WIM Organization Paradigm File Overview

A system paradigm is a unmarried file that contains the entire operating system and all of the files, programs, and settings of an installed computer system. Network administrators utilize arrangement images to deploy the Windows 7 operating system to many computers in a Windows network. Besides just deploying operating systems across a large network, a system image is too be a useful backup tool for re-imaging corrupted systems. A Windows 7 organization image file is called a WIM file, it has a .wim file extension. A WIM file tin can be created in such a manner (generalized) that information technology tin be deployed to whatsoever computer independent of the particular hardware or drivers.

In this tutorial, I endeavour to simplify the process of creating a Windows system paradigm or WIM file, into easy to empathise, step-past-step instructions. I hope you find the tutorial helpful and the process interesting! I have likewise added video tutorials showing how to do the unabridged process using a VMware Windows seven virtual auto equally the reference computer.

The tools yous will need:

  • The Reference Reckoner – A figurer with Windows 7 installed. This is the source reckoner that the image file will exist created from. In my example, I used a fresh install of Windows 7 on an extra computer, then I ran updates, installed a couple programs, changed the desktop and the homepage, and took a screenshot (see below). Important! The commencement time yous do this, I exercise not recommend using the Windows seven home computer that you apply on a daily basis, as the reference computer. This procedure will involve a generalizing of the system (sysprep) which will strip information technology of drivers, likewise as the Organisation ID. Though everything will be put back to normal, I exercise not recommend using a machine that you rely on the beginning time you do this exercise. I am too in the process of showing how this entire lab tin be done using virtual machines.

    wim-reference-computer
    This is a screenshot of the system I am going to paradigm.

  • The Technician Reckoner – In my case running Windows vii. This is the computer with Windows AIK installed.
  • A USB wink bulldoze or CD – To hold your bootable WinPE image.
  • A USB external bulldoze or flash bulldoze – To store your WIM system epitome files (Note: a WIM file can be equally large every bit the difficult drive your imaging){loadposition adposition6}
  • Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) – Used to create and maintain Windows system images or WIM files. Windows AIK is a free download from Microsoft that you will need to burn to DVD so install. Windows AIK includes the following tools:
    • Windows PE – The Windows preinstallation environment is a thin version
      of Windows vii based on the Windows seven kernel. Windows PE is like a Windows
      vii Boot Disk. Information technology tin be used to ready Windows 7 installations.
    • Windows SIM – Windows System Image Manager creates 'answer files' that are used to automate the Windows installation (This is optional, I do not use this tool in this tutorial).
    • SysPrep Tool – The Organisation Training Tool is used to generalize the arrangement epitome for installation past removing specific reckoner system information. (The SysPrep tool is included in Windows 7)
    • ImageX – Command line tool that creates the image file. In this tutorial, nosotros will re-create the ImageX.exe file to the root of the USB WindowsPE boot drive, for piece of cake access.

Initial Steps

In this tutorial you lot want to pay shut attention to the syntax of the commands (eg. the spaces between words or characters)

  1. Set the 'Reference Computer' with Windows 7. This is the computer I will utilize to create my "golden image. (see in a higher place recommendations)
  2. Download the Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7 iso file. You can download information technology here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=696dd665-9f76-4177-a811-39c26d3b3b34&displaylang=en. Once you have it downloaded you volition need to fire it to a DVD. Now install WindowAIK from the DVD (If it does not start past itself run the StartCD.exe file located on the DVD)
  3. For expert online instructions I recommend going to TechNet.Microsoft.com. This is my starting bespeak for this tutorial: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349343(WS.10).aspx

Create a Windows PE Boot Deejay (USB Flash Bulldoze or CD)

