Windows 7 slipstreaming with Dism++

SIW2 said:

Ideally, you should have updated the lowest edition (Starter ), then saved it 4 times, then changed editions and names on those 4 saved images.

That is how 7updater does it.

Yeah, I figured that after the fact. But it's unlikely I'll ever use Starter, didn't even know it existed until now.

Question remains, how do I get ALL versions to show up on the list at install time? As I said, I only get the Home Basic versions.

Excellent. Used the Image-Properties tools as well, time to give it a test run now.

Ok, so I deleted the ei.cfg file and that seems to have broken something. The ISO is not recognised as an installer anymore.

If I add the ei.cgf file back, the ISO becomes a Home Basic installer again and works fine, with updated image names in the version selector as expected.

I must say I've updated the Image Name/Description and Edition too, even though I only had to update Display name/Description.

Paul Black said:

Hi Miller13,

[1] How did you delete it?
[2] Did you use the ei.cfg removal tool?

You simply run the => eicfg_removal_utility against the ISO.

I hope this helps!

I have an unpacked version of the Windows 7 installer which was used with DISM++, so I deleted the ei.cfg file manually, before making another ISO.

SIW2 said:

Deleting ei.cfg is standard practice.

Don't know what you are trying to say with rest of your post.

Are you able to select any of the images now using the normal windows setup?

What I was saying is I've changed Image descriptors to Home Premium, Pro etc. in all 5 fields (see pict). You mentioned only 2 fields (Display Name and Description) need to be modified. Just saying in case it's relevant and I wasn't supposed to.

I also deleted Image 1 and Image 6 (Starter installers).

So with that in mind, I removed the ei.cfg file, compiled the ISO with DISM++ and it's not being recognised as an installer anymore. My test rig is Parallels under Mac OS, it normally lets you select and ISO file for a fresh install. Also trying to create a bootable USB with the official Microsoft Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool gives an error.

If I add back the ei.cfg file and compile the ISO again, it installs under Parallels (with 2 selectable options: Home Basic and Home Basic Slipstreamed - just as expected). The Microsoft bootable USB maker also complete the process successfully.

SIW2 said:

Removing the ei.cfg file has no effect on the viability of an iso.

Something else went wrong.

Indeed, I made a mistake in making the ISO (targeting the wrong folder). When I put the ei.cfg file back in, I targeted the right folder, of course

Anyway, the installer without the ei.cfg file is now being recognised as such, but still, it only gives me the two Home Basic options. Very strange. I think the problem is with the Windows 7 installer that I originally used. So I took the original unmodified installer (as I said, it was downloaded from the-eye.eu - reputable site), extracted it, done nothing to it except removing the ei.cfg file manually, make it back into an ISO and when I try to install it - it does NOT give me options. Goes straight to installing Home Basic. That's not how an original Microsoft installer behaves, so they must have done something to it.