How to create an image of a system to quickly restore Windows

Creating a fully configured operating system image with installed applications is often needed in a corporate environment, and home users will not refuse the installation disk to which the favorite set of programs and tweaks is introduced. In the modern Windows OS, create such an image is much easier than in Windows XP, while you can do the means of the automatic installation package.

This article describes how to prepare a fully configured system image and deploy it, as well as address the backup of the operating system to the WIM image.

On this page

You need

• Deployment Tools From Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK)

Of course, you will need a computer to install and set the OS, as well as a place to save the system image. A virtual machine (for example, Hyper-V from Windows or VirtualBox) can be installed as a computer for installation (for example, Hyper-V from Windows or VirtualBox). You can save the configured image on the unwatching section of this computer.

For example, during the installation of the system, you can create two partitions - to one install the OS, and on the second subsequently save the image. Also, in the virtual machine you can always connect another virtual disk. Finally, the configured image can be saved on a network resource or USB disk. As you can see, there are many options - there is from what to choose.

Advantages and disadvantages of using a configured image

In my opinion, the advantages of a fully configured image look preferably shortcomings.

Benefits

• Fast installation of a system with a set of applications, because it does not spend time on their installation. However, compared with the standard disparation of the configured image takes a little longer.
• It is possible to further configure the operating system using the response file used in combination with the configured manner.
• The ability to deploy an image using the utility Imagex. Standard image can only be used in conjunction with the installation program, since not all parameters are configured (for example, linguistic).

disadvantages

• The size of the image is increasing. The final size depends on the number and scope of the applications installed. If further installation from a DVD disk is planned, it is necessary to take into account the limit of 32-bit versions to the size of the WIM file in 4 GB (2 ^ 32 bytes).
• Can enduring versions of applications included in the image. To maintain topical versions of applications, you will have to collect the image again. Regularly updated applications, most likely, does not make sense to include in the image. They can be installed separately by automating this process.

Stages of creating a configured image

Creating your own WIM image can be divided into the following steps:

1. Installing applications and system setup
2. Preparation of the system with the help of the utility sysprep.
3. Loading in Windows PE and save the image using the utility Imagex

Then the resulting image can be enabled in the installation disk, install from a network resource or deployed with Imagex.

Note on setting up custom parameters

In addition to installing applications, you can configure custom parameters in the audit mode. To apply settings to the image there are two ways.

You can:

• Configure only system parameters, and custom imported using reg files to a configured WIM image (or to the original image before the installation described here).
• Configure both user and system parameters, and then secure the response file to copy the built-in account profile Administrator In the standard user profile.

Import registry parameters

The principle itself is considered in detail the use of the registry tweaks. I believe that you have read it and accounted for a complete picture of the import of custom and system parameters.

Copy profile using the response file

To copy a profile of a configured account to a standard user profile, you can use the answer file containing the parameter

Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | CopyProfile.

If this parameter is set to value true.Profile copying is performed.

Use this feature you need when installing a configured imageBy turning on the answer file this parameter. In this case, profile copying will occur on the passage 4 Specialize.

Example of a universal response file for 32-bit and 64-bit OS

true. true.

Why is it recommended to copy a profile when installing instead of pointing to the response file SYSPREP using the image to summarize the image?

Copying the profile in any case occurs during installation at the Specialize stage. If you use the / Unattend parameter SYSPREP, the answer file is cached and then activated during installation. At the time of writing the first version of the article, it did not work, despite the documentation.

If you use MDT or SCCM, described in the article Method is required for reasons set out in KB973289:

Now everything is in order.

Start the installation of the operating system from the installation disk and input to the audit mode

The first step of preparing the configured image is the launch of the OS from the installation disk. Installation can be done manually, or automate this process using the responses file.

Manual installation

Manual installation does not charge any tricks. If you are planning to save the configured image on a non-system disc section, use the Windows installation program to create partitions.

Council. When installing the system on a virtual machine, you can connect the second virtual disk and subsequently use it to save the image. It will simplify copying the image to your working environment, since VHD (X) can always be connected on a physical machine.

Continue the installation up to the Oobe step. It is easy to find out on the suggestion to select the account name and drawing for it.