  1. Adjacent, yous demand to make a Windows pre-installation environment, Windows PE kicking disk. You lot tin practise this on a CD-ROM or a USB flash drive, I evidence both means in the steps beneath . You can also discover more information on how to create WindowsPE kicking disks at the Microsoft TechNet website: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744530(WS.10).aspx. I have likewise included a video tutorial on how to create a WindowsPE boot CD below.
  2. On your technician computer (reckoner with AIK installed), click:
    Showtime > All
    Programs > Microsoft Windows AIK    , right-click Deployment Tools Command
    Prompt    , and and then select Run as ambassador.
  3. At the command prompt, run the Copype.cmd script. The script requires two additional parameters: hardware compages and destination location.
    copype.cmd <arch> <destination>
    <arch> can be x86, amd64, or ia64 and <destination> is a path to local directory. For example, I typed in the post-obit command:
    copype.cmd x86 c:\winpe_x86 (the directory winpe_x86 will be created by the control)
  4. Side by side, run the following command to copy and rename the winpe.wim file:
    copy c:\winpe_x86\winpe.wim c:\winpe_x86\ISO\sources\boot.wim
  5. Add together ImageX.exe to your WinPE paradigm (optional but recommended). Type the following command:
    copy c:\<the path to WindowsAIK>\tools\x86\imagex.exe c:\winpe_x86\iso\
    On my computer, I installed AIK directly to the c: bulldoze in a folder named "WindowsAIK" instead of the "Plan Files" folder and so my command looked similar this:
    copy c:\WindowsAIK\tools\x86\imagex.exe c:\winpe_x86\iso\
  6. Now you need to decide if you want to prepare a USB flash drive or a CD for accepting WindowsPE. If yous want to prepare for burning a CD, you can skip to step 9, otherwise proceed on. At present you need to prepare your USB Wink Bulldoze. Insert your flash drive. Open up a command prompt and type in the post-obit command:
    diskpart (opens the diskpartition command line utility)
    When you lot meet the prompt "DISKPART>" blazon in the following command to verify which disk is your USB Wink Bulldoze:
    list deejay (yous should meet a list of disks based on size)
    Type in the post-obit commands (Of import: this assumes your USB drive was listed as "Disk 1" you don't want to format the wrong deejay)
    select disk 1
    clean
    create division master
    select partition ane
    active
    format quick fs=fat32
    assign
    go out
    Now your USB flash bulldoze should be formatted with fat32.
  7. Copy the iso directory in your c:\winpe_x86 folder to your Wink drive. Type in the following commands:
    xcopy C:\winpe_x86\iso\*.* /east F:\
    the above control assumes your f: drive is your USB bulldoze, else arrange accordingly
  8. Congratulations! You just created your Windows PE Kicking Flash Drive. Now you need to capture a generalized image for deployment.
  9. If you would similar to burn
    WindowsPE to a CD instead of a USB thumb drive. The following command volition copy all of the files necessary to create a WindowsPE kicking disc into an ISO paradigm file. And so y'all can burn the prototype file to a CD to create a bootable WindowsPE CD. In the command below the ISO image file that you will want to fire is winpex86.iso
    Oscdimg -n -bC:\winpe_x86\Etfsboot.com C:\winpe_x86\ISO C:\winpe_x86\winpex86.iso
  10. Now burn the ISO image file winpex86.iso to a CD as a bootable image disc and you are finished! You tin find more
    information on how to do it from the Microsoft Technet site here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd799303%28v=ws.10%29.aspx .
  11. Congratulations! Y'all just created your Windows PE Kicking CD. At present y'all demand to capture a generalized image for deployment.

How to Create a WindowsPE kick cd using Windows AIK

Generalize your Windows 7 Reference Reckoner with SysPrep

  1. Generalize your image with the SysPrep utility.
  2. On the reference computer. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > Right Click the Command Prompt. Opens the command prompt in authoritative mode. Type in the following command to run sysprep:
    c:\windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe
  3. In the sysprep dialogue box choose the OOBE, generalize, and shutdown options and click "ok".
  4. Sysprep volition prepare your system for imaging by stripping information technology of hardware specific settings and will then shutdown.

