SOLVED Anybody have experience with mounting Install.wim images across OSes?

[Saltgrass]

I am playing with setting up a Win 8.1 WimBoot system. I think I am having a problem because I do not have any 8.1 systems to use for DISM.

Do I need the 8.1 ADK/DISM to do such things or should I be able to use a Win 10 ADK or DISM?

Thanks..

 

[Regedit32]

You should be able to use the Windows 10 ADK and DISM, but if you are working on Windows 8.1 computer you'll need to use the Deployment and Imaging Tools Environment — Run it as Administrator — to access the Windows 10 DISM and/or other tools in order to avoid DISM errors popping up.

Assuming you've installed the Windows 10 ADK on a Windows 8.1 computer, you can get to that by:

• Left-click on Start
• Scroll down and expand Windows Kits
• Right-click on Deployment and Imaging Tools Environment and select More
• Select Run as administrator
  
  Assuming then you have an install.wim file for windows 8.1 already extracted to C:\ then use the following command to mount it:
  
  Note: You need to create a Directory to mount to first. I usually do that via File Explorer, but you can create it via the command prompt if you prefer. Let's assume you created a directory named Test located at C:\Test then use this command to mount the Windows 8.1 install.wim file to the Test directory:
  
  

  Dism /Mount-Image /ImageFile:C:\install.wim /index:1 /MountDir:C:\Test

  
  Remember: You are executing this command from the:
  
  C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools> prompt, which is being Run as administrator
  
  With the image mounted to C:\Test, simply using the cd C:\Test to enter the mounted image. Make the changes you want ( i.e. Delete or Add files you want, change Group Policies etcetera ).
  
  Then commit the changes using the command:
  
  

  Dism /Commit-Image /MountDir:C:\Test /CheckIntegrity

  
  
  Then Dismount the image, to save the committed changes back to C:\install.wim:
  
  First
  
  

  cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools>

  
  
  Then
  
  

  Dism /Unmount-Image /MountDir:C:\Test\ /Commit

Note: If you run into any issues accessing DISM from the C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools> prompt, then at this prompt type cd x86\Dism — You shouldn't need to do this, but that is the full path to the Windows 10 DISM built into the Windows 10 ADK.

i.e C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools\x86\DISM>

 

[Saltgrass]

Thanks, I will look through what you show. I was trying to do that yesterday but since I could not get it to work, I thought it might be the OS version. When I tried the same thing with Windows 10 I had the same problem.

After looking through your examples, and was still having problems, I noticed one site was showing quotes around the paths. I thought quotes were only needed if a space was in the path but it appears that is what I needed to get it to work,

Thanks for the extra effort and I think you are correct about being able to use Win 10 to get this done. Now, on to trying to create a Wimboot install. Since Win 10 doesn't support it, that install won't last long but I will be able to play a little..

Thanks again..

 

[Regedit32]

If you are getting errors with paths, it may be because the Path is protected. For example, you cannot mount an image inside a protected Directory like your Documents Directory. Thus, if you created the Test directory here: C:\Users\Saltgrass\Documents\Test, that would trigger an error in DISM, because Test is located inside a protected Directory.

 

[Saltgrass]

I may have found the problem since I was seeing strange freezes with my original keyboard. I changed it for another one and the commands today seem to work normally, without the quotation marks.

I think I need to start throwing out some older keyboards Other than that, I feel like a dog chasing his tail trying to get this Wimboot situation resolved. There is some command I cannot find anywhere, possibly because I do not yet have a utility I need.

Calculateandcreatewimbootpartition I think it is from a specific utility. It may even be it will not run for the same reason I was having problems with DISM.. At least I am staying occupied..

Thanks..

 

[Regedit32]

Calculateandcreatewimbootpartition

Are you referring to a Script you can run in WindowsPE?

If yes, then you'll find a script example in Section 4.2 of this article:

[INCOMPLETE Tutorial] Saving Space on SSDs with WIMBoot (For Windows 8.1U1)

[Tutorial] Saving Space on SSDs with WIMBoot (For Windows 8.1U1) -- Synopsis -- If you are building a computer and would like to save space on your SSD (or would like to install Windows on an SSD that is as small as 16GB), this tutorial shows you how to set up WIMBoot- a new feature in Windows...

forums.guru3d.com

 

[Saltgrass]

I will check your link but the videos I see show them booted into the WinPE. They change the drive letter to the DVD-ROM and type the command. I have tried using both the Winpe partition and the Win 8.1 install media and neither one works. I may even have the wrong WinPE..

I appreciate your time but it isn't really so important that you should be wasting your time. Maybe the link will help, but I will get there eventually. And I am learning along the way...

Thanks again...

 

[Saltgrass]

That link is a much better explanation of the process, the one I was using told me to unmount the image and boot into Winpe to capture it, which did not make much sense..

Thanks..