At this stage, not Choosing an account name, click Ctrl + SHIFT + F3. This key combination will transfer the system to an audit mode with the integrated account rights. Administrator.

Automatic installation

Using the answer file, you can automate all stages of installing Windows, including controlling the hard disk partitions, input to audit mode and even installing applications in it, as described in the article. You can follow the instructions in it down to the section "Transfer of the system to Oobe mode" (the article discusses the full installation automation).

Installing updates, applications and system settings

By logging into an audit mode, you can start installing, updates, applications and setting the parameters of the operating system. Do not close the utility window sysprep. - It will be needed at the end of the setting step.

If you need to restart the system to install or update, you can do it. After rebooting, the system will return to the audit mode. As mentioned above, the process of installing applications can be automated using the response file. You can configure any system and user parameters in the Windows graphical interface. You can also import the registry settings from pre-prepared REG files.

In Windows 8 and the newer, do not update applications from the Windows Store, as this will lead to problems when generalizing the image. Delete modern applications are also needed by science. See Warning in the TechNet and KB2769827 library.

After completing the installation of applications and setting up the system, you must prepare it for further use.

Preparation of the system using the SYSPREP utility

At the end of the installation of applications and system settings, preparation is prepared using the utility. sysprep.. Depending on what kind of installation method you have chosen, the actions will differ slightly.

Manual installation

With manual installation of the utility system sysprep. It starts when entering the audit mode. To prepare the system to further use (in this case, to create a configured image), you must specify the parameters utility, as shown in the figure below.

The specified parameters are made (in parentheses equivalent parameters of the SYSPREP command line):

1. System Preparation (/ Generalize) - Deleting unique system parameters, cleaning event logs, resetting security identifier (SID), etc. This parameter is absolutely necessary to create a configured image.
2. Translation of the system to Oobe mode (/ Oobe) - This mode will be activated by the next system start.
3. Turning off the system (/ shutdown).

Example of a universal response file to save 32-64-bit drivers

true. true.

Automatic installation

If you automate the entry into the audit mode and installing applications using the responses file, as described in the article Setting applications in audit mode, you need to add the following synchronous command with the highest sequence number. This command can also be used when manually installed, pre-closing the Utility window sysperp..

% Systemroot% \\ System32 \\ sysprep \\ sysprep.exe / Generalize / Oobe / Shutdown / Quiet

The first three command line parameters are indicated in the same order as the parameters described above the utility graphical interface parameters. Parameter / Quiet. - Provides work in a quiet mode and is necessary for automation.

After sysprep. Complete work, the system will be turned off. Now it is fully configured, and you can create its image using the utility. Imagex.

Loading in Windows PE and save the image using the ImageX utility

Note. Image size install.wim.included in the installation disk of the 32-bit operating system should not exceed 4 GB (2 ^ 32 bytes). Otherwise, the installation will be completed with an error. This restriction does not apply to the deployment of the image using the utility Imagex.

If Windows installation files are posted on a network resource, you can copy the configured image image and the answer file, and then downloading it in Windows PE and connecting to the network resource, start the installation from the command line.

NET USE: \\\\ Network_Share \\ Distrib Y: \\ setup.exe /unattend:unattend.xml

Deploy a configured image using the IMAGEX utility

Using Windows PE and utility Imagex, You can deploy a configured image on your computer.

The sequence of actions is this:

Tom formatting using utility Diskpart.

Apply a configured image to the utility Imagex

Note. Deploy an image with Imagex It is possible only on that having the same letter of the disk, which was saved in the image. In addition, with Imagex You can not deploy the standard (source) image Install.wim..

Let's consider an example of deploying a configured image. It is assumed that the hard disk of the computer is not formatted. Uploaded to Windows PE, you need using the utility Diskpart. Create a partition on your hard disk and format it. I will demonstrate the creation of one partition on the disk.

Diskpart Select Disk 0 Create Partition Primary Select Partition 1 Active Format FS \u003d NTFS Label \u003d "System" Quick Assign Letter \u003d C EXIT

Additional information about the commands of the utility Diskpart. You can get by running it with the key /? or from the article Description of the DiskPart program with the command line interface. If desired, the process of creating a section can be automated.

