Building a Common Image - Developing a common software image for the HP dc7900, Elite 8000 and 6000 Pro desktop models

 Search www.microsoft.com for the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK).
The WAIK autorun page contains links to the other Application Compatibility
and Deployment toolkits.
Windows Licensing Notice
This document does not provide a license to create and/or distribute an operating
system image. This document is intended to be a technical resource for those who
have the proper license to deploy Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, or
Windows 7 operating systems.
The operating system license shipped with HP PC‘s does not grant re-imaging and
deployment rights. Before using the document to deploy an image, please contact
your Microsoft licensing representative to obtain the proper license agreements. HP
cannot be held liable if a customer uses this document to create or deploy an
image that violates Microsoft license agreements.
Definition of Terms
This document will detail processes that use the following terms.
Product Family—A product family is defined as a set of form-factor types within
a numerically-defined series. For example, the dc7900 product family consists of
the convertible mini-tower, small form factor, and ultra-small form factor. While the
ultra-small form factor machines are considered to be within a product family, their
size could dictate some hardware differences including possible chipset
components. These differences in hardware components do not negate the
possibility of a common image; however, they do add risk and complexity.
Common Image—For the purposes of this paper, a ―Common Image‖ is defined
as an operating system image that works across multiple hardware platforms such
as the dc7900, 8000 Elite and 6000 Pro products.
Identical Image—An ―Identical Image‖ is an operating system image that is
deployed across machines of a single product line, all using the exact same
hardware options, or configuration. If you are creating an ―Identical Image‖, you
can disregard the section entitled ―obtaining drivers for the product family‖.
Driver Support—Driver support in a common image includes the functionality
that can be obtained via an INF-based install of the driver by the operating system.
This includes device recognition and basic functionality; however, any functionality
that is normally achieved by running a setup program will not be available. For
information on adding setup application processing, please see the section entitled
―extending the process‖.
Reference Machine—The Reference Machine is the term used to describe the
system that is being used to perform work to pool drivers, customize software and
set OS options and parameters. This will be the machine from which the image is
captured.
ImageX—This is a Microsoft command-line tool for capturing, servicing, and
applying Windows Imaging Format (WIM) files, which are file-based Windows disk
images used by Windows Vista. This, in addition to other tools documentation and
samples to enable the IT professional to perform automated deployment of the
Windows Vista or Windows 7operating system, is available in the Microsoft