Mounting & Installing

[Markus1234]

Hi!

Sorry, my english is pretty bad.

Several times in the forums i read something about to mount the wim and install something into it.

Does this mean to integrate an Installer, a cab for silent firstrun-app, or does it mean what i think about - to install an application into a not-yet installed windows?

I tried alot of stuff, but i face many problems.

I cant silently install my AV, i cant capture the system changes with WinInstall SE or even ThinApp, many of my personal changes depend on previous installed programs - and so on.

Wouldnt the most simple solution be the best?

As far i know windows7 can even handle deep system changes, such as changed CPU/MB (WindowsXP could do, but not at CPU changes).

So im asking - is there a way to simply observe a brand-new System, to save all changes - to merge them into a new windows?

Or also - is there any custom windows installer who creates a bootable DVD from an actually running system and all its installed apps/configuration?

That would be a dream, somehow, but i believe such software does exist (at least for companies).

By the way. Im very sure if i simply burn all C:\ files to a dvd and copy them all on an empty HDD in a completely different computer - it would start (w7 case).

Edited April 5, 2011 by Markus1234

[ricktendo]

So im asking - is there a way to simply observe a brand-new System, to save all changes - to merge them into a new windows?

Or also - is there any custom windows installer who creates a bootable DVD from an actually running system and all its installed apps/configuration?

Yes, the steps are: install Windows 7, boot into sysprep, install apps, generalize, capture image for later install (check out my signature for some links)

As far i know windows7 can even handle deep system changes, such as changed CPU/MB (WindowsXP could do, but not at CPU changes).

What I think you are saying is you can only sysprep XP and install to the EXACT same hardware (cpu, etc) but this is not a problem with Windows 7...correct, you can capture and deploy Windows 7 from/to any kind of hardware

Edited April 5, 2011 by ricktendo64

[Markus1234]

Sorry, i have no idea about sysprep - and how to create a new dvd with all made changes.

Can you specify it?

That would be an awesome way, i dont get it why people waste their nerves on autoit and silent installation packages.

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744512%28WS.10%29.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744263%28WS.10%29.aspx

Cheers

[johnhc]

Markus1234, I suggest you look at the videos and tutorials in ricktendo64's signature (above) on the WinCert forum. He shows you step-by-step how to use DISM, SysPrep and Imagex. Also see this MSFN thread. Enjoy, John.

[Markus1234]

Thanks for your replies!

I didnt found any videos in his signature links, so i watched some on youtube (they are kind of rare about sysprep and w7).

I also read technet stuff, it seems to pe pretty easy at all.

Its EXACTLY what i searched! Thank you!

This way i can do all changes, install every single application i want/need, add anything and even more - and what i get in the end is my complete system within the regular w7 installation.

Another question, can i add unattended informations?

First i tried to use RT7Lite, but after the first try it corrupted my unattended file.

So my question: Is it a big deal to skip user creation and access only the already present administrator account - without any password?

I guess thats the part which caused error messages on "preparation for first access" in the just installed system.

Edited April 5, 2011 by Markus1234

[ricktendo]

I didnt found any videos in his signature links, so i watched some on youtube

Here is the link http://www.wincert.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=7384

[Markus1234]

Didnt saw the forest because of the trees, sorry

Will watch it now, even as i think i know all steps already - maybe i figure out something new.

Thank you!

Edit: Its very interesting! I guess i need to use a DL DVD then to bring in all my default applications.

In other howto's i saw people using an user account. But before using sysprep they delete it

Almost all installs are created for all users anyway i guess ... so no problem!

Last thing is i hope that his image just became 6gb because he installed also big stuff such as WAIK and the full office, but ill figure that out by myself tomorrow!

Thanks, thanks and thanks!

I really really wonder why people still use autoit and stuff, the difference between a fully pre-installed dvd and a dynamic one with packages over (silent) install switches is almost zero.

In case of change you need to burn it again anyway.

Edited April 6, 2011 by Markus1234

[ricktendo]

You can also install from a USB stick (its much faster,) one 8MB and up should suffice

[Markus1234]

Guess you mean 8GiB.

Another little question, can i create the wim on the new temporary system itself, or does it have to be on another hdd/drive?

And do i need the whole waik or can i work just with the imagex runtimes?

[ricktendo]

imagex.exe is all you need, and you have to generalize the image and capture it from another boot

I also post links to some OPK videos that show how to create a bootable PE disk, mount and add imagex.exe to system32 folder for capturing if you did not dual boot

Edited April 6, 2011 by ricktendo64

[Markus1234]

I actually dont got any USB Flashes or additionally HDDs.

Can i just extract the vmdk Data file from VMWare to access all the files?

[ricktendo]

If you do a VMware install you can convert the vmdk to whd, then you can mount the vhd in windows so it will act like another hdd (just watch out with vmware snapshots)

BTW did you not see my video, I show how if you dont have or want other partitions you can create and install to a vhd

Edited April 6, 2011 by ricktendo64

[Markus1234]

Sure i watched it, im just kind of confused about to configure the guest system for booting on the host computer.

I used vhds in order to sepperate some personal data on my windows hdd, never to run windows in it.

Edit: Alright, im actually reading the link you provided in your video.

I didnt read it before because i thought using vmware also works, but since you recommend to build the wim on an unrestricted system, i will do so!

Thanks for the hint!

Edited April 6, 2011 by Markus1234

[Markus1234]

Thank you so much ricktendo64, because of your video i finaly could create my own fully customized Windows7.

This way it wouldnt be possible with silent installer packages and so on!

And now guess what - i got another question.

I read about that the created WIM could get installed directly into an empty partition.

I read something about it, all i need is imagex, usually from winpe cd.

"imagex /apply F:\Windows7Ultimate.wim 1 c:"

Are there any basic approaches how to include imagex within the single created WIM on a dvd?

After all i just face the problem about disk management.

Yeah, i want to save some more space on a regular DVD

So imagex + the WIM file on a dvd, need to make it bootable and automatically start into imagex.

But best choice would be to create a 2-steps setup. Firstly to manage the disks (create/allocate/format/...)

and secondly to call the WIM directly over imagex, to install it without any GUI (which is a waste of disk space to me).

I hope you understand what i mean!