It remains only to apply the image.

ImageX / Apply E: \\ Custom.wim 1 C:

In this team:

• / Apply - Application of the image
• E: \\ Custom.wim - The path to the image. When placed on the network disk, you must first connect it to the command net Use E: \\\\ Network_Share \\ Images.
• 1 - The image index saved in the WIM file.
• c: - The letter of the volume to which the image is applied.

Applying an image, you can make sure (team dir.) that on the section C. There are files unpacked from the image. Now this section contains an operating system in the state in which it was at the time of creating an image. If the image has been saved after executing the settings in the audit mode, the next time the computer is turned on, the system will enter the Oobe mode, giving the user the ability to complete the initial setting of the parameters.

If you prepare a configured account profile, all new accounts will have exactly the same parameters.

Deploy a configured image with WDS

As in the case of a standard manner, Windows Deployment Services (WDS) can be used to deploy a configured image. A detailed story about this method goes beyond the articles, so I will limit the link to the WDS Guide, placed on Microsoft TechNet.

Backup operating system in WIM-image

The article focuses on installing applications and setting up the system in audit mode and preserve the image at this installation stage. The advantage of this approach is that the saved image is neutral - it does not contain any accounts (except for embedded), personal files and confidential data.

You may be interested in the question whether it is possible to save the image of the system at the end of the full installation, i.e. after the Oobe stage, the first login and subsequent setting. Such a question is relevant if you want to install the system, to work in it for a while - install applications, configure various parameters, etc., and then create an image.

The reference to the fact that ImageX does not know how to use hard links (I checked - knows how).

So, after applying the image:

• Extended file attributes are lost. These are NTFS attributes that are needed only for reverse compatibility with applications ... OS / 2.
• Sparse files are captured, but after use is no longer any.
• Symbolic references and consensions are automatically updated. In some scenarios (for example, SIS), this leads to the fact that the links do not do there.

In my opinion, in typical scenarios of using the client OS at home, these restrictions can be neglected. But the restoration of such an image on another PC (even with the same hardware configuration) can lead to serious equipment conflicts.

At the same time there are several moments that I would like to draw your attention.

• The installed programs and personal files can occupy a lot of disk space, which will affect the size of the backup WIM image. To store the image you may need a two-layer DVD or a large-capacity USB disk.
• You can reduce the size of the WIM image, eliminating files and folders from its composition when capturing the volume utility Imagex. To do this, use the file Wimscript.ini.which is briefly discussed in the article on the creation of a Windows PE boot disk. Its detailed description is in the Windows PE User Manual Guide, which is included in the ADK.

Restoration

Recovery from the backup WIM image is executed as described in the section Articles section. However, the utility command sequence Diskpart. need to adjust.

For example, if several partitions are installed on the disk, and the system is set to the first, the sequence of commands to prepare this section to restore will be like this:

Diskpart Select Disk 0 SELECT Partition 1 Active Format FS \u003d NTFS Label \u003d "System" Quick Assign Letter \u003d C EXIT

You can enable a configured WIM image into the boot disk with Windows PE, thereby creating a universal system for restoring the system to restore the system and standby image.

Conclusion

Creating and deploying a fully configured Windows system image with the means included in ADK is a fairly simple task. Such an image can be made neutral (i.e. not containing personal files and personal data) by installing applications and setting parameters in audit mode.

This approach allows you to further configure the image during installation using the response file, and also saves the ability to set personal parameters for the end user at the Oobe stage when you first start the system. In addition, you can use WIM image technology to create a backup of the operating system.

Not so long ago faced a situation, which in principle does not cause special problems with system administrators. There was a need to update the OS on numerous computers of the organization, which in turn still caused a number of some problems whose decisions had to be collected in parts, as well as to finish most of all the process itself about what I actually want to tell you.

The restrictions on the presence of one DVD-ROM drive, one day of free time, as well as about twenty computers to which you need to install Windows 7 with the entire set of necessary drivers, ETC programs
When searching for information in Google on this issue there was no nothing that would work without jambs or worked at all. But let's start in order.

