Create a Vista WIM Image Using ImageX

April 12th, 2007 Posted in Windows Vista

Windows VistaIn order to take an image of a Windows Vista computer, you’ll first need to create a Windows PE boot disk with Imagex on it.  After installing Vista and making the desired changes, you will need to run sysprep to remove the SID and hardware specifics.  To do this, from an administrator command prompt, run:sysprep /generalize /oobeThe computer will take a few minutes to shutdown as it removes all traces of the SID and removes drivers.

Once the computer shuts down, insert the WinPE CD you created earlier, and boot the machine from it. You’ll eventually be given a command prompt to work at. If you want to store your image on a network drive, and you’re on a network with DHCP enabled, map the drive you want to save to now with the net command: net use Y: \\server\share If you don’t have DHCP enabled and need to use a static IP, you can set that using the netsh command. Expect an article shortly with instructions on how to do that.

Now you’re ready to start capturing the image.D:\Tools\Imagex.exe /compress fast /capture C: Y:\image.wim "Vista Image" /verify In the command above, D: is the drive letter for your CD drive. We’ve chosen to use fast compression to keep the image from taking a month of Sundays to create, yet not be absolutely gigantic. Your other options for compression are “high” and “none”, but I wouldn’t recommend either. As a rule, Vista images are much larger than their XP counterparts even with compression, so don’t be surprised when you look at the final size. C: is the drive we want to take the image from, this could just as easily be D: or E: if we had multiple hard drives. Y:\image.wim is the path and name of the file we want to save the image with. For some reason, you also need to give your images a human readable name other than just the filename, in this case we’ve chosen the generic “Vista Image” as a title, feel free to be creative here. The /verify flag does just that, making sure that no errors were encountered during the imaging process and that your final image file is ready to use.

When your image is finished, you’re ready to take out the CD and reboot. The computer you took the image from will act like it’s booting for the first time, going through a long boot process while it creates a new SID and installs drivers. You will not be asked for any setup information during this process. Once this process has finished, the computer is back just as it was prior to taking the image.

Stay tuned for the next installment with instructions on how to apply the image you created to another computer.

tags: , , , , , , , ,

Related:





  1. 3 Responses to “Create a Vista WIM Image Using ImageX”

  2. By Allen on May 19, 2008

    Excellent post. Very helpful. However, “High” is not an option for the compress switch. It is “maximum”.

  1. 2 Trackback(s)

  2. Apr 13, 2007: Users Suck! » Blog Archive » Deploying A WIM Image With ImageX
  3. Sep 14, 2007: MSDN Blog Postings » Volume Shadow Copy Tip

Post a Comment

Story Pulse

graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.graph element.

10,464 total reads, averaging 10 daily
stats powered by bsuite


Incoming searches for this post: create vista boot disk (58) - create wim (51) - imagex create image (45) - create wim image (34) - using ImageX (27) - imagex (23) - vista boot image (20) - create vista image (20) - create wim file (19) - imagex wim (19) - how to create WIM image (19) - vista wim (18) - image (17) - Vista imagex (16) - how to create a WIM image (16) - create image using imagex (15) - vista.wim (14) - imagex vista (14) - How to create WIM (14) - create .wim (13) - vista disk image (11) - ImageX.exe (11) - how to use imagex for vista (11) - create vista boot cd (10) - creating vista image (10) - wim image (10) - create image imagex (9) - create a vista image (9) - create image vista (9) - create a wim image (9) - create boot disk vista (9) - Create IMage with IMAGEX (9) - how to create a wim (9) - create image of vista (8) - create an image with imagex (8) - how to create an image using imageX (8) - imagex create (7) - How to create a Wim file (7) - create a Vista Boot disk (7) - create vista wim (7) - create .wim image (6) - creating a vista image (6) - how to create a vista image (6) - create wim (6) - WIM Vista (6) - create .wim file (6) - how to create wim file (6) - vista boot image file (6) - "create vista boot disk" (6) - create vista wim image (6) - create a wim file (6) - how to create image with imagex (6) - imagex boot cd (6) - creating wim images (5) - creating wim image (5) - imagex mount wim (5) - vista create wim image (5) - wim create (5) - create a vista boot cd (5) - wim (5) - "create wim image from cd" (5) - how to create a boot disk for vista (5) - create wim images (5) - creating a wim image (5) - Windows Vista imagex (5) - imagex how to (4) - wim Image create (4) - imagex compress fast (4) - how to create a .wim (4) - imagex /compress (4) - imagex xp (4) - create xp wim image (4) - create an image of vista (4) - imagex boot disk (4) - Create Boot Disk for Vista (4) - imagex take image (4) - create WIM file imagex (4) - imagex compress (4) - how to create .wim image (4) - imagex winpe (4) - create a boot disk vista (4) - create vista boot disc (4) - create an image using imagex (4) - how to create an image with imagex (4) - create boot disk windows vista (4) - create *.wim (4) - create wim vista image (3) - Create Imagex image (3) - create windows xp wim image (3) - imagex create wim (3) - create ImageX (3) - how to create a vista boot disk (3) - create a .wim file (3) - create disk image vista (3) - "create vista boot CD" (3) - vista drive image (3) - create a boot disk for vista (3) - create windows vista boot cd (3) - "how to create a wim file" (3) - XP wim (3) - vista (3) - drive image vista (3) - creating WIM (3) - create a wim (3) - create wim from iso (3) - vista create disk image (3) - vista wim image (3) - vista boot disk (3) - create xp wim (3) - how to create a boot disk in vista (3) - imagex bootdisk (3) - creating a vista boot cd (3) - wim boot image (3) - how to imagex (3) - how to create a vista boot cd (3) - how to create vista boot CD (3) - creating wim file (3) - disk image wim (3) - creating image using imagex (3) - create boot cd vista (3) - Create Windows Vista Image (3) - create wim vista (3) - create wim image file (3) - Create Windows WIM (3) - imagex image creation (3) - creating a .wim file (3) - how to create a image with ImageX (3) - how to create WIM files (3) - How to create .wim (3) - users suck vista image (3) - how to create vista boot disk (3) - create boot cd for vista (3) - creating image with imageX (3) - how create wim image (3) - create wim (3) - sysprep vista wim image (3) - making wim file vista (3) - windows vista using ImageX (2) - create wim image vista (2) - create image cd vista (2) - Create a WIM (2) - Create a Vista WIM Image Using ImageX (2) - imagex capture image (2) - "create a Vista boot disk" (2) - vista image drive (2) - how to create wim images (2) - capture vista WIM (2) - create vista drive image (2) - how to create a boot cd for vista (2) - vista image x (2) -