VHD's on C:\ but I dont see why not.

If you dont want to accidentally format your C:\ drive you could probably label your VHD with diskpart, try this

create vdisk file=c:\<name_of_disk>.vhd maximum=20480 label=<your_label>

REMEMBER! this only works with ultimate

As for the driver letters, whatever drive you boot into will be the C:\ drive, the others will vary

Edited March 29, 2011 by ricktendo64

[johnhc]

Here are some results of my testing under VMware Player. I was not able to start Setup from a VM and use a VHD file to install. I get the same message mentioned above except it also says I am using a Surfaced Virtual Disk, whatever that is. See attached screenshot. The Next button is grayed out so I cannot continue. I may have found a more straight forward method of installing on a VHD. I boot the CD (ISO on VM) and click Install Now, not Repair. I proceed to the partition selection window, then press SHIFT-F10 to open an Administrator Command Prompt and use Diskpart for the VHD part. After closing the command prompt, clicking Refresh then finds the VHD and installation continues normally. I still get the warning about maybe not being able to boot from it but not the Surfaced Virtual Disk part and I can click Next. It was also possible to create the VHD in my W7 system (VM) and use Diskpart to Select and Attach it. I have tried none of this on HW, only in a VM under VMware Player.

nice_guy75, as you can see in the screen shot, I am able to have the VHD on the F: disk and have also used the E: disk. What disk I install on is determined by the fact that on my HW, XP was already installed (on C:), so W7 went to the F: partition. I have kept it this way and mimic my HW on VM by using the Unattended.xml file to partition my VM drive, format, assign drive letters and specify install to the F: disk.

Enjoy, John.