Preparation of an operating system

For ease of preparation of the combat OS, the Oracle VirtualBox of the latest version was taken, as well as Windows 7 x64 professional. The first thing to do is to install and configure Windows 7 on a virtual machine. To do this, in the process of adding VM, we create two virtual hard disk. One for installation and configuration on it Windows 7, the second for later saving the image of a configured system. It is also necessary to install the additions of the guest OS VirtualBox - Virtual Machine Additions and create a shared folder to further copy the created image to the physical machine.
After installing on the VM of all the filling, go to the system preparation step using the utility sysprep.The root of our VM system:% windir% \\ System32 \\ sysprep \\ sysprep.exe
To prepare the system to create a configured image, you must specify the Utility settings:

1. Switching to the System Greeting Window (Oobe) - this mode will be activated when the system starts next. Runs a computer in a welcome screen mode.
2. Install the "Preparation for Use" checkbox - prepares the installation of Windows before creating an image. The security identifier (SID) is reset, the system recovery points are reset, event logs are deleted.
3. The completion parameters "Shutdown" - at the end of the utility utility, the system will complete its work.

Do not run the OS until the system is saved, since a specialized setting step starts to work during the next start of the computer. A new security identifier (SID) is created and the Windows Activation Clock is reset.

The utility removes the installed drivers. To save them, you need to perform sysprep. From the command line with the: / Unattend: Path to the response file in the answer file, you must specify the PersistalDeviceInstalls parameter (starting with Windows 8 there is also a DonotCleanUnonPresentDevices parameter):
true. After cleaning, the system will automatically turn off. Getting Started for the next stage.

Installing and configuring Windows AIK + PE

Download and install the Windows Automatic Setup (AIK) package for Windows 7. After starting the setup.exe, select the "Install Windows AIK" item. There should be no special problems when installing.

Creating and configuring a Windows PE image

Windows PE. - Presets used to prepare for OC installation. Using Windows PE, we will capture the system volume in the WIM image using the utility imagex And save them to another hard disk section.
In this case, discusses the creation of a disk with a 64-bit version of Windows PE. If you create a 32-bit version of Windows PE, you will need to replace the architecture in all commands (AMD64 on x86).

In the Start menu, run All Programs\u003e Microsoft Windows AIK\u003e Deployment Command Line (Deployment Tools Command Prompt) - All subsequent commands will be entered into this command line window. Run is required on behalf of the administrator.
Copy Windows PE Image Files
Copype.cmd AMD64 D: \\ WinPE_Image
To change the copied image of Windows PE it must be connected by the command
DISM / MOUNT-WIM /WIMFILE :D:'WIM / INDEX: 1 / Mountdir: D: \\ WinPE_IMAGE \\ MOUNT
Now connecting the image, we can install packages and add your own files.
Add to our image utility imagex.
xcopy "% ProgramFiles% \\ Windows Aik \\ Tools \\ amd64 \\ imagex.exe" D: \\ WINPE_IMAGE \\ ISO \\
Also, if desired, you can immediately prepare a list of exceptions - files and folders that will not be included in the stored image. Create a WIMScript.ini file in any text editor and specify files and folders that you want to exclude from the image. The wimscript.ini file is located in the same folder with IMEGEX.
Default imagex uses the following exceptions:
\\ $ ntfs.log \\ hiberfil.sys \\ pagefile.sys "\\ System Volume Information" \\ Recycler \\ Windows \\ CSC * .mp3 * .zip * .cab \\ Windows \\ inf \\ *. PNF
Now you need to save the image of the command:
DISM / UNMOUNT-WIM / MOUNTDIR: D: \\ WINPE_IMAGE \\ MOUNT / COMMIT
All preparatory work was carried out with Winpe.wim file, and the Windows PE boot disk uses the boot.wim file located in the WinPE_x86 \\ ISO \\ Sources folder. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the boot.wim file WinPE.WIM, while performing renaming.
xcopy / y d: \\ winpe_image \\ winpe.wim d: \\ WinPE_Image \\ ISO \\ Sources \\ Boot.wim
To create an image, execute the command:
OSCDIMG -N -BD: \\ WinPE_IMAGE \\ ETFSBOOT.com D: \\ WinPE_Image \\ ISO D: \\ WinPE_Image \\ WinPE_Image.iso

