Question about custom windows images

[Krynn72]

I've got a bunch of updated and customized windows 7 images that work great and save me a ton of time. I've been trying to do the same with vista, but am running into an issue that I suspect is easily resolved but not sure.

I can install and update/customize vista fine in VirtualBox, using sysprep. Now to capture the image, I am using the windows 7 PE disk to run imagex. Is this ok, or do I need to make and use a Vista PE disk? I'm also using the same disk to apply the image.

Whenever I do this though, Vista will not start up properly. Its been awhile since the last attempt I made, so I can't recall the error message, but I can try it again if needed, but I mainly want to make sure its ok to use a 7pe to apply a vista image. And while we're at it, would it also work for a windows 8 image?

 

[16k_zx81]

Ive never had an issue with Vista. Our images all work here. We use sysprep and paragon for universal restore.

Windows 8 we messed about with a number of systems but got the most consistent deployable image with sysprep and Macrium.

J

 

[Porthos]

Windows 8 we messed about with a number of systems but got the most consistent deployable image with sysprep and Macrium.

It is how I do it as well for all my images.

 

[pcpete]

I've got a bunch of updated and customized windows 7 images that work great and save me a ton of time. I've been trying to do the same with vista, but am running into an issue that I suspect is easily resolved but not sure.

I can install and update/customize vista fine in VirtualBox, using sysprep. Now to capture the image, I am using the windows 7 PE disk to run imagex. Is this ok, or do I need to make and use a Vista PE disk? I'm also using the same disk to apply the image.

Whenever I do this though, Vista will not start up properly. Its been awhile since the last attempt I made, so I can't recall the error message, but I can try it again if needed, but I mainly want to make sure its ok to use a 7pe to apply a vista image. And while we're at it, would it also work for a windows 8 image?

You can use the same PE with imagex for both 7 and Vista. We were having issues applying Vista images until we quit including the 100mb system partition. If you use a diskpart script only create one partition, that may solve your issue.

It will not work for 8. You need to use the newer ADK along with DISM.

 

[cypress]

Same here in the sense I got my Windows 7 Images customized but having trouble with the Vista.

 

[Krynn72]

You can use the same PE with imagex for both 7 and Vista. We were having issues applying Vista images until we quit including the 100mb system partition. If you use a diskpart script only create one partition, that may solve your issue.

It will not work for 8. You need to use the newer ADK along with DISM.

Thanks, I will try that since I was indeed creating a system partition with diskpart.

Also going to look into Macrium for windows 8. Not sure I can justify the cost, but if its super simple then it may be worth it.

 

[JustInspired]

You can use the same PE with imagex for both 7 and Vista. We were having issues applying Vista images until we quit including the 100mb system partition. If you use a diskpart script only create one partition, that may solve your issue...

This is what I found too. One partition should work fine.

 

[Krynn72]

You can use the same PE with imagex for both 7 and Vista. We were having issues applying Vista images until we quit including the 100mb system partition. If you use a diskpart script only create one partition, that may solve your issue.

It will not work for 8. You need to use the newer ADK along with DISM.

This is what I found too. One partition should work fine.

Hrm, it doesn't work with only one partition, just saying that there is no OS found. How are you guys making the image in the first place? I'm using sysprep and then booting off the 7PE disk to capture the image with imagex and making the wim file. I then use imagex to apply the image as well on the target pc. But I don't think that captures any bootloader, which I think is what the system partition is for? Are you guys capturing and/or applying the images a different way than with imagex?

 

[pcpete]

Could you list your capture command, apply command, and your dispart script? we use imagex for all of it.

 

[AlaDes]

Believe this or not, the easiest way to apply the image is to create a catalog file for the image using Windows System Image Manager, rename it to "install.wim" and replace the both the "install.wim" and catalog file(s) in the installation media with your updated ones. I've never had one issue with this. Also, this eliminates the use of a PE CD and the need to use a script isn't necessary because your are going through the setup as you normally would
Although I have gotten not to finish it yet, I will be mentioning this in https://www.technibble.com/forums/threads/lessen-your-time-in-installing-windows-updates.43617/

 

[JustInspired]

it doesn't work with only one partition, just saying that there is no OS found.

Only tried Vista twice using the same imagex method I routinely use with Windows 7.
Both times I had to run Startup Repair from the install dvd to get it to fix the boot problem.

 

[Krynn72]

Could you list your capture command, apply command, and your dispart script? we use imagex for all of it.

Sure, I'm typing this from memory so I may get some of the syntax wrong.
To capture:

imagex /capture c: d:\vistahp.wim "Windows Vista Home Premium x64"

To apply:
Diskpart (note that I skipped creating the system partition steps on my last try)

diskpart
select disk
clean
create partition primary size=300
format quick fs=ntfs label="System"
assign letter=s
active
create partition primary
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"
assign letter=w
exit

imagex (on my last try I also skipped the last line here since there was no system partition)

imagex /apply d:\vistahp.wim w: 1
bcdboot w:\windows /s s:

Only tried Vista twice using the same imagex method I routinely use with Windows 7.
Both times I had to run Startup Repair from the install dvd to get it to fix the boot problem.

I tried that also, but it couldn't find a windows installation. (I double checked with parted magic and there was indeed a windows partition with all the files you'd expect on the drive)

Believe this or not, the easiest way to apply the image is to create a catalog file for the image using Windows System Image Manager, rename it to "install.wim" and replace the both the "install.wim" and catalog file(s) in the installation media with your updated ones. I've never had one issue with this. Also, this eliminates the use of a PE CD and the need to use a script isn't necessary because your are going through the setup as you normally would
Although I have gotten to finish it yet, I will be mentioning this in https://www.technibble.com/forums/threads/lessen-your-time-in-installing-windows-updates.43617/

The only problem I have with that is the need to have multiple usb drives to carry them around. I've never had luck creating multi-windows-installer usb drives. The fact that the wims are usually larger than 4gb also complicates the issue.

