Creating a configured operating system image. How to prepare your installed image of Windows

With a frequent installation operating systemNaturally, a desire arises to automate this process as much as possible. Many advanced users are applied by a long time ago compiled set of programs, as well as its corporate design system. Someone understands the change in setting external view desktop, ktoto prefers to abandon all visual effects in favor of productivity, and ktoto implements thin setting operating system, disable all unused services, etc. In general options individual setup OS abound. At the same time, each time you install a new, clean operating system, you have to change the settings for your own and re-install drivers for all devices that are not defined. Another headache is the installation of updates and patches. Such a measure is necessary to maximize yourself from malicious programs and at the same time get an increase in performance, removing the shortcomings of the previous system code using updates.

Adjusting the operating system can be made of four common ways:

• using the setting built-in in the OS;
• by manual registry editing;
• using specialized utilities for setting up (so-called tweaks);
• using a modified system image.

Each of these methods has both its advantages and disadvantages. However, in this case, we are interested in pre-configuring the operating system during its installation on a computer. This setting is possible thanks to the creation of a Microsoft WinPE preset environment. This is a trimmed version of the operating system, which allows you to load from various media. Initially, this Wednesday was intended for use only as a pre-stationary platform to launch Microsoft Windows.When replacing with MS-DOS (this OS was needed to install the system). Wednesday Windows PE has been developed by a small command of engineers in windows group Deployment Microsoft and based on the Windows XP operating system for the internal needs of the company itself.

For the first time, such an opportunity appeared in the first systems based on NT kernel. However, in the initial version, these utilities did not have any responding interface. With the release of Windows XP and 2003 Server operating systems, this possibility in the form of a WinPE user environment was provided to large corporate customers who could change some system image settings. It began to be used by large companies to configure the system, to start various applications, as well as restore systems during failures.

With the advent of this opportunity, all sorts of assemblies (images) of operating systems began to be offered on the Internet. Probably the most famous of them - ZverCD, which was later substantially replenished and turned into ZverDVD. After some time, the NLite program appeared, which had a friendly interface and allowed users to create and modify the images of the system independently. After the operating system output Windows Vista. A VLITE program was created, analog NLITE, but with b aboutmore opportunities and with a bunch of Windows Vista's operating system. Currently developing this useful program Suspended, besides, it, alas, does not support the new Windows 7 operating system in full.

Microsoft issued latest version WinPE 3.0, which can be downloaded via PXE, CD-ROM, Flashlight (USB) or hard disk and is based on the new Windows 7 operating system. Traditionally used by large corporations and manufacturers of complex equipment (for pre-installing the operating system windows client On PC during production) WinPE is now widely available in the Waik free package. Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK or Waik) is a collection tools and technologies created by Microsoft, which were designed to help system administrators In the deployment of Windows operating systems. For the first time this package was demonstrated with the output of the operating windows systems Vista. Many new tool tools for working with images were presented. The following version of Windows AIK per number 3.0 was released in conjunction with the pre-release of Windows 7 Beta. It should also be noted that the new DISM tool has assumed the functions of several earlier tools, including Peimg and IntLCFG, which were seriously criticized by users. A new version WinPE 3.0 inherited a lot of innovations that were first demonstrated in the new Windows 7 operating system.

In this article, we will consider new and updated programs from Microsoft, as well as describe typical problems that occur when working with them. To work with the image images using official applications from Microsoft user will need software windows Package AIK, which can be downloaded from the official website of the company. And of course, the Windows 7 operating system itself is needed, the 30-day version of which is officially downloaded from Microsoft.

Suppose that the user has already installed a new operating system on its computer and depressed by the appearance of several populations when installing the menu, wanted to get rid of them once and for all. For this task, the Windows AIK package serves. It allows you to create a so-called response file.

Windows System Image Manager

The answer file is a scenario of the responses to the series dialog boxes Graphic system installation interface. The answer file tells the installation program, how to handle all additional files and folders that are created by the user and also provides the installation program all the information that the user enters manually during the standard windows installations.

