Deploy OS from Locally Stored WIM

Question

I have a OS Deployment task sequence that is advertised to clients. During the Apply Operating System step in the sequence a WIM image file is downloaded from winPE then applied. Is it possible to have this image retrieved locally, such as from another connected hard drive or partition that has the image preloaded?

Answer 1

I don't think it is possible to do this they way you like. What you could however do is "Offline Media", which lets you create DVD's or USB Sticks pre-loaded:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/configurationmgr/archive/2011/05/05/how-to-create-offline-or-standalone-usb-media-for-os-deployment-in-configmgr-2007.aspx

1. Create Task Sequence Media
2. Select Stand alone media
3. Follow the rest of the wizard

Answer 2

The nearest you can get is offline task sequences, I think. Task sequence media is created by going to the "Operating System Deployment" section > "Task Sequences" > select your OSD task sequence and click "Create Task Sequence Media".

• On the Select Media Type page, select Bootable Media and click Next.
• On the Media Type page specify the type of media you want to use with the cooperating system deployment. You can specify CD, DVD, or a USB flash drive as the type of media.
• Specify the name of the media file that you are creating on the Media file line. The media file is where Configuration Manager 2007 will save the files to. If multiple pieces of media are required Configuration Manager 2007 will add a sequence number to each piece of required media. If you are using USB media, specify the Drive letter that should be used to save the files using the drop down.
• On the Security page, you can specify a password to protect the media or require that the media request a self-signed certificate. You can import an existing certificate by selecting Import Certificate and clicking the Browse button to locate the certificate you want to use. You should always assign a password or request a certificate to protect the bootable media and your Configuration Manager 2007 site.
• Specify the boot image that will run from the boot media on the Boot Image page. The media you specify will be used to boot the new computer, therefore the boot image specified must be of the appropriate architecture (x86, x64) and include the appropriate device drivers for the target computer. To view distribution points from child sites, select the Show distribution points from child sites check box.
• On the Confirmation page you can view the summary and click Finish to complete the wizard.

From Technet - how to create task sequence bootable media

Answer 3

An answer was found here:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/anilm/archive/2012/01/21/using-sccm-r3-pre-stage-media-feature-to-prestage-os-deployments.aspx

After I upgraded to R3 I was able to use the pre-stage media functionality to deploy a locally stored wim.

Answer 4

If you are asking once you have used imagex or whatever to apply an image within a .wim to a partition, can you get a replacement image in .wim format from the installed destination?

Simple answer I dont think so but you maybe be able to sysprep the target machine with oobe and generalize and recapture the image with imagex from winPE.

Sorry if i'm completely off the direction you are going for lol.

Answer 5

I read somewhere this can be done using imagex.
Give this a read maybe
http://windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2007/04/03/pc-deployment-with-imagex.html

Answer 6

in this article , you will find commands that if run in winPE you can access wim file in the remote shared PC or any network shared folder and can use them to install your desired Windows.

windows 7 image capture demonstration

Deploying Windows with a Customized Windows RE

step 1: commands for create and manage desired partitions

step 2: commands for imaging and make image from Windows 2008 or 2012 or 7 or 8

note that imagex and dism are useful commands for creating and mounting images. these works are very easy and may possible if you use imagex COMMAND switches. for more information please type: imagex /? ...

/capture : Captures a volume image from a drive to a new .wim file. Captured directories include all subfolders and data. You cannot capture an empty directory. A directory must contain at least one file.

/append : Appends a volume image to an existing Windows image (.wim) file. Creates a single instance of the file, comparing it against the resources that already exist in the .wim file, so you do not capture the same file twice.

/unmount : Unmounts the mounted image from a specified directory.

/commit :

for more info please read this article

step 3: commands for define map network drive from shared folders (DFS or other FileServers)

step 4: commands for coping