Create an ImageX Configuration File
ImageX is a command-line tool that enables the creation of image files for deployment in a manufacturing or corporate IT environment. You can create a configuration file (configuration_list.ini) to determine:
- Which files and folders must be excluded from the capture process when using the /capture option.
- Which folders, files, and file types must be excluded from the compression process when using the /compress option.
- Whether the .wim file aligns on a 64K boundary or the default 32K boundary.
If you name your configuration_list.ini file wimscript.ini and store it in your ImageX directory (where the ImageX.exe file is located), it will automatically run when using the /capture option (with or without the /compress option) without requiring you to use the /config option.
The /config option enables you to customize specific compression, capture, and boundary alignment actions, for each individual file and folder, within ImageX. Create configuration_list.ini by using a text editor, such as Notepad.
Creating a Configuration List
The following sections appear in the ImageX configuration list.
Section | Description | ||
---|---|---|---|
|
Enables you to define the files and folders to exclude from the /capture operation. |
||
|
Enables you to override the default exclusion list during the /capture operation. |
||
|
Enables you to define the specific files and folders, in addition to specific file types, to exclude from the /compress operation.
|
||
|
Enables you to define specific files to align on a 64K boundary. Compression will not occur for any files aligned on a 64K boundary. If you do not list files within this section, all your files will align on a 32K boundary. Note Security may occasionally use this section for pattern-matching purposes. |
Default Exclusion List
By default, ImageX will exclude the following files.
[ExclusionList]
\$ntfs.log
\hiberfil.sys
\pagefile.sys
"\System Volume Information"
\RECYCLER
\Windows\CSC
[CompressionExclusionList]
*.mp3
*.zip
*.cab
\WINDOWS\inf\*.pnf
Exclusion List Guidelines
You can only use wildcards in the last component in a file path that does not begin with a preceding back slash. For example,
myfolder\*.txt
You can use a preceding backward slash to limit file- and directory-matching relative to the root directory. For example, if you capture the "c:\" drive with the previous exclusion list,
\myfolder \folder\subfolder
ImageX will exclude the following files and directories.
c:\myfolder c:\folder\subfolder
However, ImageX will not exclude files or directories contained in the following example.
c:\main\myfolder c:\data\folder\subfolder
You can override the default exclusion list by using the
[ExclusionException]
section. For example,[ExclusionException] \pagefile.sys "\System Volume Information"
If an explicit
[ExclusionException]
section is provided in the WIM configuration file, it will always take precedence over the[Exclusion List]
section.You cannot override the default compression exclusion list by using the
[ExclusionException]
section.
Using the Configuration File
If you create a custom-named configuration file and store it outside of the ImageX directory, you can use ImageX to run the file. At a command prompt, open the ImageX directory. For example,
imagex /config c:\imaging\<configuration_list>.ini /capture d: d:\imaging\data.wim "Drive D"
-OR-
imagex /config c:\imaging\<configuration_list>.ini /append d: d:\imaging\data.wim "Drive D"
where c:\imaging\<configuration_list>.ini provides the complete directory location for the configuration file. You must use either the /capture option to create a new .wim file or the /append option to append an existing .wim file.