Creating an image of Windows 7

It is necessary to maintain the image of our OS with the utility imagex. We load in VM with the image of WinPE_Image.iso which we created earlier. After a successful load, the command line window opens, in it we will work in it.
Capture and save the image is made by one command
F: \\ imagex.exe / Capture E: D: \\ install.wim "Windows 7 x64" / Compress Maximum
/ Capture E: - capture section E:
D: \\ install.wim - location and name of the saved WIM file.
"Windows 7 x64" - The name of the image. The name must be enclosed in quotes.
/ Compress Maximum - The type of file compression in the image (optional). For parameter / COMPRESS. Valid values maximum (maximum compression), fast. (quick compression) and none (without compression). If the parameter is not specified, quick compression is used. Maximum compression allows you to reduce the size of the image, but the capture takes more time than with a quick compression. The impact speed of the image is practically independent of the type of compression. It remains to wait 20-30 minutes and the image will be ready.

After saving the image on the second disk of the virtual machine, for further work it must be transferred to the physical OS. Run the virtual machine again and terminate the installation of Windows interrupted at the Oobe. If you have already installed Virtual Machine Additions, now you need to copy the file from the virtual machine to physical using the shared folder, which can be specified in the virtual machine settings.

Setting up Windows 7 boot image

At this stage, we again run the "Deployment Command Line" and copy the Windows PE image files:
Copype.cmd AMD64 D: \\ WinPE
Mount Imagine
ImageX / Mountrw Winpe.wim 1 Mount Windows PE is mounted and in the D: \\ WINPE folder you can find the WinPE.wim file.

Setting up the Windows installation autorun.

In order not to create a manually virtual disk and not start the installation manually, you can edit the file Startnet.cmd and startnet2.cmd. They are D: \\ Winpe \\ Mount \\ Windows \\ System32.

Startnet.cmd.
Wpeinit% Windir% \\ System32 \\ Startnet2.cmd
Startnet2.cmd.
CHCP 1251 Netsh Interface IP Set Address Name \u003d "Local Connection" Source \u003d DHCP CHCP 866 PAUSE NET USE Z: \\\\ 192.168.0.1 \\ Win7 / User: Install Install CD / D Z: \\ Sources Setup.exe
The NET USE command connects to a computer with an IP address 192.168.0.1 (our computer server) to a shared directory with the name Win7 for the rights of the Install user with the same password.
Create a user you need this command in CMD
Net User Install Install / Add / Passwordchg: No
We perform the following instructions:

• On a computer server, create a root directory to download (I have it d: \\ win7 \\), and in it the boot folder.
• We share the Win7 folder, that is, we give sharing it to all users.
• Copy the entire SOURCES folder from the Windows 7 installation disk in D: \\ Win7.
• We replace the install.wim file in the d: \\ win7 \\ sources directory to the file that was previously copied from the virtual machine (ready image of Windows 7)

Now you need to copy additional files to install Windows 7.
We lay WinPE image:
ImageX / Mountrw WinPE.Wim 1 Mount
Copy:
XCopy D: \\ Winpe \\ Mount \\ Windows \\ Boot \\ pxe \\ pxeboot.n12 D: \\ Win7 XCopy D: \\ Winpe \\ Mount \\ Windows \\ Boot \\ pxe \\ bootmgr.exe d: \\ win7 xcopy d: \\ winpe \\ winpe. WIM D: \\ Win7 \\ Boot Xcopy D: \\ Winpe \\ ISO \\ Boot \\ Boot.sdi D: \\ Win7 \\ Boot
Unmount the image of the team:
imagex.exe / unmount D: \\ WinPE \\ Mount

