Windows 7: ImageX - Create an ISO from a VHD

Orbital Shark · 17 Jun 2009

With all the latest leaks i thought i'd post this 'How To' to help people who want an ISO but have to wait for 1 to be created and uploaded.

Cashis
for the kickstart and final test, and
SoLoR
for the command line options.

ikilledkenny
for creating the tutorial

You will need to download & extract imagex.zip

Note

It's best to extract to C:\ as this is the easiest destination to navigate to

Firstly:

Follow the instructions Here on how to attatch a VHD file.

Step 1: Modify existing ISO

1, Open an elevated command prompt, type cmd into the Start Menu, when it appears right-click and select 'Run as Administrator' then agree to any UAC prompt.
Type the following once Command Prompt is open

Code:

c:
cd\
imagex /compress maximum /flags "Ultimate" /capture x: c:\install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate"

X is the drive of the newly attathed VHD
This will now begin creating a new install.wim file.

2, Now open an ISO editing application (UltraISO is a good 1, you may need to search for 'free ISO editors') and open an ISO file for a previous build of Windows 7 (e.g. 7201). Navigate to \Sources and locate install.wim and delete it, then add the newly created file to the ISO in \Sources.

3, Save the ISO, burn a disk image and boot from it. You will notice that the install is for the previous build but the files and arhitecture are for the latest build.

Note

Unregistered ISO editors can only save 300MB, that is why a search for 'free ISO editors' is needed

Step 2: Extract & re-burn ISO

Follow the instructions in Convert a VHD File to a ISO File kindly created by ikilledkenny

Information

The only ISOs that work with the 7260 VHD seem to be 7201 & 7100, so if you have that, the 'How To' should work

Note

ISOs made with 7100 can only be upgraded by running the setup.exe in compatability mode for Vista

Cashis · 17 Jun 2009

Great work mate top Post

works 100% and very easy.Thanks again

andythecurefan · 17 Jun 2009

i will try this the next time a VHD gets leaked. thank you.

G2gCya · 17 Jun 2009

does the software i installed still remain in the vhd? so i can make a vhd and convert it into iso, does this mean that when i do a window 7 setup using my iso, all the software i had installed will be preinstalled?

Shak 10 · 17 Jun 2009

Good post should help Noobies alot

Orbital Shark · 17 Jun 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by G2gCya

does the software i installed still remain in the vhd? so i can make a vhd and convert it into iso, does this mean that when i do a window 7 setup using my iso, all the software i had installed will be preinstalled?

Unfortunately not, only the Windows specific files will be extracted, sorry.

Orbital Shark · 17 Jun 2009

Information

The only ISOs that work with the 7260 VHD seem to be 7201 & 7100, so if you have that, the 'How To' should work

Note

ISOs made with 7100 cannot be upgraded, only clean installs work

Mark · 17 Jun 2009

Very helpful, thanks Orbital Shark.

+Rep

Penryn · 17 Jun 2009

will try it once im finished with the downloads

njel · 17 Jun 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Orbital Shark

Information

The only ISO that works with the 7260 VHD is 7100, so if you have that, the 'How To' should work

Note

ISOs made this way cannot be upgraded, only clean installs work

I have done it with the ISO 7201 and a new install in a VM.
I an trying to upgrade now a 7201 VM with the same ISO based on the 7201 ISO and 7260 VHD.

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