Generalize the reference organisation using the SysPrep utility

Capture an Image for Deployment (Generalized Golden Prototype) with ImageX

  1. Now that you have generalized your Windows vii Reference Arrangement you lot need to kicking the reference computer to your WindowsPE Kick Deejay (USB or CD). If you are doing the lab on a VMware virtual car you lot tin can configure the virtual CD/DVD drive to boot direct to the WindowsPE .iso file. You will yet need to tell the virtual automobile to boot the CD/DVD drive by apace clicking inside the VM as it boots and hit the escape key on the keyboard in gild to become to the boot carte du jour. Working from a physical estimator, yous demand to press the F12 key while starting the computer in society to bring up a one-time boot menu, and fix the reckoner to boot to the CD/DVD or USB flash drive instead of the difficult drive.
    Notation: If you boot to the hard drive instead of your WindowsPE USB then your calculator volition begin the Windows setup procedure and load pnp drivers, and y'all will need to do sysprep all over once more to generalize your system.
  2. In the WinPE command prompt run diskpartition by typing in the command: diskpart (and hitting enter)
  3. Type in the following command: list deejay (to run into your recognized disks)
    I showed 3 hd drives listed:disk0 = my difficult drivedisk1 = my USB flash drivedisk2 = my larger external USB drive where I plan on saving my image file
  4. Type in the command: go out to leave disk sectionalization
  5. At present I recommend figuring out which disks are nether which bulldoze letters. You can do this by executing the following commands:
    c:\ (switching to the c drive I found "Volume in bulldoze C is System reserved")
    d:\ (switching to the d drive I found the files and folders of a WindowsOS, i.e Programme Files, Users, Windows, autoexec.bat, etc.)
    e:\ (depending on whether you are using a WindowsPE CD or a USB boot drive, switching to the e:\ drive you may find the contents of the WindowsPE drive or a "The device is non prepare" message)
    f:\ (nether the f drive I found the WindowsPE drive and the imagex.exe file)
    g:\ (under the chiliad drive I found my USB external hard drive where I am going to store my image file)
  6. In one case y'all know where imagex.exe is located (USB WinPE drive) you can run it on your generalized Win7 bulldoze and salve the epitome an external storage device. My final control to create the image and save it to an external difficult drive was:
    f:\imagex /capture d:\ chiliad:\my-windows-image.wim "myImage" (make certain you put the quotation marks)
    Explanation of command above: after using the cd and dir commands to search around the disks and directiories I establish the imagex.exe file in the F:\ bulldoze. The split pieces of the control are as follows:
    f:\imagex (is where imagex.exe was located)
    /capture (the argument that tells imagex to capture the image)
    d:\ (location of the bulldoze with the generalized Windows seven OS)
    one thousand:\my-windows-image.wim "myImage" (location of bulldoze to relieve the prototype file (in this case an external USB drive), the file name to give information technology, and a label name)
  7. At present check to see if the image successfully copied to your external USB bulldoze. You should run across a .wim file. If you did, congratulations, yous now have an paradigm file of your unabridged Window seven operating system, which includes installed programs, documents, and configurations! You tin now install that image on a different figurer, the same computer, or you could open that image file with the Windows AIK program and mount the paradigm like an external difficult drive. A mounted wim file can be browsed, edited or added to.

Capture the WIM from WindowsPE, using ImageX

Installing/Deploying your WIM Epitome to a Computer or Network with ImageX

  1. Now that you take your image file yous tin install it to another computer using ImageX!
  2. Kicking a computer to your USB WindowsPE boot bulldoze.
  3. Adhere the USB external bulldoze with your wim file.
  4. Format the bulldoze using Diskpartition. After typing diskpart you will need to search the drives to verify which letters correspond with which drives. Here are the commands:
    diskpart (starts Disk Partition)
    list deejay (lists the mounted disks, note which one is which by comparison sizes)
    select deejay 0 (select the deejay that corresponds with your hard drive where yous desire to install your image)
    clean
         create division principal
    select partition i
     active
     format quick fs=ntfs characterization=OS     (Important: NTFS not fat32, characterization is optional)
    assign letter=C (Of import: you want it to exist the C drive)
    exit
    Now run the control to utilise the image to the hard drive:
    f:\imagex.exe /use due east:\my-windows-image.wim 1 c:\
    Explanation:
    /apply (use instead of capture)
    e:\my-windows-epitome.wim 1 (Important: the 1 is the index of the get-go wim. Each wim tin have multiple versions)
    c:\ (where you will install the wim)
    One time the image is done you lot can endeavour restarting and seeing if the organisation boots normally. If it doesn't you lot volition need to set upwardly the kicking configuration location. In WindowsPE type the following commands:
    c: (to switch to the c bulldoze)
    cd windows\system32
    dir bcd* (list all the files commencement with bcd)
    bcdedit.exe (looks for boot files)
    bcdboot c:\windows /s c: (sets the system kicking boot directory)
  5. Restart your computer and go to Windows setup mode. You volition need to add together a new user in setup fashion which y'all can delete later. Log off and log back into your original user account and you should see all your programs, documents and settings! Image is restored!

Dan teaches reckoner networking and security classes at Primal Oregon Customs College. View all posts past Dan