A response file for automatic installation of Windows Vista is text file In XML format. It can be created manually in any text editor. However, given the complex structure of the response file and a large number of parameters contained in it, text editors It is more likely to quickly edit small errors than to create such a file from scratch and subsequent serious work with it. To automate the creation of the answer file and its subsequent editing, it is recommended to use the program - Windows System Image Dispatcher ( Windows System. Image Manager, WSIM - see Figure), which is part of the Windows automatic installation package (WAIK). In addition to the convenience of the graphical interface, the WSIM package allows you to check the responses file for the presence of errors in it, which is a very useful opportunity, because in many cases this file contains a not one dozen lines of code.

The answer file, made in the XML format, responds to the questions specified by the user when installing. It should be understood that this response file does not affect the original content of the image image. Therefore, only with its help, for example, you cannot integrate updates or language files into the image. You can only answer some questions, make changes to the registry or rewrite to a new program disk, files and folders. To integrate language packs or updates, it is necessary to change the system image itself.

First, let's talk about working with the Windows AIK program. Note that it is necessary to distinguish between two concepts: the image Vim and the image of ISO. Insofar as microsoft. Understands the system of the system already expanded Wednesday, we will call his VIM image. What is a VIM image? The indigenous difference in installing operating systems based on the latest Windows Vista / 7 kernel from operating systems on windows database XP is that it is made using WIM format files (Windows Image Format). In particular, the distribution of the operating system itself consists of a program of installation, several auxiliary files and two WIM images - boot.wim and systemic (install.wim). The first of them is an image of a preset wednesdays Windows PE, in which preparations for installing the operating system, and in the second it is directly the unfolded operating system itself. Accordingly, the installation of Windows 7 is reduced to the transfer of the system image to the section hard disk Computer. It is worth noting that WIM images have a significant difference from third-party programs. Windows format Windows is focused on working with individual files, while other programs use images that store information using the sectoral copying. The advantages of the file approach consist of what appear wide opportunities For autonomous image maintenance, that is, to make any anyone, even if minor changes. For example, the user can add its own files to the image, as well as install updates, drivers and language packs. In addition, WIM images do not contain information about the computer hardware configuration and the image is not tied to a specific computerTherefore, the same image can be deployed on any computers having a different hardware configuration. Compared to the image images used in the previous Windows XP operating system, the new image format greatly simplifies the transfer of the operating system from one computer to another. Earlier, before saving the image of a system prepared on the base computer, you had to perform various actions to remove drivers related to a specific system - this is not required.

As for the economy disk spaceIn one WIM file, multiple systems of systems can be stored. If a file is included in the composition of various images, only one copy is saved - thus significantly reduced space-based space. In addition, when saving a WIM image, the data is compressed because the format supports various compression degrees. Accordingly, when installing the Windows Vista / 7 operating system, one is unpackled big file, not a lot of small archives, as it happened when installing Windows XP (such a process was noticeably slowed down and led to failures if the disk was scratched). An interesting point is that the speed of unpacking the image is practically independent of the degree of compression (but the speed of preserving the image, of course depends). But before you start talking about working with a detailed manner, consider that it can provide the user to the response file management program - System Image Manager (WSIM).

Create a response file

Recall that the answer file is built on xML language. To create an initial response file, you need to install Windows AIK and run the shell called "System Image Manager". This shell allows you to create a response file and manage it by providing the user with a rather informative, understandable and user-friendly interface. To start creating a response file, you must specify the path to the VIM image of the system. To do this, unpack the ISO image of the system into a separate directory. The VIM image of the system is contained in the SOURCES folder of the unpacked ISO image. Once again, we note that the VIM image may contain several options for the operating system, so to simplify the work, you should delete the sources / ei.cfg file, which contains links to the available image images in the VIM image file.

After selecting the system image, you must create your first answer file. Note that in order for the answer file in automatic mode, it must be called not otherwise as autouunattend.xml and after creating to put in the root folder of the ISO image or in the root directory external USB drive. At the same time, the drive must be installed in the computer at the time of starting the installation disk. Immediately note that sometimes the answer file does not load when installed. In this case, it is recommended to place it in the SOURCES folder in the ISO-image system. Compared to the creation of a response file for Windows Vista and Windows 2003 Server R2 operating systems for new Windows 2008 Server R2 and Windows 7 systems, the response file is absolutely transparent to the end user. In the previous version, these were serious problems (the shortcomings were corrected with SP1 output for Windows Vista).

