Windows 7: WAIK (Windows Automated Installation Kit)

I'm thinking of giving this little gadget a try but I'm a complete n00b to messing with OS installs. I usually install the vanilla and then spend weeks tweaking.



As a starter for ten, if I get my head around this kit am I going to have to buy the new version/ learn again from scratch/ be disappointed in some other way if I'm thinking of modifying my Windows 7 install when I get my hands on the retail version?

have you looked at vlite?

zidane24 has done an excellent tutorial.

OF Course he has. He always does

Ken

Errm, no. Well not yet.

Give me the morning and I'll have read half of it. Work's boring anyway

Additional question, if I do all this and modify the RC version of Windows 7 I'm presuming that upon receipt of the retail Windows 7 I can apply the same processes as I've gone through with the RC or would I require a new WAIK version too?

i would assume the same WAIK would still work.

i'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong?

There will be a new WAIK for obvious reasons

Wait, I just down to the bit where people tell you that were you to do this then you can't apply service packs... which is a bit of a swine.

Surely this eats up any time you may have saved initially? Surely then you have to redo your entire custom install and start from scratch? This can't be ideal.

Edit -
Hang on.. people use this for corporate deployment right? So basically they don't receive the service packs until the IT department can be bothered to clean install all the machines? It's no wonder most large businesses are working on archaic OSs.

The WAIK creates a file set. That file set includes the OS installation files, drivers, apps and customization instructions. To update the OS, you will replace the OS installation files within the WAIK generated file set.

When a service pack is released, you can extract and incorporate the SP into the OS installation files, inside the WAIK set. You can also apply the SP to the OS installation files in a separate directory and then place the updated files in the WAIK set. This is a long standing methodology.

While online information regarding WAIK methods may be difficult for some to find, check out the numerous articles available on Windows XP slipstreaming. Try ElderGeek.

WAIK is only really usefull if you have 1000 or so machines that need updating, a System Administrator does not want to have to manually install each update onto each machine and that's why WAIK was created.

Its also how WAIK works, if you customize your installation CD then your removing components from the system, the ServicePack installation can not guarantee the updates/security fixes will be successfully applied because you removed half the Windows Components its going to update and trying to install a ServicePack onto a customized installation will fail for this reason.

Once a service pack is released you will need to use your original non-customized install disk to create a new customized WAIK setup that the service pack can use to apply all fixes and updates, after the ServicePack is integrated with that non-customized WIAK installation you can then once again customize the installation.