Slipstream or copy an application in Vista

[Mackhack]

Hi folks,

got a question. Is it possible to copy a application from the server where Vist is on to the target machine? I know I can install application with the component

Microsoft-Windows-Deployment\RunSynchronous\RunSynchronousCommand

but we don't need to install that application we just want to copy the folder with all files onto the Desktop and run that application (Burn-In) from there. Or if someone knows a method to slipstream it into the Vista PE that would help as well.

Thank you!

[Br4tt3]

So, i am not really following you! Do you wanna add a single .exe application to your WinPE? Or do you wanna copy over files for an application without installing it into the operating system using the RunSynchronous feature?

For #1:

Mount your boot.wim (thats the WinPE image on ur Vista DVD) using the imagex.exe command line tool avail in the WAIK (free to download). Once mounted, add ur single .exe application file to ur image. Then unmount the image using the imagex and commit the changes. Should be good to go.... if u wanna invoke it from PE, then startnet.cmd is the place to start messing around.

For #2:

U can pretty much do anything from the RunSynchronous command section as long as it is CLI based features, such as xcopy, invoke wscript.exe or cscript, msiexec and so on.... or u could also just add the files and folders to ur install.wim image (Vista DVD image file - also on the DVD) using the imagex (WAIK) tool. That way, once the install is finished, the application will be available to install, execute or whatever....

[Mackhack]

Hi,

#2 is exactly what I want. We want to create a test image with different testing and benchmarking applications which don't need to be installed. We have all files in their folders and just want to add those folders to the install.wim as you mentioned.

Could you show me how to create this image with imagex so that I'm able to make a PE CD? I assume it will work like the other installations with a configset right?

Thank you very much in advance.

[Br4tt3]

Download and install the WAIK tools on ur machine, once done:

1. Open up a cmd prompt (assuming ur admin)

2. Navigate to the imagex.exe tool and issue the following command:

imagex /mountrw c:\my_path\my_vista_image.wim 1 c:\mount_folder <-- where u mount imagex index 1 to ur mount folder.

3. Open up a explorer.exe instance, go to the c:\mount directory and the files and folders that u wanna include, once done....

4. That same cmd console prompt:

imagex /unmount /commit c:\mount_folder

5. From now on u have included the custom files and folders into ur my_vista_image.wim file. I have not actually added files to the original install.wim file on the Vista DVD but I rather, install my Vista using an unattend file, sysprep it, then capture the state of the machine into my own custom_install.wim file which I then can edit and add/delete files or folder to using the imagex.exe tool.

6. If u wanna apply that image later on, use WDS or manually run the imagex.exe /apply command....

If u install the WAIK (free of charge, download it from MS) u will automatically obtain the creation "kit" for WinPE 2.0 as well.... once there, then u have all the relevant documentation on how to get up and running with WDS/WinPE/Vista/unattend settings and so on....

Oh, and the default boot.wim (WinPE) file on the Vista DVD contains two images within one single .wim image. So make sure which ID you specify when mounting the image using the imagex command and the index number. U can obtain the index number by running the imagex /info c:\my_custom_image.wim

Edited February 15, 2007 by Br4tt3