When installing the Windows XP operating system, a file in text format was used, and the XML format is used in Windows Vista and Windows 7 for the responses file. This allows you to better strudule the parameters, and also makes it more understandable when checking with underloading means without using the system image controller.

It is also worth noting that the search for the responses file in new system It is performed in the following order:

1. View the HKLM \\ System \\ Setup registry branch. Unattendfile.
2. View folder% Windir% \\ Panther \\ Unattend.
3. View folder% windir% \\ panther.
4. Search in the root of removable devices with the ability to read and overwrite (for example, removable USB drives and floppy disks).
5. Search on devices with the ability to read, without the possibility of recording (for example, optical drives).
6. When WindowsPe and OfflineServicing, the \\ Sources folder is searched. windows Distribution, During the rest of the passages, the% windir% \\ System32 \\ Sysprep folder is viewed.
7. The search in% SystemDrive% is performed.

It is worth noting that after viewing the% windir% \\ Panther folder, the found response file will be cached (from other locations of the file) after retrieving the installation files on the hard disk, so Microsoft strongly recommends not overwriting the answer file in this folder. The need for caching this file caused by a computer reset cycle during Windows installation, in which the file must remain available to the system.

If the service dispatcher has been used to create a response file in Windows XP, which consistently conducted a user through the basic settings of the installation automation, then in Windows 7 for this purpose, the system image manager is included in Waik, which has a more visual graphical interface and wide functionality. In particular, the WSIM package allows you to add any of the parameters supported by it to the response file, the number of which has increased significantly due to the fact that the new Microsoft operating systems use a modular architecture. It allows you to better configure functionality and parameters of the installed system. In addition, WSIM checks the response file syntax - the correctness of the specified values. Also in the new WSIM package, a certificate is very convenient: details about each of the parameters can be called from the context menu in graphic interface WSIM.

The process of installing the new Windows 7 operating system, as in Windows Vista, consists of seven major stages called passages. Each passage is made various actions to install and configure the operating system.

Windows PE Preset Pass

This stage is performed within the installation program and serves to prepare for the deployment of the system image. In Windows XP, this stage was called textual, and in Windows 7 it represents a graphical environment. At this stage, it is booting in Windows PE (in this procedure the Boot.wim image is used), where the hard disk partitions control begun before installing the system.

In Windows XP, there was no possibility of automating the flexible control of the hard disk partitions, which prevented the process to complete automation. With the release of Windows Vista, this problem was solved, and Windows 7 was inherited from her extensive disk management capabilities. The user can create new partitions and change existing, set the file system (NTFS or FAT32), the drive letter, the volume label and, of course, to automatically install the operating system to the desired partition.

When the offlineServicing pass, language packs, OS security updates, program corrections, if they are included in the system image. It is worth noting that installing packets and updates only with the help of lines to this pass cannot be. It is necessary that they be entered into the register of the image itself.

The Generalize pass is performed only when the SYSPREP utility is started with the Generalize parameter. When performing this phase of installation, "Generalization" is carried out - all unique information relating to a specific system (SID and other information related to equipment is deleted).

The SPECIALIZE passage is a step on which the main parameters of the system take place. These include network settings, credentials, enter information about the domain and regional settings, information about the home pages of the browser and much more.

Audit mode (AuditSystem and Audituser)

If you are loaded in audit mode, the installation will pass through two phases - auditSystem and audituser.. The first will work until the user logs in the system (audit system parameters), the second - after it (audit of user parameters). Audit mode allows you to add additional drivers, applications, run the necessary scenarios after installing the system.

Entering the audit mode, it is possible to install applications and drivers, import registry settings, configure any operating system parameters in the graphical interface, that is, do everything you want for pre-tuning Systems. Then, using the SYSPREP utility, which is included in the Waik package, the image is generalized - all information relating to a specific hardware configuration is deleted from it, after which the computer is turned off. Then it remains only to boot in Windows PE and capture the disk partition to the WIM image using the ImageX utility in Waik.

