Maintain an Image Using a Configuration Set and DISM (Standard 7 SP1)

7/8/2014

There is more than one method you can use to apply packages and updates to Windows Embedded Standard 7 images. However, the following procedure is the most efficient method, as well as being the least vulnerable to user errors.

To apply packages and updates to Standard 7 images, create a configuration set and resolve dependencies in Image Configuration Editor. You will then apply that configuration set by using Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM).

DISM can only install packages; it cannot copy files referenced with path settings. If you require this copy functionality, you must use Image Builder Wizard. For more information about customizing a running image, see Customize a Running Image.

Hardware and Software Assumptions

  • You have access to either a device currently running Windows Embedded Standard 7 or to a Windows image (WIM) file containing the Standard 7 image you want to update.
  • You have created a validated configuration set using Image Configuration Editor.
    If you are deploying or redeploying feature sets, you must redeploy the appropriate languages for your image to satisfy dependencies. This is true even if you are not adding new languages to your image. Failure to do so can result in an image that does not function correctly.
  • You have installed Standard 7 Toolkit on a development computer.
    The Standard 7 setup process performs several verifications, which rely on the target device's date and time settings. For optimal performance, confirm that the target device is set to the correct date and time.

Apply a configuration set to an offline image with DISM

  1. Create a directory on your development computer and mount your image to that directory by typing the following at the command prompt, replacing <mount_directory> with the directory you want to mount the image to, <wim_file> with the full path of your wim file, <image_number> with the index number of the image you want to mount in the wim file:

    MD <mount_directory>
    DISM /Mount-Wim /WimFile: <wim_file> /Index: <image_number> /MountDir: <mount_directory>
    
  2. Apply the Autounattend.xml file created with your configuration set by typing the following at a command prompt, replacing <mount_directory> with the directory your image is mounted to and <unattend_file> with the full path to your Autounattend.xml:

    DISM /image: <mount_directory> /Apply-Unattend: <unattend_file>
    
  3. Verify that the packages were added to the image by typing the following at a command prompt, replacing <mount_directory> with the directory your image is mounted to:

    DISM /image: <mount_directory> /Get-Packages
    

    The /Get-Packages command lists the corresponding .cab packages rather than return a list of .msu packages.

  4. Unmount the image and commit your changes by typing the following at a command prompt, replacing <mount_directory> with the directory your image is mounted to:

    DISM /Unmount-Wim /MountDir: <mount_directory> /Commit
    

Your image is now updated with the contents of your configuration set.

Apply a configuration set to an online image with DISM

  1. Apply the Autounattend.xml file created with your configuration set by typing the following at a command prompt on your device, replacing <unattend_file> with the full path to the configuration set:

    DISM /Online /Apply-Unattend: <unattend_file>
    
  2. Verify that the packages were added to the image by typing the following at a command prompt:

    DISM /Online /Get-Packages
    

    The /Get-Packages command lists the corresponding .cab packages rather than return a list of .msu packages.

Your device is now updated with the contents of your configuration set.

Troubleshooting

If you receive the error message Error 3: The system cannot find the path specified, then the ConfigSetRoot environment variable is overriding the command-line variable in DISM. This error message occurs when you perform an online installation, and occurs most often when you are installing from the original Standard 7 disk using the Create IBW disk from an Answer File option in Image Configuration Editor.

To fix this issue, remove the value of the environment variable ConfigSetRoot on the target device, and then repeat the procedure.

See Also

Tasks

Create an Answer File in Image Configuration Editor
Add a Package to an Answer File in Image Configuration Editor
Validate an Answer File in Image Configuration Editor

Concepts

Distribution Shares in Standard 7

Other Resources

Deployment Image Servicing and Management Technical Reference
Deployment Image Servicing and Management Technical Reference