Use ImageX to capture a Windows 7 Image

In the EARLIER post we showed you how to create WinPE boot disk to capture the Windows 7 reference machine. Now we will discuss the steps to be used to capture the reference machine using ImageX.

1.       Configure Windows 7 the reference machine as per the requirement (applications and settings).

2.       Make sure you have 2 partitions on reference machine, one OS partition and other to capture and save the image.

3.       Go to Windows 7 reference machine Start type cmd , run the command prompt as administrator.

4.       Go to C:\Windows\System32\sysprep and run the below command.

C:\Windows\System32\sysprep> sysprep.exe \generalize \oobe

This will start the sysprep process and shuts down the machine.

5.       Now boot your reference machine with WinPE boot disk created using earlier post. Also you can boot the machine with iso if your reference machine is virtual.

6.       Once booted it will show the screen as below on X drive.

7.       Using dir commands verify which is your OS partition and 2^nd partition. Also find the drive letter for CD as we need to run the capture command on that drive.

8.       In my case my OS drive became E and 2^nd partition remain D. CD drive is F.

Run the below command on CD drive:-

Imagex.exe /compress maximum /flags “Enterprise” /check /scroll /capture E: D:\Win7Ver01.wim “Windows 7 Enterprise”

Brief:-

Imagex.exe – Tool to capture the image

/compress maximum – to compress the captured image

/flags – to flag it is Enterprise

/capture – command to capture the image

E: - My OS drive

D: - My 2^nd Partition

Win7Ver01.wim – Name to be given to captured image

Windows 7 Enterprise – Description of Image

It will start the process after scanning files. And in the end captures the image on 2^nd partition. Then you can boot to the system, copy the captured wim image and use it for Windows 7 deployment.