The convenience of the audit mode is that the resulting image can be configured later in offline mode (for example, integrate additional updates and drivers), as well as configure it during the installation process using the responses file (for example, create accounts or set commands to execute).

Stage oobesystem

OboSystem pass allows you to specify the parameters that will be applied during the first user login. Oobe abbreviation is decrypted as OUT-OF-BOX Experience and is translated as "first impression at startup." During this pass, the parameters required for the final configuration and running of Windows are applied.

Installing additional applications

In organizations and home users, as a rule, are available standard set applications that are installed in any case. In Windows 7, all the possibilities of automatic installation of applications that were present in Windows XP were preserved, and new ones were added.

The main methods of installing applications When you first enter Windows XP, there were a response file section and the RunonCex registry key that could be formed from cmdlines.txt. In Windows Vista and Windows 7, simultaneous and asynchronous commands that are specified using the responses file are provided to install applications and execute scripts. You can create one command to an application or a command file that performs all tasks, and run it using a synchronous command. The previous application launching mechanism is also supported in the new system.

Along with the above methods, Windows Vista and Windows 7 at the end of the installation, the setupcomplete.cmd file is automatically searched. system folder. If the file is detected, all commands contained in it are executed. Such a file can be created independently and enable it into the WIM image, thereby deciding the issue of performing any installation scripts. However, in many cases, users faced the problem that this file refuses to start. Therefore, exist alternative solutionwhich is described below.

Since at the time of installation in the system there is no global variable view% path%, which would refer to the media disk with installation files, such a variable can be entered by adding a script. To do this, insert SINCHRONOSE COMMAND in the fourth pass of the response file and enter the following command for this string:

cMD / C "FOR% I IN (C D E F G H I J K L N M O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) DO IF EXIST% I: \\ Diskroot.txt SetX Diskroot% i: -m"

Such a script allows you to install a system variable% diskroot%, which would refer to the installation disk with the system. Before installing the system, you must create an empty Diskroot.txt file in the root directory of the ISO image image. When installing a system with the response file that contains the above command, the system will search for the diskroot.txt file on all media. And since this file will be in the root directory of the ISO image, the% diskroot% variable will assign the value of this disk.

After that, in the answer file, you must add the X86_Microsoft-Windows-Setup_neutral \\ FirstlogonCommands \\ SinchronousCommands parameter in the seventh pass. And then in this parameter to register the parameter for the Commandline of the following type:

cMD / C% Diskroot% \\ Install \\ Install.cmd\u003e InstallLog.txt

Then you need to save the answer file for the image. Now, if you create an Install folder in the ISO image in the root directory, and the install.cmd file in it, it will automatically be executed on the seventh passage of the operating system installation phase.

The described method allows you to more clearly monitor the installation of the necessary applications. After installing the system, all completed command commands install.cmd can be viewed in the installlog.txt file report.

Example Install.cmd file:

rEM WORK WITH PREST

sTART / WAIT% WINDIR% \\ REGEDIT / S% DISKROOT% \\ INSTALL \\ Lang.reg

sTART / WAIT% WINDIR% \\ REGEDIT / S% DISKROOT% \\ INSTALL \\ TWEAK.REG

rem Update DirectX

start / Wait% Diskroot% \\ Drivers \\ DirectX \\ dxsetup.exe / Silent

rEM Disable AutoupDate Service

net Stop Wuauserv

sC Config Wuauserv Start \u003d Disabled

Integration of updates and drivers

To the issue of integrating drivers and operating system updates can be approached from two different positions. On the one hand, they can be installed in audit mode, and then save the resulting WIM image system. On the other hand, you can integrate drivers and updates offline by connecting the WIM image on the operating system. The last method is definitely faster, easier and more convenient. An even more time can be saved using scripts for this process, since the command line utilities are used to autonomous image maintenance. In addition, in Windows 7, you can not only install the drivers in the offline image, but also subsequently delete them.

