How ImageX Works
Applies To: Windows 7
Note
This content applies to Windows 7. For Windows 8 content, see Windows Deployment with the Windows ADK.
ImageX is an imaging tool built from a set of APIs known as Imaging APIs for Windows®. The primary purpose of ImageX is to capture, modify, and apply images for deployment in a manufacturing or corporate IT environment. ImageX supports the new Windows image (.wim) format.
ImageX Architecture
ImageX relies on several components, including the ImageX executable (ImageX.exe), the WIM File System Filter (Wimmount.sys, Wimmount.inf, and Wimserv.exe), the WIM API set, and the .wim file format.
Important
You cannot run multiple versions of WIMMount Filter on the same machine. You must uninstall any previous versions.
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
ImageX.exe |
An executable program that uses an API layer to support interaction with the .wim file. This interaction includes capturing the image, compressing the image, mounting and unmounting the image, applying the image, and so on. |
WIM File System Filter |
After installing the WIM FS Filter driver, the WIM File System Filter handles the browsing and editing capabilities for the .wim file. After you mount a .wim file to a directory, the filter monitors all file system requests for files or data and maps the requests to the appropriate data within the .wim file. This enables you to view the contents of your image file from any standard file-management tool, such as Windows Explorer. The offline servicing of your image enables you to view and edit your .wim files without having to reapply and recapture the image. To mount and edit the contents of your .wim file, a user-mode tool and a kernel-mode file-system filter interact with each other using a communication protocol and the WIM API set. |
WIM API set |
The API layer that interacts with both the ImageX executable program and the WIM FS Filter driver. It is also the primary interface for third-party tools and setup technology. The APIs can be categorized into the following functions:
|
Windows image (.wim) file |
A collection of image files that contain an operating system and its components. The ImageX tool uses the .wim file format for capture, offline servicing, and the deployment process, providing a comprehensive imaging solution for your deployment scenarios. |