WinPE, ImageX and
ADK
Review
Windows 2012 Server, Roles, Features
 Install Rules, Best Practices
 How did the install go? Issues, weird
things…what happened?

Learning Goal

I will learn how to create a WinPE bootdisk and
operate ImageX to create baselines and
images of servers and workstations
Agenda
Imaging in General
 Microsoft AIK
 Windows PE
 ImageX

Workstation Imaging

Process of moving one workstations files and
settings to another
◦ Forensic backup
◦ Workstation Deployment
Backwards in Time
Norton Ghost was
the Standard for
imaging for many
years
Systems Integration
Systems Integration and Management Services
 Administrator Controlled Desktops around the
enterprise
 Application management, Inventory and
Software Licence control
 Naturally admins wanted one tool to rule them
all

The Poor Cousin

Microsoft System Center / SMS
◦ In the past: difficult to understand, clunky, hard to
use, needed other tools to work with it
◦ Today: Easier to deploy, functional, clean interface
◦ Eating into the systems management market
IMAGEX
Flexible, easy to use command line tool to
image machines for fast deployment
 Small and Powerful
 The netcat of the imaging world
 CLI

Microsoft ADK / AIK
Automated Deployment Kit
 Automated Install Kit
 A collection of free tools for administrators to
manage desktop and server deployments
 Marketing – sold users on getting Microsoft tools
to pave the way for SCCM sales.

ImageX Capabilities
Hardware independent imaging
 Driver injection
 Completely silent operation
 Lightweight image format (wim)

Necessary Tools
Windows Workstation Separate from the Server
(admin station)
 Microsoft Windows ADK for Windows 8
 A high volume USB stick – or second hard drive
 A burnable CD-R or DVD-R

Installing
www.microso
ft.com/enca/downloa
d/details.asp
x?id=30652
 Internet
download

Steps outline
Creating a PE Bootdisk
 Using ImageX

Windows PE

Windows Preinstall Environment
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Self contained imaging platform
Easy to manage
Flexible (Drivers, Network)
Small
USB / ROM Media
Creating the WinPE Image

Windows
Environmental
Variables- Click
the Deployment
and Imaging
Tools Icon from
Windows Kits >
Windows ADK
Copy all files needed
Copype.cmd amd64 C:\winpe
Copy Batch File
Processor Arch
Destination
Win PE Boot Files
Creating an ISO
MakeWinPEMedia /ISO C:\winpe C:\winpe.iso
Make Batch File
Run Mode
Source Files
Destination
• Open the ISO and Drag Imagex.exe into it
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\Assessment
and Deployment Kit\Deployment
Tools\amd64\DSIM\
• Save the ISO
Folder Structure
Self Contained Windows Environment
WinPE With USB

Make sure it’s formatted
Source
MakeWinPEMedia /UFD C:\winpe_amd64 F:
Destination
Command
Tyoe
Capturing with Windows PE
Calling
command
Mode Flag
Image
Comment
imagex.exe /capture C: path\filename.wim "Comment" /verify
What to image
Verify after save?
Where to save
Deploying PC’s
Generally, PC’s will arrive from the factory with
an OS – crapware, or not your image installed
on C:
 An important component is to wipe the drive
before starting
 WinPE Tool called diskpart is used for this

Diskpart Structured Command Example
Command
Explication
Diskpart.exe
Launches diskpart
Select disk 0
Selects the hard drive
Clean
Erases all partitions from the
drive
imagex.exe
/capture
"Comment"
/verify
Create
partition
primary C: path\filename.wim
Creates a primary
partition
Format fs=ntfs Quick
Formats NTFS File system
Select partition 1
Select the first partition
Active
Make it bootable
Assign letter = C
Assign the drive letter
Exit
Deploying with Windows PE
Calling
command
HDD to deploy
Drive
imagex.exe /apply *path\file.wim* 1 C:
Mode Flag
Path to WIM file