We will look at a simple example where the user interface package is integrating and some updates to a clean image of the Windows 7 system. At the same time, the English system itself, that is, does not have the Russian interface.

The first thing you need is to install the Windows 7 AIK package and have the LP.CAB interface itself, which can be downloaded from Microsoft. Then unpack the ISO image into a separate folder to work already from the VIM system. In our case, let's call a folder containing a unpacked ISO image, 7600x86. Then we follow prompted instructions.

Create the LP86 folder on the disk and copy the LP.CAB file there.

Create an empty LP87EXT folder on the disk. In it we will unpack lp.cab for x86.

Create empty temp folder On disk. The WIM image of the system will be mounted in it.

Start the package through Start-\u003e All programs-\u003e Microsoft Windows AIK and choose Deployment Tools Command Prompt (Deployment command line) on behalf of the administrator.

Unpack lp.cab using the command

expand C: \\ LP86 \\ LP.CAB -F: * C: \\ LP87EXT

Add Russian Installation Language and License Files to Distribution using commands:

xcopy C: \\ LP87EXT \\ Sources \\ License \\ * C: \\ 7600x86 \\ Sources \\ License \\ / Cherkyi

xCopy C: \\ LP86EXT \\ SETUP \\ SOURCES \\ * C: \\ 7600x86 \\ Sources \\ / Cherkyi

We will replant the file C: \\ 7600x86 \\ Sources \\ Lang.ini, which should be the following:

Add a Russian installation language and license files in boot.wim using the following commands:

dism.exe / Mount-WiM /WimFile ::\\7600x86\\Sources\\Boot.Wim / Index: 2 / Mountdir: C: \\ temp

xcopy C: \\ LP86EXT \\ SETUP \\ * C: \\ temp \\ / cheryki

xCopy C: \\ LP86EXT \\ Sources \\ License \\ * C: \\ temp \\ sources \\ license \\ / Cheryki

Copying the previously corrected Lang.ini file from the distribution in Boot.wim using the command:

xcopy C: \\ 7600x86 \\ Sources \\ Lang.ini C: \\ Temp \\ Sources \\ / Cheryki

We integrate the Russian interface package in install.wim x86 using the commands:

dism.exe / Mount-WiM /Wimfile :: Page WiM /WimFile :: Extallall.Wim / Index: 5 / Mountdir: C: \\ temp

dism.exe / Image: C: \\ temp \\ / add-package /packagepath:c: \\lp86 μlp.cab

dism.exe / Commit-Wim / Mountdir: C: \\ temp \\

The integration of updates is almost the same with the help of the command:

dism.exe / Image: C: \\ temp \\ / ad-package /packagepath:ts:\\updateswin7\\x86 \\windows6.1-kb974598-x86.msu

In order to make sure that the packages are integrated, carry out the command:

dism.exe / Image: C: \\ Temp / Get-Packages

It displays the presence of installed packages in the image.

Unmount the image of the system confirmation using the command:

Dism.exe / Unmount-Wim / Mountdir: C: \\ Temp / Commit

Rearranged a new image image using the ImageX utility:

imageX / Export C: \\ 7600x86 \\ Sources \\ Install.wim 5 C: \\ 7600x86 \\ Sources \\ Install2.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate 32 Bit" / Compress Maximum

del C: \\ 7600x86 \\ Sources \\ Install.wim

rEN C: \\ 7600x86 \\ Sources \\ Install2.Wim Install.wim

I will make sure that the correct system is available:

dism.exe / Get-Wiminfo /Wimfile ::\\7600x86 \\Sources\\Install.wim

Let us open with the ISO images using the ISO images, for example Ultraiso, ISO-image system.

Delete all the contents from it and copy the contents of the C: \\ 7600x86 to it.

Save the resulting image to another place or under a different name. Now a new image with integrated language package ready for work.

