Jump to content

install.wim creation


Recommended Posts

:thumbup :thumbup When I use bootupdater, created a bootscreen, did a sprep with the oobe item checked and then run imagex to create install.wim. What happens during the imagex process to make sure that the defualt bootscreen is displayed? What does windows7 compare the original to in order to make sure that the files are corrupt? What security measure are used? John
Link to comment
Share on other sites


It returns back to the default Windows 7 boot screen when tested with VMware workstation, after copying into hard partition (reverse integration) and testing out on vm! John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It returns back to the default Windows 7 boot screen when tested with VMware workstation, after copying into hard partition (reverse integration) and testing out on vm! John

This was the only way I have not tried I guess changing boot animation in pre-install environment is not possible yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have some explaining to do, Iput the new bootscreen in the reverse integrated one after reboot the bootscreen was the new one . Then sysprepd with the generalized checked then I used oobe. then I copied it to a clean version of Windows setup drive then created an ISO. WHen I tested in VMware Workstation 7. It returned it to the Original Bootscreen. Why? how does windows know that the files were changed and what does it compare them to? John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have some explaining to do, Iput the new bootscreen in the reverse integrated one after reboot the bootscreen was the new one . Then sysprepd with the generalized checked then I used oobe. then I copied it to a clean version of Windows setup drive then created an ISO. WHen I tested in VMware Workstation 7. It returned it to the Original Bootscreen. Why? how does windows know that the files were changed and what does it compare them to? John

I am not sure I understand what you are trying to figure out, as the above explanation is not clear enough for me, but based on what litle I gleaned from the above post and others, I can point out the following which may or may not help you in the right direction...

1. Since you are using virtualization, you can always mount the Virtual Disk (VD), and look at the contents of a bcd store in detail; before and after a sysprep. So you have a means of comparison you can use to determine what changes (and possibly where those changes may come from).

2. You can also extract the boot.wim or install.wim (original, or modified versions), and see if they contain a bcdstore and look at the contents --mind you, original wims do not have a bcdstore, but modified wims, especially, those that you create manually [actually, images captured via imagex] which are based on a physical or virtual disk or partitions, may contain a bcd store! In the case of when you have a bcd store in such wims you can extract and compare contents.

3. During sysprep, based on your sysprep option selections, various registry settings are configured. After the first boot, some of the sysprep registry settings are changed, indicating the status of the machine, i.e. the machine has gone through an initialization of drivers, services and such (as indicated on screen by the "setting up drivers...." and "setting up/configuring services..." messages).

Important: The limitation of "you can only sysprep a machine [physical or virtual] only 3 times" comes from a registry setting that keeps incrementing when the machine is sysprepped.

I suspect that registry settings regarding sysprep status and possibly machine status/readines (such as the registry settings that mean: "windows OS has initialized and configured properly" or "windows needs initialize -- i.e. it needs to set up drivers and services") may play an important role in what [i suspect] you are trying to figure out [as I understand from your messages --if I misunderstood, sorry!!!]

A little trick you can use is to check out all bcd stores (including the bcd store you have configured yourself, or obtain by mounting a VD, or a wim file), and then edit them so that each bcd store you have access to has the following items configured (and if not configured, add the the necessary items with relevant values):

-In the {bootmanager} item, make sure the "timeout" item is set up (with a long enough period such as 30 sec), and

- "displaymenu Yes" item is added as well,

Make sure that each bcdstore menu item is configured with unique descriptions, so that you can always see the menu being displayed.

For example, the VD has a bcdstore with 2 menu items: "windows 7", and "windows 7 recovery"

Change the decriptions to: "Windows 7 - root", and "windows 7 recovery -root"

You also discoverd that boot.wim and install.wim have bcdstore inside the wim images. Mount the WIM files, and edit the bcdstores. First, add the bootmenutimeout and displayboot items, and then for the boot menu options add a good description such as "windows PE - boot_wim", and "Windows setup - install_wim"

When you boot the machine, you may determine, from the boot menu displayed onscreen, which bcdstore is being loaded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know, but logically thinking I expect the security settings to be reset, since part of sysprep is creation of new SIDs... therefore something must be going on regarding file security and the new security principals, right?

File comparison:

there are many file comparison utlities both free and commecial that use different comparison methods (incl. full binary comparison, md5 or other file hash comprison, same name, same size, etc.). I have mostly used NoClone, and it can compare thousands of files wherever they recide. It will list identical files (duplicates) with their full paths.

If you are looking for a utility to hilight the differences between two versions of a file (what is different in between two files that are supposed to be identical) then you need to look for something like DIFF utility, but the little I have seen of such utilities require a pair of files to be fed into the utility, so I can't say I know of a utility that can take compare files in two different locations (a drive, folder, etc.) and list differences between the files..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While the image is offline (best to make a copy of it first) search in the WinSxS folder for the original file. Replace that and then try again. Windows may not be smart enough to know that the "original backup" file was replaced, and will still restore it. I had to do the same thing when I had changed a Server 2003 box to look like XP Embedded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...