Customizing Windows images is a crucial task for systems engineers who need to deploy operating systems across multiple machines efficiently. This process involves creating a Windows image that includes all necessary applications, drivers, and settings tailored to the specific needs of an organization. In this article, we will explore how to customize Windows images using tools and commands available in the Windows environment.

Step-by-Step Guide to Customizing Windows Images

Step 1: Prepare Your Environment

Before you start customizing a Windows image, ensure you have the following tools installed:

• Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK): This includes tools like Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) and Windows System Image Manager (SIM).
• Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE): This is used to boot a system for deployment purposes.

Step 2: Capture a Windows Image

1. Boot into WinPE: Use a bootable USB drive with WinPE to start the system.

2. Capture the Image:

   • Open a command prompt in WinPE.

   • Use the following DISM command to capture the image:

     dism /capture-image /imagefile:C:\CustomImage.wim /capturedir:C:\ /name:"CustomWindowsImage"

   This command captures the Windows installation from the C: drive and saves it as a WIM file.

Step 3: Mount and Customize the Image

1. Mount the Image:

   • Use DISM to mount the image to a directory:

     dism /mount-image /imagefile:C:\CustomImage.wim /index:1 /mountdir:C:\Mount

2. Add Drivers and Applications:

   • Add drivers:

     dism /image:C:\Mount /add-driver /driver:C:\Drivers /recurse

   • Add applications using scripts or by copying files directly into the mounted image.

3. Apply Custom Settings:

   • Modify the registry or system files within the mounted directory to apply custom settings.

Step 4: Commit and Unmount the Image

• After making all necessary customizations, commit the changes and unmount the image:

  dism /unmount-image /mountdir:C:\Mount /commit

Step 5: Deploy the Customized Image

• Use the customized image for deployment using tools like Windows Deployment Services (WDS) or System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM).

Examples

Here is an example of a PowerShell script to automate the mounting and customization process:

# Mount the image
dism /mount-image /imagefile:C:\CustomImage.wim /index:1 /mountdir:C:\Mount

# Add a network driver
dism /image:C:\Mount /add-driver /driver:C:\NetworkDrivers /recurse

# Add an application
Copy-Item -Path "C:\Applications\MyApp" -Destination "C:\Mount\Program Files\MyApp" -Recurse

# Commit changes and unmount
dism /unmount-image /mountdir:C:\Mount /commit