Slipstream [Image] Windows 7 SP1 into Windows 7

With the release of Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 it's time to look at how to slipstream it into a Gold or RTM version you already own. Some of the gurus out there call this imaging, others slipstreaming, but frankly I don't give a damn what it's called. The point is, you end up with a Windows 7 version that includes Windows 7 Service Pack 1 along with some selected applications, drivers, and have that image available in three different formats; a USB Flash Disk (UFB), an .iso file, and a DVD.

With XP you integrated or 'slipped' the Service Pack into the original XP files. With Vista you created an 'image' of Vista that was updated with the new service pack. Now it's time for the Windows 7 Service Packs and the situation is fairly similar to what it was with Vista. You still have to create an updated image and use it for the Windows 7 installation. There are a number of programs available that automate the process, and as far as I know, some may well do an excellent job of creating an updated image. I haven't tested them and can't say if they work or what changes they make to your system. I do know I've received a substantial number of e-mails asking for troubleshooting help when users have experienced unexpected results or failures while trying to create a slipstreamed image. So, I'm going to take a different path and show you how to manually create a standard slipstreamed image of Windows 7, basically from scratch.

I'm won't tell you this is a quick and simple procedure. It isn't. At the same time, it isn't overly difficult either. There are a lot of steps involved, you have to work carefully, and there are numerous opportunities to screw up and have to start over from the beginning. However, if you're willing to spend the time and carefully work through the process you'll actually learn something about the 'images' that are used to install Windows 7 and you'll be able to customize that image specifically to your taste.  

I find it amazing that after XP, Vista, and now Windows 7, Microsoft still hasn't included the ability to generate a file and directory listing of Windows Explorer as an editable text file or printable hardcopy as a standard feature of the operating system. Here's how to create a context menu item that when clicked will generate a directory and file list. The batch file is configurable to send the output directly to a printer, to the desktop as an editable text file, or to applications like Microsoft One Note for editing and printing.

The best and safest way to test beta software is on a system exclusively dedicated to the task. Unfortunately, the majority of users don't have the luxury of different systems to assign one strictly to beta testing, and even if another system is available, it likely isn't as state of the art as the current primary system. Human nature dictates that when new software comes along we want to try it out on the best system available.

Of course you could always shift your work to a secondary system while the beta testing is in progress then reformat and reinstall your primary when testing is complete, but that's just not practical, even with excellent imaging programs available. Another option is the use of virtual machines on the primary system, but those have limitations as well, especially where graphics are concerned. Here's a procedure I use to test beta software on my primary system. It does require making some changes to the hard drive, but once you make the changes they can remain in place after the beta testing is done and be used for purposes other than testing.

The Details

• Plan For The Operating Systems - The primary focus is designating two partitions for the operating systems. In the example I've used Disk 01 PA and Disk 01 PB for the two operating systems. The partitions are both primary and ~100GB each. Why ~100GB each? Over the years I've found my systems C: partitions rarely use more than 50GB of space, even on heavily loaded systems. Performance drops off significantly if free space on the partition/drive drops below a certain percentage so I've doubled the available space. If you're pressed for space and need to conserve, just make sure the partition where you will install the beta meets the minimum space requirements.

• Plan The Rest of the Drive Space - How you set up the rest of the drive is up to you. I prefer to use primary partitions rather than logical partitions. Disk 01 PC is where I store a lot of applications, drivers, and other items I use on an almost daily basis in my business. The final partition, Disk 01 PD, is for my business data files.

Stuck right in the middle of PC and PD partitions is a big chunk of unallocated space. The type of work I do dictates I push and pull a lot of files around and the data and installation partitions get resized fairly often. I prefer to keep unallocated space between these two partitions so I can grow and contract them as the job at hand dictates by using a partition manager.

• Make the Changes to the Drives - Unless you are setting up this scenario from scratch on an unformatted drive, you'll need a partition manager to make the changes to your current setup. I happen to use Acronis Disk Director Suite, but there are many others available, some free. Google is your friend.

• Install Windows 7 Beta - Once I have the partitions made it's a simple process to start the Windows 7 installation from the DVD. The two critical points are to make sure you perform a clean installation (not an upgrade) and that you select the new partition you've allocated for Windows 7, not the partition where the current operating system is installed. Done properly, you will end up with a dual boot installation of your current operating system and Windows 7.

I've heard reports that some users were unable to set up a dual boot system when they used a similar procedure based on an in place XP installation. Unfortunately they didn't specify what version of XP they were using or what service packs were installed. I've tested this procedure with XP Pro/SP3 and with Vista and it works fine, so I don't have an explanation why they encountered a problem.

Removing Windows 7 Beta from the System

To remove the beta from the system, boot into the primary operating system and reformat the partition where the Windows 7 beta is installed. Be very careful that you are formatting the 'partition' where the beta is installed and 'not' the entire hard drive. Once the Windows 7 partition has been reformatted get rid of the dual boot menu that allowed access to the two operating systems.

Open the System Configuration Editor (msconfig.exe), go to the Boot tab and select the Windows 7 entry. Click [Delete] button and then [Apply] button. You'll be prompted to reboot the system. Do so. The dual boot menu will be gone and things are back to exactly the same way they were prior to installing the Windows 7 Beta.

After Testing Is Complete

After the testing has been completed and the Win 7 beta removed from the system, you'll need to make a decision about what to do with the partition where it was installed. Here are some ideas.

• The partition can be deleted so the space becomes unallocated. From there it can be merged into another partition as a whole or split up and distributed to other partitions that need additional space.

• The partition could be used as a holding pen of sorts where you keep temporary files and files you know will be deleted in the short term. That eliminates the constant fragmentation problem associated with dumping files in and out of your primary data storage area.

• The partition could be used to relocate the paging file, used as a location for programs that require a 'scratch' disk such as graphics programs, or used to hold downloaded files until they are reviewed and a decision made to keep or delete.

• The partition can be used to install a second copy of your primary operating system as a dual boot setup. If anything happens to the primary, the backup system is sitting there ready to be booted so you can save your data files.