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Create a WIM Image with WinPE –

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Bychris_fry

To create a .wim image using WinPE (Windows Preinstallation Environment), boot your reference computer into WinPE media, then use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command-line tool to capture the partition contents into a .wim file.

Capture the Image with DISM

  • Boot your PC using your WinPE bootable USB drive.
  • At the WinPE command prompt, identify your drive letters using diskpart or dir (note that Windows drive letters can shift in WinPE).
  • Run the DISM capture command:
    Dism /Capture-Image /ImageFile:D:\custom-image.wim /CaptureDir:C:\ /Name:"MyCustomImage" /Compress:fast
  • Replace C:\ with the drive letter of the operating system you want to capture, and D:\custom-image.wim with your destination path (such as an external USB or network share)