The Deployment Imaging Service and Management Tool (DISM) is a powerful utility in Windows that allows you to service and prepare Windows images. Whether you're a system administrator or an IT professional, understanding how to use DISM can significantly streamline your workflow when deploying or maintaining Windows operating systems. In this article, we'll explore how to customize Windows images using DISM.

What is DISM?

DISM is a command-line tool that can be used to mount and service Windows images before deployment. It is included in the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) and is available in Windows 7 and later versions. DISM can be used to:

• Add, remove, and enumerate packages.
• Enable or disable Windows features.
• Apply updates.
• Add drivers.
• Configure international settings.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• A Windows installation ISO or WIM file.
• Administrative privileges.
• Windows ADK installed (if not already included in your Windows version).

Example 1: Mounting a Windows Image

To start customizing a Windows image, you first need to mount it. This allows you to make changes to the image as if it were a regular file system.

1. Create a mount directory:

   mkdir C:\Mount

2. Mount the image:

   dism /Mount-WIM /WimFile:C:\Path\To\Your\install.wim /Index:1 /MountDir:C:\Mount

Example 2: Adding a Driver

Adding drivers to a Windows image can be crucial for ensuring hardware compatibility.

1. Add a driver:

   dism /Image:C:\Mount /Add-Driver /Driver:C:\Path\To\Driver\driver.inf

Example 3: Adding a Package

You can add Windows Update packages or other feature packages to the mounted image.

1. Add a package:

   dism /Image:C:\Mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\Path\To\Package\package.cab

Example 4: Enabling a Windows Feature

You can enable or disable Windows features within the mounted image.

1. Enable a feature:

   dism /Image:C:\Mount /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3

Example 5: Committing Changes and Unmounting the Image

After making all the necessary changes, you need to commit them and unmount the image.

1. Commit changes and unmount:

   dism /Unmount-WIM /MountDir:C:\Mount /Commit

Additional Tips

• Check Image Health: You can use DISM to check the health of your Windows image.

  dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

• Restore Image Health: If issues are detected, you can attempt to restore the image health.

  dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Conclusion

Using DISM to customize Windows images can save you a significant amount of time and effort, especially when deploying multiple systems. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to mount, modify, and deploy Windows images with ease.