Conclusion

Of course, in one article it is impossible to consider all the possibilities for the deployment of operating systems based on Windows 7 - in addition to the described methods, there are many small parts with which you have to face when working. However, for example, we note that the deployment of operating systems based on Windows Vista / 7 kernel compared to Windows XP has become more convenient to manage and transparent to the user. In many ways, this is due to the new format of installation files (WIM), which has changed the approach to the preparation and maintenance of systemic images. Management of such images has been significantly simplified in organizations where you need to maintain and deploy a large number of system configurations. Modular architecture of Windows 7 makes it possible to configure great amount System parameters before it is installed using the response file.

To replicate a typical configuration into several computers, it is rational to use the image of the once installed operating system.

Detailed instructions posted on the Microsoft website: creating and applying Windows images

Since with a large set of additional partition file, it can easily surpass 4GB, then write such a distribution on DVD Disc Will not succeed. However, it is not required to install the OS. It will be enough to obtain the image of the section on which the OS is installed. Then it can be included in the distribution on the boot Flash disk or just transfer to new computerBy booting from any Live-CD / DVD / USB. In this article, we will look at both options.

Having done the preparation of the section once, we will be able to deploy the working OS on new computers with all installed software connected by the peripheral devices and the necessary labels in less than half an hour.

According to Microsoft: "When creating an image, it should be borne in mind that the marking of sections on the source and target computers should be identical. For example, if image of Windows. Save on a D disk, deploy this image is also necessary to the D disk D disk, and the following sections parameters must also be coincided:

1. Section types (main, additional or logical) must match
2. If the section is made active on the sample computer, it should also be active on the destination computer. "

However, if we add a prepared section to the distribution, then these restrictions do not matter.

Step-by-step instruction deploying Windows 7 from the image

1. We make a Windows installation template in audit mode

5. Record the created image of the section on the local hard disk

E: \\ Tools \\ imagex.exe / Apply E: \\ Images \\ Win7Image.wim 1 C: FROM: - section where we will deploy the image 1 - the number (or name) of the image, default \u003d 1

If the OS images lie on the network resource, we connect it by the first command:

Net Use E: \\\\ Server \\ Share / User: Domain_Name \\ Username Password

6. Completion

If you created a separate system partition, you need to transfer to it boot system files (We assume that the OS is on the C :) disk :):

BCDBOOT C: \\ Windows

We leave from Windows PE:

or close the window windows Installer 7. The computer will go to reboot. We take out the CD / DVD disk and boot from the just installed OS.

7. Complications

• If problems have arisen when loading the transferred OS, you can try to restore the loader. To do this, you need to boot from the Windows 7 distribution (you can open the console by pressing SHIFT + F10) or Windows PE and execute the command:

BCDBOOT C: \\ Windows / L RU-RU / S C: Read more in the Windows and Linux bootloader restore article.

Repository of various images of Windows

You can create multiple sections with different sets of software, using the same template OS, then place them in one place, for example on the flash drive and install each time it is the image that will be suitable in each case. The process of adding software can be carried out sequentially, making a new section of the section after installing each desired set. The algorithm is such (for details see above):

1. Download OS in audit mode
2. Install / delete, plug the printers, create shortcuts, etc.
3. We prepare the system to deploy with sysprep. and turn off the computer
4. Loading S. live-CD. or Windows7 Distribution, go to console
5. Create a section of the section using imagexputting it on a flash drive or network resource
6. We repeat the above, until all the necessary sets are created.

Creating your own Windows Distribution

Having a Windows section (WIM file), you can create your own distribution, that is, the installation DVD / Flash drive. To do this, it is enough to replace the file \\ sources \\ install.wim in the original distribution, renaming it accordingly in install.wim.

To automate the installation, you can prepare an autounattend.xml response file by creating it using WIAK and posting a distribution to the root.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to create a WIM file. This may be required to create own assembly Windowspe and to create an installation disk. Quite often, I see a proposal to create a WIM file using WDS (Windows Deployment Services). Yes, there is a rational grain in it, since Windows Deployment Services is a whole complex for deploying the network installation of the preparation of images to the installation. But in this case there is a series of "but" and certain difficulties.

First, it is necessary to have a set and working Windows Server, but In the company that complies with licensed cleanliness and with disadvantage of funds, it is impossible to install and use such a server.

