Partager via

Creating a WIM the quick way...

  • Article

IMAGEX is a fantastic tool, but it has a command line that can, at times, be way too complicated.  As of yet, there is no official, nice, easy-to-use interface or GUI to simplify the whole thing although a couple of people have posted DIY ones on the web with various levels of success.

My current client needed a simplified way of creating a WIM file for use during the BDD project I am working on; they are using WIM files as a means of applying files to a computer, similar to just creating a ZIP file and extracting the contents.  Anyway, I was asked if Microsoft had something (or could create something) that he could give to a junior member of staff so that s/he could create these WIM files without making mistakes or getting confused with the command line.  So, I created a very simple HTA file which will do exactly what he asked for.  Seeing as he liked it so much I thought that I would share it here so that others can take advantage of it.

Feel free to use/abuse/butcher/amend/correct/revise/recycle any or all of the code for your own use.  Of course, I must mention the usual disclaimer: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!  THIS IS NOT 100% TESTED CODE.

Unfortunately, it does come with 3 requirements.  The first is that it is run with administrative permissions.  This is not a problem with Windows XP if you are an admin on the box but with Windows Vista you'll need to run it elevated (Windows Vista does not give you the "Run as Administrator" option for HTA files so you'll need to elevate a cmd prompt first, then run the HTA.  The second is that you have the file imagex.exe in the same folder as the HTA file, and the third is that you have already installed the imagex filter driver.  Installing the filter driver is easy to do, either install the WAIK on your computer or just right click on the .inf file which you will find in the same folder as imagex.exe on a computer that has the WAIK installed and choose "install".

To use: simply copy the code below and paste it (careful with the wordwrap)into notepad.  Save the file with the .hta extension and then you are ready to run it, a simple double-click and you are away!  Enjoy.

<head>
<title>WIMCreator</title>
<HTA:APPLICATION
     APPLICATIONNAME="IMAGEX - CAPTURE HTA"
     MAXIMIZEBUTTON="NO"
     MINIMIZEBUTTON="NO"
     SCROLL="NO"
     SHOWINTASKBAR="YES"
     SINGLEINSTANCE="YES"
     WINDOWSTATE="NORMAL"
     SYSMENU="YES"
>
</head>

<script language="VBScript">
    Sub Window_onLoad

        Dim path
        Set fso = CreateObject("scripting.filesystemobject")
        path = fso.getabsolutepathname(".")

        CurrFolder.InnerHTML = CurrFolder.InnerHTML & " " & path
        if fso.FileExists(path & "\imagex.exe") = false then
            Msgbox "IMAGEX.exe does not exist in the same folder as this HTA program."
            ImageXExists.checked = false
            savefolderbox.disabled = true
            savefolderbutton.disabled = true
            driversbox.disabled = true
            driversbutton.disabled = true
            clearvalues.disabled = true
            createwim.disabled = true         
            commentbox.disabled = true
        else
            ImageXExists.checked = true
        end if

    End Sub
    Function BrowseForSaveLocation

        On Error Resume Next
        Dim oShell, oFolder, intColonPos, oWshShell
        Set oShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
        Set oWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

        Set oFolder = oShell.BrowseForFolder(0, "Choose WIM destination folder", &h17, OPTIONS)

        BrowseForFolder = oFolder.ParentFolder.ParseName(oFolder.Title).Path

        If Err.Number > 0 Then BrowseForFolder = Null

        If oFolder.Title = "Desktop" Then BrowseForFolder = owshshell.SpecialFolders("Desktop")
        intColonPos = InStr(oFolder.Title, ":")

        If intColonPos > 0 Then BrowseForFolder = Mid(oFolder.Title, intColonPos - 1, 2) & "\"

        savefolderbox.value = BrowseForFolder

    End Function
    Function BrowseForDrivers

        On Error Resume Next
        Dim oShell, oFolder, intColonPos, oWshShell
        Set oShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
        Set oWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

        Set oFolder = oShell.BrowseForFolder(0, "Choose source folder", &h17, OPTIONS)

