Capture Windows XP Image using Windows Deployment Services (WDS) in Windows Server 2003

WDS is configured in mixed mode. WDS in mixed mode supports both the Legacy (RiPrep and RiSetup) and .wim based images for capturing and deployment.
This demonstration will focus on capturing Windows XP Image in .wim format. This is applicable in WDS for both mixed and native mode. Native mode supports only .wim based image format.


On the WDS Server
Download Windows Vista Automated Installation kit and burn it to a DVD.
1. Insert the Windows Vista Automated Installation Kit in the DVD Rom Drive.
2. Browse to WINPE.CAB on the root drive and extract the files F1_WINPE and F3_WINPE to a temporary folder.
3. Open the WDS console and browse down to the Server Name.
4. Right Click on Boot Images and click on Add Boot Image.
5. Browse to the location of the folder where the files are extracted and choose F1_WINPE and complete the wizard.
6. Repeat the above process to add the F3_WINPE image.
7. These will add the Vista (x86) and Vista (amd64) based images. We are however interested in x86 based image.


We will now create a WinPE Capture Image for Windows XP from the Windows Vista WinPE images.
8. Right click on Microsoft Windows Vista PE (x86), and click on Create Capture Boot Image.
9. Specify a name (For ex: Windows XP SP2) and save it to a temporary folder location.
10. Right click on Boot Images, and click on Add Boot Image.

11. Browse to the Window XP SP2 Image created in step 9 and import it.




12. Now create an Image group for the Image Capture to be placed in. Right click on Install Images, click on Add Image Group, and specify a name, ex, Windows XP Capture Image.



On The Client (Sysprep the client to be imaged)

1. Deploy Windows XP Pro on a workstation from a deployment CD or PXE Server, along with all the patches and software to be captured in the image.
2. On the System Drive (C:), create a folder by the name sysprep.
3. Browse the Windows XP Deployment CD to location \Support\Tools, extract the Delpoy.cab file to the sysprep folder on C:.
4. Run Setupmgr.exe to create the answer file needed for automatic installation.
5. Select Create a new answer file, and click Next.
6. Choose Sysprep Install, and click Next.
7. Choose Windows XP professional, and click Next.
8. Choose Yes, Fully automate the installation, and click Next.
9. Enter the details for Product Key, Computer Name, Domain, regional settings etc and click Finish to complete. This will create a file by the name sysprep.inf in the sysprep folder.
10. Run sysprep from C:\Sysprep now.
11. This will remove all the SID information from the machine now.
12. Choose the option Mini Setup and click on Reseal, and click on OK. The system will shutdown after completing the operation.
13. Assuming that the system is set to boot from network, restart the workstation and once DHCP IP is obtained, press F12.


Here you will see the Options Provided by the WDS Server to the client. In this case Since WDS is in Mixed mode, the options will be

Microsoft Windows Vista PE (x86)
Windows XP SP2
Remote Installation Services


14. From the Windows Boot Manager, select the capture image created earlier, in this case it is Windows XP SP2.
15. The Windows Vista PE environment will be loaded. Click on Next.
16. On Image Capture Source window, under Volume to Capture, choose C:.Type a name for the Image like, Windows XP Image (It could be the model number of the workstation to be imaged). Specify a Description and click on Next.



17. On Image Capture Destination, under Name and Location, click on Browse, and save the image on the local drive like; C:\Windows XP Capture.wim.
18. Tick the box, Upload Image to WDS Server.
19. Under Server Name, type the IP address or name of the WDS Server and click on Connect.
20. If it errors “The network is not present or not started”, check this.
21. You will be prompted for username and password.
22. Provide the credentials. Select the Image group that we created in the previous section (in this case it is Windows XP Capture Image) and click on Finish.



23. Once the Image capture process completes, it will upload the image to the server.




24. Click on Close. The client workstation will reboot into sysprep. To avoid it, shutdown the system on reboot.
25. The image is placed on the WDS server under the location Drive:\RemoteInstall\Image. A copy on image exists on the client as well.
26. Also the image will show up on the WDS console under the Image group created. In this case; Windows XP Capture Image -> Windows XP Image.

Good Luck!!!