Windows Imaging

Creating and deploying system images is a fundamental aspect of efficient Windows deployment. This section covers the concepts, tools, and best practices for working with Windows images.

What is a Windows Image?

A Windows image is a file (typically a .wim or .esd file) that contains a compressed copy of the Windows operating system files, including the file system structure, boot sector, and system registry.

Using images allows you to:

• Deploy standardized operating system configurations to multiple computers quickly.
• Reduce the time and effort required for manual installations.
• Ensure consistency across deployments.
• Simplify the process of applying updates and customizations.

Key Imaging Technologies

Windows Imaging Format (WIM)

The WIM format is the primary imaging technology used by Windows. It supports features such as:

• File-based imaging, allowing for platform independence.
• Single-instancing and cross-file rehydration for efficient storage.
• Image mounting for customization.
• Splitting large images into smaller, manageable files.

Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer (WICD)

WICD is a tool that helps you create provisioning packages for Windows. These packages can be used to configure Windows devices without reimaging them. While not strictly an imaging tool, it's often used in conjunction with image-based deployments to apply post-installation configurations.

Tools for Image Management

Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)

DISM is a command-line tool used to service and prepare Windows images. It can be used to:

• Mount and unmount WIM images.
• Add or remove packages, drivers, and features.
• Apply updates.
• Capture images from a reference computer.

DISM /Mount-Image /ImageFile:C:\path\to\my_image.wim /Index:1 /MountDir:C:\mount
DISM /Unmount-Image /MountDir:C:\mount /Commit
DISM /Capture-Image /ImageFile:C:\new_image.wim /CaptureDir:C:\reference_os_install /Name:"My Custom Windows Image"
            

Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE)

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT)

System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

Best Practices for Imaging

1. Create a Reference Image: Install Windows on a reference computer, apply necessary updates, install core applications, and configure settings.
2. Generalize the Image: Use the System Preparation tool (Sysprep) to remove system-specific information (like Security Identifiers - SIDs) before capturing the image.
3. Capture the Image: Use DISM or MDT to capture the generalized installation into a WIM file.
4. Test the Image: Deploy the image to a test machine to ensure it works correctly and all customizations are applied.
5. Store Images Securely: Keep your master images in a secure, accessible location.

Sysprep

Sysprep prepares a Windows installation for imaging by removing unique system information, such as the computer name, Security Identifier (SID), and event logs. This allows the image to be deployed to multiple computers, each receiving a unique SID.

C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /shutdown
            

After running Sysprep and the computer shuts down, boot the computer using WinPE or another bootable media to capture the image.