Secondly, it is necessary to optimize the network on the network loading of operating systems, but Not in all enterprises there is a full-featured router or server distributor DHCP.

Thirdly, the system administrator must be able to configure DHCP and WDS. But Sometimes there is no such specialist in the enterprise and you have to create images in a third-party office using the infrastructure that has themselves.

Fourth, you need a server. But If this process is performed on the home computer, then what server can we talk about?

There is a very simple way out of such a situation. You can use the program imagex.exe.You can download the Microsoft website or take the installation kit Windows AIK. Personally, I went on the second path, as I previously used Windows AIK to mining an image boot.wim..

Before creating an image, you must prepare the system. Delete all unnecessary, all personal data. For these purposes there is a special program sysprep.. To prepare the image image and the subsequent shutdown of the computer, you must give the following command:

C: \\ Windows \\ System32 \\ sysprep \\ sysprep.exe / Generalize / Oobe / Shutdown / Quiet

After turning off the computer, you can proceed to creating a WIM image. Create an image can be program imagex.exe.. To do this, you need to boot with boot flash drive or Live-CD / DVD. I use downloading over the network, which is more like working with WDS. Actually, and prepared images I will use to install full-featured operating systems via the network without the use of expensive Windows servers.

To create a WIM image system must be launched imagex.exe. With the following parameters:

Z: \\ imagex \\ imagex.exe / Capture D: E: \\ image.wim "Windows Capture" / Compress Maximum / Verify

I will explain what is responsible for:
Z: \\ imagex \\ imagex.exe - location of the executable file,
/ Capture - Team creating images,
D: - The disc on which is located installed,
E: \\ image.wim - the file in which the image will be packed,
"Windows Capture" - the name of the image, you can write, anything,
/ Compress Maximum - indication of the maxi-compression image,
/ Verify is an indication of the check after the image packaging.

And so, the image is prepared and you can use it for subsequent installation.

How to use this image? You can use it to install the OS from the flash drive or DVD. Enough to replace your prepared file install.wim. Located in the catalog \\ Sources \\ Installation disk or flash drive.

Everything is really so easy and simple.

How to create a WIM-image of the Windows operating system? Today in this article we will talk about creating an image of the installation and will answer all important questions on this topic. Creating a Windows image is a rather laborious process. Preparatory stages for this process have already been described in earlier articles. For those who are not familiar with them, below I will list the main preparatory stages and references leading to the relevant articles. Please read them first.

Creating a reference computer

If you read our previous records, you already know how to create and can prepare it to the installation. For the successful passage of this stage you need:

1. Computer-sample, the last action on which was the team sYSPREP / OBE / GENERALIZE / SHUTDOWN.
2. and imagex.exe program on board.
3. The place where the installation image can be saved. Need a free amount of up to 10 GB, and maybe more. It all depends on how many software you shook in your Windows image.

Windows Wim Image Capture Process

First of all, we load a sample computer with installation media Windows PE (remind you that it should be the first action with a computer, after processing it with the SYSPREP program), after which, in the command-line window that opens, execute the command:

E: \\ imagex.exe / Capture C: D: \\ Install.wim "My Windows 7 Install" / Compress Fast / Verify

Next, you have to wait from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the weight of your WIM image. After that, you have a D: lying file install.wim.which contains the image of installing Windows. This is the result we achieved. We created a Windows image. As you can see, the process of capturing the WIM image is quite simple, only necessary to properly prepare.

And now consider the team in more detail. What is there that:

• e: - letter of installation media with.
• / Capture. - We specify that you need to capture the WIM image of the Windows operating system.
• c: - Indicate the disc on which the reference operating system is installed.
• d: \\ install.wim - Disc letter and the name of the WIM file, where we save the installation image. Set another name for the WIM file does not make sense, since in the ISO image of Windows, the installation image must wear just such a name.
• "MY Windows 7 Install" - Marking installation image. Nothing special, but it seems like a mandatory parameter. You can enter your own.
• / Compress Fast. - Method of compression. The compression process will increase the pre-image capture time, but it can be very useful with a large volume of image and with a small available amount of free space for its storage. Possible parameters:
  • fast. - Quick image image compression.
  • maximum - Maximum image image compression.
  • There is another parameter that stands between them, and means that the capture goes without compression. This parameter is used by default, so that it is not entirely necessary to know. Well, plus to this, I forgot what it looks, so you will not know this parameter from me anyway.
• / verify - Without concepts that option. Fortunately, he does not make much weather, you can not enter.