 

[JustInspired]

Has to be drive C: if I remember correctly. Use the assign command to change the drive letter before applying.

 

[pcpete]

To capture we use the following:

imagex.exe /capture x: xx:\vista-64-home.wim  “vista-64-home” /flags “xxx” /verify

x = drive letter of partition we need to capture
xx = drive letter of external drive to store your wim
xxx = one of the following edition ids: HomeBasic, HomePremium, Business, Ultimate

note the /flags option. I think this is mandatory

For diskpart for vista we use the following:

select disk 0
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
format fs=ntfs quick label=windows
active
assign letter=w

To apply the image we use the following:

imagex /apply x:\wims\vista\vista-64-home.wim 1 w:

x = location of your drive with the wim file


You only need to use the bcdboot command with windows 7; this is not used with windows vista

 

[AlaDes]

The only problem I have with that is the need to have multiple usb drives to carry them around. I've never had luck creating multi-windows-installer usb drives. The fact that the wims are usually larger than 4gb also complicates the issue.

If you read the first part of my tutorial, I only use one image...The lowest one available. This is all you really need. Since your're already familiar with how to capture and apply images, this won't be difficult to explain to you as to why I use this method.

Once you install and capture the lowest edition of any Windows edition, you have two options, one which many techs never even think about: The "Anytime Upgrade" option. I don't feel that it's unethical to use this option (Trust me, I thought about this or a long time), provided the tech insures that their is an appropriate COA on the machine for the particular version of Windows they want to install.

The other option, which there is no question as to whether or not it's ethical or legal is the way it's done using DISM and upgrade the image offline, which takes longer and you have to perform this every time you update your image.

With the "Anytime Upgrade" option (Vista or 7), all you have to do is enter the appropriate product key and about 10 minutes later you are ready to go with all updates installed.

One other very important thing I will be discussing with regards to capturing and applying images is the importance of the catalog file and the "Answer File", when used with my method. The "Answer file" is probably the most important, as it saves the image in a state to which you never have to re-install the base image again as a means to update it. Basically, all you have to do is update it and capture the new image .

One thing I would like to note is that if you have more than one image of an OS in a "WIM" file, it doesn't necessarily double the size. As a matter of fact, it adds very little to the already existing "WIM" file. Again, many techs don't know that there are, in fact, five images on an x86 version of a Windows 7 installation disc and four in the x64 version.

 

[PCX]

We also have a base image, but it's jot starter, it's home premium. For 99% of the Windows 7 machines we work on, home premium is what they need. We use the anytime upgrade option for any of the random pros and ultimate we may get. It is a lot better than using the anytime upgrade every single time.

 

[AlaDes]

We also have a base image, but it's jot starter, it's home premium. For 99% of the Windows 7 machines we work on, home premium is what they need. We use the anytime upgrade option for any of the random pros and ultimate we may get. It is a lot better than using the anytime upgrade every single time.

Although I use the anytime upgrade as well, I create two copies of the captured image and use DISM to convert the second copy to the next higher edition, export it to first copy, and perform this process all over again until I have all the versions available. One reason I use an answer file is so I never have to recreate the image again as I can just install the updates, sysprep it and preserve the activation clock.

 

[PCX]

Although I use the anytime upgrade as well, I create two copies of the captured image and use DISM to convert the second copy to the next higher edition, export it to first copy, and perform this process all over again until I have all the versions available. One reason I use an answer file is so I never have to recreate the image again as I can just install the updates, sysprep it and preserve the activation clock.

But why have all the different versions? How often are you really doing something other than Home Premium. I can understand having Pro if you work with a lot of businesses, but other than that, you rarely see things like Starter or Ultimate.

We do things a lot differently than anything else I have ever heard before, but we also have two images, one we keep for editing (updating) and another final copy that we create after updating and sysprepping the edit image. That final image is then cloned onto multiple hard drives, either in bulk for hard drive replacements or for reinstalls. As soon as you turn on each machine with the cloned image, it configures itself for that machine and is ready for user information and EULA. We do this both for Windows 8 and Windows 7 and we only use the Core and Home Premium images and upgrade as needed. Basically our Windows installs can be done in 20-30 minutes baring that we do not run into weird driver issues.

 

[pcpete]

@PCX
Any reason you do not do Vista with image installs? We still get quite a few of them in and on slow machines it is blessing to install them fully updated. Before image installs of vista, some machines would take a day and a half just doing the updates.

As to anytime upgrade, I had no idea that was an option to install other versions. We currently have a separate image for each version of vista, 7 and 8 for both 32 and 64 bit. If we want to install ultimate from a home premium image, is it as simple as choosing "anytime upgrade" and entering the oem key? If so, that is very cool.

 

[PCX]

@PCX
Any reason you do not do Vista with image installs? We still get quite a few of them in and on slow machines it is blessing to install them fully updated. Before image installs of vista, some machines would take a day and a half just doing the updates.

As to anytime upgrade, I had no idea that was an option to install other versions. We currently have a separate image for each version of vista, 7 and 8 for both 32 and 64 bit. If we want to install ultimate from a home premium image, is it as simple as choosing "anytime upgrade" and entering the oem key? If so, that is very cool.

Because we maybe do one vista install a month.