 

[Regedit32]

You're Welcome, and btw; I don't consider it a waste of time to help out. That is the only reason I frequent this Forum. To help if I can, and otherwise to learn from what everyone else is sharing in the various threads here.

Your project interests me as I've been very slowly drafting a new article on creating a Windows image less all the built-in apps — effectively a slicker version of Windows 10 — but including driver support for a specific computer and alternate apps that others might prefer using.

It's turning into a fairly major project though, so I may have to write a series of articles, dealing with one aspect at a time; otherwise it'll end up like my last article on Windows to Go — a little too long which I feel probably had the potential to create confusion rather than be of any real help.

Trying to test everything to be sure it has no adverse effect on the operating system, including its security, takes a lot of time. I'm hoping to publish the article(s) in the New Year. In the meanwhile, I'll be very interested in seeing how your project turns out.

 

[Saltgrass]

Well, I have something that is running and the description in the partition shows as WimBoot.. The tutorial seems to have some problems since I never got to the script being run, which is the calculateandcreatewimbootpartition.cmd, I just did not know it was a script but it never completed anyway.

The tutorial was from 2014 so maybe changes have made some of the things not necessary. For instance, when I got to the Windows desktop in admin mode or whatever it is called, the sysprep utility popped up which I did not expect.

Also, my first problem was applying the image since the command given seems to put it into the Scratch directory. Because of that, I wasn't able to set the boot files correctly..

SET WIM_SKIP_WIMBOOT_CHECK=1
dism /Apply-Image /ImageFile:"C:\Recycler\WIMs\install.wim" /ApplyDir:C: /Index:1 /WIMBoot /ScratchDir:C:\Recycler\Scratch

I am going to play with it for a week or so and see what or how it actually works. I will be looking for other tutorials to see what differences they may show...

Thanks again....

 

[Saltgrass]

Well, here is the final product. Beside trying to remember how to do basic tasks in the command prompt, I had a hard time getting a WimBoot enabled Install.wim image. Once I got that, I followed the Microsoft tutorial and it worked out good..

Next I will be playing with upgrading this install, or at least trying an in-place upgrade with the Win 8.1 .iso..

Thanks for your help, @Regedit32

Create WIMBoot Images

docs.microsoft.com

 

[Snuffy]

I am playing with setting up a Win 8.1 WimBoot system. I think I am having a problem because I do not have any 8.1 systems to use for DISM.

Do I need the 8.1 ADK/DISM to do such things or should I be able to use a Win 10 ADK or DISM?

Thanks..

DISM is contained in your boot disk ) that is all you need, then you need a clean Letter Partition (sample z
boot to your USB with a install.wim or boot.wim and use the command (X substitute the letter for you USB if no X)
Dism /apply-image /imagefile:X:\install.wim /index:1 /ApplyDir:z:\
bcdboot C:\Windows /s z: /addlast
this sets you wim to install on Z drive then adds Z drive to you msconfig boot

 

[Saltgrass]

Thanks Snuffy, but you are just setting up another partition to boot an image. The WimBoot process is used on very small drives, like 32 GB which are used in tablets. In one case it was even used on a 120 GB drive which is why I used that size but I could have used one much smaller.

The recovery partition could have also been maybe 1.5 GBs smaller. I am just doing this so I can test that type of install..

 

[Snuffy]

sounds like you are trying a Boot.wim for USB Boot or WinPE. even my Tablet the only difference is the install.wim or .swm the boot is the same size. is so then take the boot.wim mount it add to or remove then save.
part of my Windows Tablet info. very limited
[Setting]
;Start WinPE Only:1/0
OnlyStartWinPE = 0
;Cpu高性能运行:1/0
CpuHighPerformance = 1
;部署完系统自动重启:1/0
RebootAfterApplyRelease = 1
;选择默认安装盘:eMMC/SSD/Disk
TargetDisk = eMMC
;双系统强刷单windows:1/0
ForceSingleOS = 0
;格式化磁盘:1/0
FormatTargetDisk = 0
;自定义C盘名称
CName = Local Disk
;自定义C盘大小(GB)
CSize = 0
;创建D盘:1或0
DriveDSwitch = 0
;自定义D盘名称
DName = Local Disk
;一键恢复开关:1/0
OneKeyRecovery = 1
;自定义一键恢复盘符(可选S<esp分区>/R<PBR分区>)和路径:
RecPath = S:\EFI\Recovery
;自定义一键恢复磁盘名称(仅对PBR分区有效)
RecName = Recovery
;WDS服务器相关配置
WDSNamePath = WDSServer\WindowsDeploymentImage
UserName = WDS\Administrator
PassWord = Admin@123
-------------------------------------------------
this is full iso info

 

[Saltgrass]

I have already completed the task, Snuffy, thanks. It is funny, I wanted to try upgrading the 8.1 install after getting it setup but because my 8.1 license is no longer valid, it won't let me complete the experiment if the OS isn't already activated. I knew that might happen so everything is fine.. Knowledge gained ....