How to determine the letters of disks?

When I captured the WIM-image of Windows, I kept it on the second USB flash drive. In this regard, there was a small confusion about which disc what kind of name is wearing. To deal with this use the utility diskpart. and team list Volume. You hope you did not forget that Windows PE is a trimmed version of the corresponding windows versionthat in turn allows you to work with the main windows programs. That is why some use Windows PE for or for other actions on a blocked computer.

What is the difference between the WIM image from the ISO image of windows?

Well, we captured the WIM-image of Windows, we received the long-awaited install.wim file. But what to do with it? Install.wim is a Windows installation file. In essence, from the entire ISO image of Windows, it is enough to have one file only to deploy Windows. And the rest of the nonsense from the ISO image is so, the associated nonsense required only to support Install.wim. The install.wim file can be deployed on computers using other means to deploy it. For example, only this file is required. Well, in the extreme case, you can just open iSO-image of Windowsand folder sources. Replace original install.wim. on created by us install.wim.. After that, if you wish, add to the root of the flash drive and all: you will get the automatic installation of the operating system with the reference computer you created.

Hello everybody! Today I decided to affect the restoration of the installed OS. We will discuss, of course, about Windows.

I think many users faced the problem when Windows suddenly stops running.

The reasons for such trouble can be the most different - penetration into the system, spoiled blocks of hard disk, iron problems, shoals of someone from users ...

In many cases, the image of an existing operating system can help out. About how to create an image of the system I will tell.

Regular tools of Windows

When using the method provided by the Operations itself, you will not need any additional program. The only thing you need is administrator rights, more external hard drives are desirable.

Consider all the details on the example of "seven", while still the most popular system from the Windows family.

So. First you need to prepare a computer to the upcoming operation. In order to reduce the size of the image that you will use to restore, take all unnecessary programs and files from the system partition (usually C C).

But be careful, remove only what you know for sure that it is superfluous, do not touch the windows of the Windows itself!

And, by the way, be sure to think what programs should be installed so that they are already in the image and have been reduced in the future (after restorative procedures) the number of additional actions. Then the computer is better to restart.

On the left in the window, click "Creating a System Image". For a while you will have to wait - the system will evaluate the system partition and scan local disks. The following window will prompt you to select the device to save the archive.

Choosing a suitable media

Other options are possible, but I do not advise you to save on a disk, which is a systemic, moreover, Windows in some cases may not provide such an opportunity at all.

The volume of the DVD disk for such needs is small, and to divide the full image on a dozen pieces, each of which is recorded on a separate DVD disk, is clearly not the best solution.

In general, you choose what is more suitable for your case, connect all the necessary devices and click "Next".

In the next window, check whether everything is correctly assigned - disks for archiving and location backup (The window is called: "confirmation of archiving parameters") - and click the "Archive" button.

Prior to the completion of the process, you must leave the computer alone - do not turn off, do not run any programs, do not interrupt the archiving process.

In addition to the saved image you can do boot diskBy selecting the "Create System Recovery Disk" item. It may be needed if you do not have an installation disk containing the Windows distribution and all the necessary utilities. To contact the same - to the "control panel", then in "Archiving and Restoring".

How it works

Now consider how to apply an archive file image. In the case of serious failures, the boot disk is used - the one with which Windows was installed, or created as I described above.

It you just need to insert into the DVD drive and run a computer from it. The menu will appear on the screen - select "Restore from the previously created image."

Then you will need to specify the placement of the image file - the external hard drive with the file must already be connected. Specify the file and the recovery operation will begin. The result will be working, goodwill in the form, in which it was at the time of creating the image.

With respect! Abdullin Ruslan