Simplifying Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7 Imaging Using IMAGEX
Windows 7 Deployment Using Imagex
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Below are the steps to prepare winPE image along with Imagex utility for windows 7 deployment.Windows 7 imaging and deployment can be done using either WAIK / MDT 2010. WAIK include many additional tools such as IMAGEX, SYSPREP etc. I am demonstrating the procedure to capture windows 7 operating system using IMAGEX utility which is equivalent ot Acronis or other ghost utilities.
Stage 1 :
Preparing Winpe image and adding Imagex utility
- 1. Install the WAIK on your local machine - it installs folders for x86, amd64 and i64...cool
- 2. From the Start Menu->All Programs->Microsoft Windows AIK->Deployment Tools Command Prompt
- 3. Execute the command copype x86 c:\folder>
- 4. imagex /mountrw winpe.wim 1 mount
- 5. copied imagex to ISO folder
- 6. imagex /unmount x:\folder>\mount /commit
- 7. xcopy x:\winpe\winpe.wim x:\folder> \iso\sources\boot.wim /y
- 8. oscdimg -n -h -bx:\folder>\etfsboot.com x:\folder>\iso x:\folder>\winpe.iso
- 9. Burn the ISO to the dvd
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Stage 2 :
Once you have prepared winPE iso file , the next step is to run the ISO on working windows 7 operating system. During this stage you would install windows 7 on new hardware or existing hardware and perform the require changes such as adding required software / drivers etc. Once you have completed , follow the below steps
Step 1: On the existing windows 7 operating system , insert the disk containing WinPE
ISO
Step 2: Upon rebooting choose CDRom as boot device which would boot through WinPE
Step 3: it would stop at x:\windows\system32>wpeinit prompt
Step 4: run imagex and hit enter to cross check if the imagex utility has bundled with the
ISO file , if not you have to either follow the stage1 process by adding imagex
Utility or perform servicing to add imagex to the existing .wim image.
Step 5: If your image contains imagex , you should now capture the image, at this stage
You have to check the exact partition of your operating system , so run diskpart
Utility which is inbuilt component of winPE
Eg: diskpart
Select disk 0
List volume ( will show you the volumes along with the name )
You would see C drive as system reserved partition and
D drive as operating system partition
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Step 6: If you are storing the image onto the network drive, you have to first map
The drive using net use , if you are storing the image on to another drive , then
You have to provide the path accordingly
Eg: net use P: \10.0.1.10\saitestfolder
Imagex /capture c: p:\saitestfolder\sr.wim "test" /compress none
Imagex /capture d: p:\saitestfolder\or.wim "test1" /compress none
[sr.wim - system reserved partition
Or.wim - operating system partition ]
From the above stages you have successfully created winpe iso file and captured the windows 7 image. Next we will explore the options to deploy the captured image.
Stage 3:
This phase we will check how to deploy earlier capture image of windows 7 using imagex.
Step1 : restart the computer and boot into winpe
Step2 : You can create a diskprep answer file or for testing you could enter the below commands to wipe off the data and install windows 7 on newly formatted disk.
Diskpart
Select disk 0
Clean
Create partition primary
Assign letter = c
Active
Exit ( this exists from diskpart )
Format c: /q /y ( this will format the disk to NTFS )
To cross check
Run diskpart
Select disk 0
List volume
You should see the c drive with NTFS partition created
Exit
Step3 : map the drive to the location where you have earlier stored the image
Step4 : run the below command to apply the image
Imagex /apply P:\location\wim 1 c:\
This will take approx 15 min for ( 7 GB file )
Step 5 : once completed run the below command
Bcdboot c:\windows
Restart the system , Bingo ! , you got your windows 7 loaded and running.