How to Capture a Vista Image with ImageX
During the creation of the WinPE boot disk we can already include the imagex.exe on it by copying it in the "mount" directoy (drag and drop) or by command line:
copy “c:\program files\<version>\Tools\x86\imagex.exe” c:\winpe_x86\mount\ |
On this post we will capture an existing Windows Vista that is installed on a Virtual PC.
from Windows Preinstallation Environment (WindowsPE) User's Guide:
Capture an Image
ImageX is a command-line tool that enables the creation of Windows Image (.wim) files for deployment in a manufacturing or corporate IT environment. By using the imagex /capture command, you can capture a volume or partition to a .wim file. Once you capture your image, you can modify and apply the image either to a network or individual destination computers.
You can compress and capture your image file from Windows PE, Windows Vista, Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), or a customized Windows PE provided by Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) Operating System Deployment Feature Pack or Windows Deployment Services (Windows DS).
| To control the amount of compression used on your image, use the /compress option.
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If you compress and capture an entire installation, the best practice is to boot from Windows PE. Because Windows PE runs in memory or from a CD/DVD, it ensures that no locked files or folders will be included in your installation image. Locked files and folders will cause the image compression and capture to fail.
Compressing an Image
During the compression process, you can select one of the following compression types for your image:
- maximum
Provides the best compression. However, it also takes the most time to capture the image.
- fast
Provides faster image capture. However, it provides less compression than that provided by maximum. This is the default compression type, used if you leave this option blank or if you use the /capture option without the /compress option.
- none
Captures the image without compression.
Because the /compress option specifies the type of compression for your entire .wim file, this option is valid only on the initial capture and cannot be changed. Additionally, if you use the /export option, the source and destination .wim files must have the same compression type.
I've restarted the VPC and boot it with the Windows PE media (I used the WinPE.ISO file that I created).
To capture the installed Windows Vista, at the command prompt type the following command:
imagex /compress fast /check /scroll /capture c: c:\<image-name.wim> "your comment" (see the next screen shot).
you can save the image on the local disk (diver C: or D:) first for a faster capture process.
right after you hit the "enter" key, the capture process begins.
after the capture you can save the image to a network share. example:
net use z: \\network_share then copy c:\myimage.wim y:\\network_share\<image folder>
after copying the captured image you can now then apply it to a new computer:
The following steps are taken from the Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) User's Guide:
This step requires booting the new computer with Windows PE and applying the image with ImageX.
- Boot the new computer with your Windows PE media.
- In Windows PE, format the hard drive using DiskPart.
- At a command prompt in Windows PE, map the network drive to your network share. For example,
net use y: \\network_share\images |
- Apply the image from the network share by using ImageX. For example,
imagex /apply y:\\network_share\images\myimage.wim 1 c: |