Next, you need to create a BCD file in the D: \\ Win7 \\ Boot directory. To simplify this process, use the CreateBCD.cmd file. Create a D: \\ Winpe \\ CreateBCD.cmd file and fit into it:
BCDEDIT -CREATESTORE% 1 \\ BCD BCDEDIT -Store% 1 \\ BCD -CREATE (RAMDISKOPTIONS) / D "RAMDISK OPTIONS" BCDEDIT -STORE% 1 \\ BCD -SET (Ramdiskoptions) RamdiskSdidevice Boot BCDEDIT -Store% 1 \\ BCD -Set (RamDiskoptions ) RamdiskSdiPath \\ Boot \\ boot.sdi for / f "tokens \u003d 2 DELIMS \u003d ()" %% i in ("BCDEDIT -Store% 1 \\ BCD -CREATE / D" MyWinpe Boot Image "/ Application OSLoader") do set guid \u003d (%% i) BCDedit -Store% 1 \\ BCD -SET% Guid% Systemroot \\ Windows BCDEDIT -Store% 1 \\ BCD -SET% GUID% Detecthaal Yes BCDEDIT -Store% 1 \\ BCD -Set% Guid% Winpe Yes Bcdedit -Store% 1 \\ BCD -Set% Guid% OSDEVICE RAMDISK \u003d \\ BOOT \\ WINPE.WIM, (RAMDISKOPTIONS) BCDEDITT -STORE% 1 \\ BCD -SET% GUID% Device Ramdisk \u003d \\ Bot \\ Winpe.wim, (Ramdiskoptions) BCDEDIT -Store% 1 \\ BCD -CREATE (BOOTMGR) / D "Windows BootManager" BCDEDIT -Store% 1 \\ BCD -SET (BootMGR) Timeout 30 BCDEDIT -Store% 1 \\ BCD -SET (bootmgr) DisplayOrder% GUID%
Run the command with administrator rights:
CreateBCD.cmd D: \\ Win7 \\ Boot
If you have problems with drivers, you can also add them in the "Command Row of Deployment Means":
Mounting an image to add drivers
DISM / MOUNT-WIM /WIMFILE :WINPE.WIM / INDEX: 1 / MOUNTDIR: MOUNT
To integrate drivers in the already mounted image, a command is used
DISM / Image: Mount / Add-Driver / DRIVER:<каталог с драйверами либо файл с расширением inf>
After all the work with the way finished it needs to unmount
DISM / UNMOUNT-WIM / MOUNTDIR: MOUNT / COMMIT

Configuring the TFTP and DHCP Server

To create these servers, you need to download the TFTPD32 program.
The task of the DHCP server is to provide information to the remote computer about the free IP address, network masks, as well as the name of the downloaded file and the address of the server TFTP, where this file is located. The TFTP server task is to transfer the remote computer you need to download files.

Run the program and select the first folder D: \\ Win7, and a little bit below - an IP network card. In my case, the computer has an IP 192.168.0.1.
We go into the settings (the settings button in the middle at the bottom) and gradually fill in the tabs:

• Tab Global - Table ticks Only opposite TFTP Server, DHCP Server and Enable IPv6.
• TFTP Tab - Select the D: \\ WIN7 folder.
• TFTP Security - Standart.
• TFTP Configuration - Leave as it is.
• Advanced TFTP Options - should stand the ticks opposite: Option Negotiation, Show Process Bar and Translate Unix File Names.
• DHCP Tab
• IP Pool Starting Address Indicates which IP address to start issuing addresses. In my example, the issuance of IP addresses will begin with 192.168.0.2.
• Size of Pool indicates the number of IP addresses that will be dynamically stand out. I set a value of 30.
• Boot File informs the remote computer file name to use as a loader. Install the value in pxeboot.n12.
• Mask, indicates the network mask. In our case, it is 255.255.255.0. The remaining parameter values \u200b\u200bare left by default.
• Ping Address Before Assignation - Remove a tick (if you have a connection computer without switches and routers).

Now you need to turn on the BIOS download from a network card and boot from it. After that, the IP address will be received via DHCP and execute PxEboot.n12 - which will run Windows PE with WinPE.wim file. Immediately after downloading, Windows PE will automatically use the Win7 directory and install the installation from it. Next, the installation passes exactly as from the disk.

Tags:

• windows system administration
• windows AIK.
• windows PE.
• imagex
• dISM.
• windows7.

