WIM vs. VHD vs. FFU: comparing image file formats
Comparing .WIM, .VHD/.VHDX, and .FFU: These file formats are all used to deploy Windows to new devices. Here's how they compare:
| Area | Windows image (.WIM) | Virtual Hard Disk (.VHD/VHDX) | Full Flash Update (.FFU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common uses | Fastest for testing and modifying Windows images. Can store multiple image variations in the same .WIM file, often with little additional storage required. |
Easiest for deploying Windows to virtual PCs. You can boot a new device directly from a single VHD/VHDX file. |
Fastest for capturing and deploying Windows on a factory floor. |
| Imaging style | File-based | Sector-based | Sector-based |
| Compression | Supports multiple types of compression | None | Xpress-Huffman is used by default when an FFU is captured with DISM |
| What does it capture? | A set of files, up to an entire partition. | Captures the full set of drive information, including partitions. | Captures the full set of drive information, including partitions. |
| When I apply the image, what happens? | Adds the files and folders to the partition. If there are existing files and folders with the same names, they're replaced. Otherwise, the existing files are kept. |
Cleans the entire drive. | Cleans the entire drive. |
| Can I deploy to different sizes of hard drives? | Yes. | Yes, though the new drive must be the same size or larger than the original. | Yes, though the new drive must be the same size or larger than the original. |
| Can I modify the images? | Yes. With tools like DISM, you can mount, modify, and unmount the image. | Yes, you can mount a VHD/VHDX as if it were removable media, and modify the files. | Yes. With tools like DISM, you can mount, modify, and unmount the image. |
| Reliability | Includes a catalog and hash table to validate a signature upfront before flashing onto a device. The hash table is generated during capture, and validated when applying the image. |
To learn more, see /Apply-Image in DISM Image Management Command-Line Options.
Related topics
DISM Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) Command-Line Options
VHD/VHDX Boot to VHD (Native Boot): Add a Virtual Hard Disk to the Boot Menu
Deploy Windows on a VHD (Native Boot)