        BrowseForFolder = oFolder.ParentFolder.ParseName(oFolder.Title).Path

        If Err.Number > 0 Then BrowseForFolder = Null

        If oFolder.Title = "Desktop" Then BrowseForFolder = owshshell.SpecialFolders("Desktop")
        intColonPos = InStr(oFolder.Title, ":")

        If intColonPos > 0 Then BrowseForFolder = Mid(oFolder.Title, intColonPos - 1, 2) & "\"

        DriversBox.value = BrowseForFolder

    End Function
    Sub ClearVals
        savefolderbox.value = ""
        driversbox.value = ""
        commentbox.value = ""
    End Sub
    Sub CloseHTA
        self.close
    End Sub
    Sub CaptureWIM

        Dim path
        Set fso = CreateObject("scripting.filesystemobject")
        path = fso.getabsolutepathname(".")
        Set oWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
        Dim imgCMD
        imgCMD = path & "\imagex.exe /capture " & chr(34) & driversbox.value & chr(34) & " " & chr(34) &

savefolderbox.value & "\mywim.WIM" & chr(34) & " " & chr(34) & commentbox.value & chr(34)
        oWshShell.Run imgCMD, , True
    End Sub
</script>

<body>
    <span><span><span style='font-family: Arial'><span style='font-size: 10pt'>
    <span id = "DataArea">Welcome to the WIM creation tool!  This tool Is NOT an official Microsoft product and

this therefore totally unsupported.<br />
        <br />
        You must execute this program with admin rights!</span><br />
    <br />
    <hr />
    <br />
    <span id = "CurrFolder">Current directory:</span>
    <br />
    <br />
    IMAGEX.exe found?&nbsp;
    <input id="ImageXExists" type="checkbox" name="imagexexists" checked="CHECKED" disabled="disabled" /><br />
    <br />
    <hr />
    <br />
    </span></span>
    </span></span>
    <span style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial'>
    Path to source folder<br />
    </span><input id="DriversBox" name="DriversBox" style='width: 617px; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;'

type="text" readonly="readOnly" /><span
        style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial'> </span>
    <input id="DriversButton" type="button" value="Browse..." name="DriversButton" onclick="BrowseForDrivers"

style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial' /><br />
    <br />
    <span style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial'>
    Location for WIM file to be saved<br />
    </span>
    <input id="saveFolderBox" name="saveFolderBox" style='width: 617px; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;'

type="text" readonly="readOnly" /><span
        style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial'> </span>
    <input id="saveFolderButton" type="button" value="Browse..." name="saveFolderButton"

onclick="BrowseForSaveLocation" style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial' /><br />
    <br />
    <span style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial'>Comment to be included in WIM file<br />
    </span>
    <input id="CommentBox" name="CommentBox" style='width: 617px; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;' type='text'

value="my wim file" /><br />
    <br />
    <br />
    <hr style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial' />
    <br />
    <input id="CreateWIM" type="button" value="Create WIM" onclick="CaptureWIM" style='font-size: 10pt; font-

family: Arial" /><span
        style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial'> </span>
    <input id="ClearValues" type="button" value="Clear Values" onclick="ClearVals" style='font-size: 10pt; font-

family: Arial" /><span
        style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial'> </span>
    <input id="Exit" type="button" value="Exit" onclick="CloseHTA" style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial'

/><span
        style='font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial'> </span>
</body>

P.S.  I should mention that this was made for the creation of a WIM file based on a folder on your local filesystem.  I have no idea, and it was not developed with this in mind, if you could capture an actual Operating System install with it; although I suspect you could...

WIMCreate.hta

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    p.s. I have attached to this post a working version of the HTA code.  You can download the file and use that instead of copying and pasting the code.

  • Anonymous
    February 18, 2008
    I tried this since I've been fighting with imaging and this seemed like a great solution.  I made sure that all of the requirements you laid out were met but when I ran it it was coming back with script errors.  I've been looking at your code for a while and I can't find anywhere that could be causing the problem.  Any advice? Thanks MarcusWilliams@Mid-WaySupply.com

  • Anonymous
    October 23, 2009
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    November 12, 2009
    Sorry Daniel I guess  I was not clear. I did not copy the text I downloaded the file hosted on this site named: WIMCreate.hta

  • Anonymous
    February 06, 2011
    i love you