Windows System Kit
The Windows System Kit (WSK) has all the tools and resources you need to build, test, and manage Factory OS images. You can copy the WSK files to a local PC, or run it directly from a network location, without being installed on your PC.
Get started with the Windows System kit by launching the build environment and creating a workspace. Your workspace will include a sample image configuration file, based on the options you choose when you created your workspace, that you can use as a starting point when you configure your image.
Although you can successfully build a Factory OS image using just the sample configuration files and the contents of the Windows System Kit, you can easily use the scripts and tools in the WSK to customize your image. See Image creation overview for a high-level overview of how you can customize images.
Windows System Kit concepts
Build Environment
The Build Environment (or Windows system kit environment) is a command-line environment that allows you to easily work with the tools in the Windows System Kit. When you're working with the Windows System Kit, you'll want to run all your commands in this environment.
You can launch the build environment by runing SetImagGenEnv.cmd from the root folder of the WSK ISO.
Workspace
A workspace is a working directory that helps organize the apps, drivers, and other assets needed to create a Factory OS image. Workspaces contain OEM-owned content. All Microsoft-provided tooling is delivered in the Windows System Kit.
You can create one workspace for each device design, or you can use the same workspace to create many device designs. Workspaces can be version-controlled using tools like Git. Each device design is defined by its own image configuration file.
The Workspace is the starting point of building a Factory OS image with the Windows System Kit. See Get started with a workspace to learn how to build your first workspace.
Minimum requirements
The Windows System Kit can be used on a PC running Windows 10, version 1809, or later.
Telemetry collected by the Windows system kit
When you're opted in to the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP), The Windows system kit (WSK) collects the following telemetry. You can opt-in or opt-out of the CEIP when you Prepare a workspace.
Microsoft.Windows.Kits.WSK.WskWorkspaceCreate:
| Name | DataType | Description | Data category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase | string | Workspace creation stage. Values are "Start" or "End" | Product/service usage |
| WorkspaceArchitecture | string | OS Architecture that workspace will target. | Product/service usage |
| WorkspaceOsEdition | string | OS Edition that workspace will target. | Product/service usage |
| WskVersion | string | Version of the Windows System Kit being used. | Product/service usage |
Microsoft.Windows.Kits.WSK.WskImageCustomization
| Name | DataType | Description | Data category |
|---|---|---|---|
| CustomizationMode | string | Mode of update to image configuration files. Values are "New" or "Update" | Product/service usage |
| CustomizationType | string | Type of update to image configuration files. Values are "Apps" or "Drivers" | Product/service usage |
| Phase | string | Configuration phase. Values are "Start" or "End" | Product/service usage |
| WskVersion | string | Version of the Windows System Kit being used. | Product/service usage |
Microsoft.Windows.Kits.WSK.WskImageCreate
| Name | DataType | Description | Data category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase | string | Image creation phase. Values are "Start" or "End" | Product/service usage |
| WskVersion | string | Version of the Windows System Kit being used. | Product/service usage |