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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 exceed 4GB, then write such a distribution on a DVD disk. 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. It can then be included in the distribution kit on the Flash disk or simply transfer to a new computer by 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 the image of Windows is saved on a Disk D, the deployment of this image is also required to disk D a finite computer, and the following parameters of the sections should also deploy this image. ():

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 boot system files to it (we assume that the OS is on the C :) disk :):

BCDBOOT C: \\ Windows

We leave from Windows PE:

or close the Windows Installer window window. 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 imagexby placing 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.

With a frequent installation of the operating system, naturally, 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 the appearance of the appearance of the desktop, which prefers to abandon all the visual effects in favor of performance, and the ctoto realizes the thin setting of the operating system, turning off all unused services, etc. In general options for individual OS settings 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 run Microsoft Windows, replacing with MS-DOS (this OS was needed to install the system). Wednesday Windows PE has been developed by a small command of the engineers in the Windows Deployment Microsoft group 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 Windows Vista operating system output, VLITE program was created, analog NLITE, but with b aboutmore opportunities and with a bunch of Windows Vista's operating system. At the moment, the development of this utility program is suspended, moreover, it, alas, does not support the new Windows 7 operating system in full.

Microsoft has released the latest version of WinPE 3.0, which can be downloaded via PXE, CD-ROM, Flashlight (USB) or hard disk and based on the new Windows 7 operating system. Traditionally used by large corporations and manufacturers of complex equipment (to pre-install the client's operating system Windows on PC during production) WinPE is now widely available in the free Waik package. Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK or Waik) is a collection of instrumental and technologies created by Microsoft, which have been developed to help system administrators in the deployment of Windows operating systems. For the first time this package was demonstrated with the output of the Windows Vista operating system. 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. The new version of 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 system images using official Microsoft applications, the user will need a Windows AIK software package that can be downloaded from the company's official website. 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 response script for a series of dialog boxes of the system installation of the system. The answer file tells the installation program, how to handle all the 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 installation.

The answer file for automatic installation of Windows Vista is a text file in XML format. It can be created manually in any text editor. However, given the complex structure of the response file and the large number of parameters contained in it, text editors are suitable for quick edits of small errors than to create such a file from scratch and subsequent serious work with it. To automate the creation of the response file and its subsequent editing, it is recommended to use the Windows Image Manager (Windows System Image Manager, WSIM - see Figure), which is included in 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. 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 Windows XP database is that it is made using WIM 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 the image of a Windows PE preset environment, which prepares for the installation of the operating system, and the expanded operating system itself is directly contained. Accordingly, the installation of Windows 7 is reduced to the port of the system image on the partition of the hard disk of the 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 are that there are ample opportunities for autonomous image maintenance, that is, to introduce any any, even 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 computer hardware configuration and the image is not tied to a specific computer, so 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 savings of the disk space, several modes of systems can be stored in one WIM file. 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 large file is unpaved, and not a plurality 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 in XML. 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 response file in automatic mode, it must be called not otherwise as autounattend.xml and after creating an ISO image in the root folder or in the root directory of an 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 the new system 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 OfflinServicing is passing, the \\ Sources folder of the Windows distribution is viewed, 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 is caused by a computer reset cycle during Windows installation, in which the file must remain accessible 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. This allows you to more subtly customize the 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: detailed information about each of the parameters can be called from the context menu in the WSIM graphical interface.

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 into the audit mode, it is possible to install applications and drivers, import the registry parameters, configure any parameters of the operating system in the graphical interface, that is, do everything that is required to pre-configure the system. 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 in the autonomous 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 when started." 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, there is a standard set of applications that is 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 in the 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, there is an alternative solution that 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 an empty TEMP folder on the 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: \\ LP86EXT

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 an integrated linguistic package is ready to 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. The Windows 7 modular architecture makes it possible to customize a huge number of system parameters before installing it using the responses file.

General

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 exceed 4GB, then write such a distribution on a DVD disk. 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. It can then be included in the distribution kit on the Flash disk or simply transfer to a new computer by 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 the image of Windows is saved on a Disk D, the deployment of this image is also required to disk D a finite computer, and the following parameters of the sections should also deploy this image. ():

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 boot system files to it (we assume that the OS is on the C :) disk :):

BCDBOOT C: \\ Windows

We leave from Windows PE:

or close the Windows Installer window window. 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 imagexby placing 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