Slipstream [Image]
Windows 7 SP1 into Windows 7
Scenario: Two
Computers - At Least One Bootable from USB Flash
Disk (UFD)
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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 to 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 not going to 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. |
| Two Different Versions
of the Tutorial |
The first version of the
tutorial is for users that have two
computers and at least one of them is
bootable from a USB Flash Disk (UFD). It's
easier, doesn't involve quite as many steps,
and you end up with a bootable UFD
containing the slipstreamed Windows 7
operating system.
Windows 7 SP1 Slipstream - Two Computer UFD
Bootable Version
[ This is the the page
you are on now ]
The second version of the tutorial is for
users who find yourselves with only one
computer and that computer isn't capable of
being booted from a USB Flash Disk (UFD).
The procedure isn't nearly as convenient as
having two computers, but it's possible.
You'll have to incorporate some workarounds
into the procedure and do some extra
software installations as well as create a
bootable CD to restart the computer instead
of booting from a UFD.
Windows 7 SP1 Slipstream - One Computer Not
UFD Bootable
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| Procedure Overview |
| As is the case with
most 'procedures' there are always parts that are
absolutely etched in stone and those where some
flexibility is allowed and you have the freedom to
make changes to suit your work style or available
resources. This procedure is no different. Keep in
mind that in this tutorial I am simply laying out a
procedure that has worked for me and the tools I
used to accomplish the end goal; create a Windows 7
image that includes Windows 7 Service Pack 1 along
with some selected applications, drivers, and to
have that image available in three different
formats; a USB Flash Disk (UFB), an .iso file, and a
DVD. |
| Step One -
Gather the Necessary Resources |
- A licensed Windows
7 DVD from Microsoft containing the Windows 7
version you intend to image with SP1 installed.
- Two computers are
necessary for this procedure. At least one of
the computers must be able to be booted from a
USB Flash Disk (UFD). This will be the computer
where the new Windows 7 image will be created.
The second computer doesn't have to be bootable
from a UFD. If you only have one computer see
the box below called "Can the Procedure Be Done
With Only One Computer?" for an optional
procedure.
- Two USB Flash
Disks (UFD) are required. At the minimum they
should each be 8GB capacity; 16GB would be
better in case the image size grows because of
installed applications, updates, and drivers you
add in Step Four.
| Can
the Procedure Be Done With Only One
Computer? |
Yes, it's possible, and truth be told it can
be done with one computer that isn't capable
of being booted from a USB Flash Disk (UFD).
That said, the procedure isn't nearly as
convenient as having two computers, but it's
possible. You'll have to incorporate some
workarounds into the procedure and do some
extra software installations as well as
create a bootable CD to restart the computer
instead of booting from a UFD.
For those of you who find yourself with only
one computer, I'm going to put together an
entirely separate tutorial that deals with
each of the steps and the workarounds you'll
have to incorporate in the procedure. As
soon as the tutorial is complete I'll post a
link here and on the homepage. |
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| Step Two -
Install Required Application Tools |
- The Windows
Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7
is required for this procedure. This is a
free download available from Microsoft. In
spite of the fact it's free, it is a huge
download, tripping the bandwidth meter at
~1700MB. The download will be in .iso format and
will need to be burned to a DVD for installation
on your system.
- If your operating
system (non-Windows 7) doesn't have the ability
to burn .iso files to DVD or you want to create
an .iso or bootable DVD of the image after it's
created you'll also need a DVD manipulation and
burning program of your choice.
- You'll also need a
DVD manipulation and burning program capable of
handling .iso files and extracting boot sector
images if you want an installation media other
than a UFD.
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| Step Three -
Create Bootable USB Flash Disk (UFB) |
- The USB Flash Disk
(UFB) created in this step will be used to
capture the hard disk image that contains
Windows 7 along with any additions and
customizations you have added.
- For years now we
have been used to installing Windows from CD and
DVD's. In this procedure you can certainly
integrate Windows 7 Service Pack 1 into Windows
7 and have it fit comfortably onto a DVD, but
the ability to add drivers, applications, and
other things may well drive the image over DVD
capacity and necessitate UFD installation. With
that in mind I suggest 16GB USB Flash Drives if
at all possible.
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| Step Four -
Windows 7 Installation |
- This is where the
custom installation of Windows is built that
will be imaged. The first step is to do a clean
installation of whatever version of Windows 7 is
desired. After that completes it's time to add
service packs, updates, drivers, applications
-- basically whatever you want to appear in the
completed image.
- It's important to
remember that whatever is installed in this step
will be a part of the final image. Be selective.
Unless all the systems where you deploy the
image will use, for example, the same graphics
card drivers you probably wouldn't want to
include them in the image. On the other hand,
you'd likely want Service Pack 1 on all the
systems so it would be a prime candidate for
inclusion.
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| Step Five -
Clean the Windows 7 Image |
- As part of the
Windows 7 installation in the previous step
there are going to be a few items added that
need to be eliminated using Audit Mode.
- This is called
cleaning or scrubbing the image and is
performed using the Sysprep tool.
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| Step Six -
Generalize the Windows 7 Image |
- This is similar to
the previous step but takes the process a bit
further. It's also done using the Sysprep tool
but with different settings.
- Generalizing the
image is the final clean-up step before actually
capturing the image.
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| Step Seven -
Capture the Windows 7 Image |
- All the changes
and inclusions you wanted to make to the basic
Windows 7 installation are now complete and it's
time to actually capture the new image.
- This is where the
UFD created way back up in Step Three is used to
start or boot the computer where the new image
is located.
- Using ImageX the
new image will be copied from the hard disk of
the computer to the UFD that was used to boot
the computer.
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| Step Eight -
Create the Windows 7 Media |
- Now that the
customized Windows 7 image has been created and
captured it's time to bring the new image
together with the licensed media used to install
Windows 7.
- This step requires
creating a second bootable UFD, copying files
from the licensed Windows 7 media, and
integrating the new install.wim file into the
copied files. Once that is done you have a USB
Flash Drive (UFD) that can be used to install
Windows 7 containing all your service packs,
updates, drivers, and applications on the system
of your choice.
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| Step Nine -
Installing from UFD and Converting A UFD to DVD or
ISO Format |
- It's certainly
preferable to install Windows 7 from a UFD. It's
far faster than installing from a DVD.
Unfortunately all the computers capable of
running Windows 7 quite satisfactorily don't
have the ability to boot from a UFD.
- I'll show you how
to convert the new UFD media into an .iso file
or burn it's contents to a bootable DVD.
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