Deploy an Image from a UFD (Standard 7 SP1)

  • Article

7/8/2014

Windows Embedded Standard 7 allows you to create images that can be stored, deployed, and started from USB flash drives (UFDs). Because the UFD deployment method is completely manual, it is slower than a network-based deployment method. However, the UFD deployment method enables a high degree of manual customization, and can also enable you to build multiple identical computers quickly.

Hardware and Software Assumptions

Note

If you deploy an image that has not been prepared with Sysprep onto a bootable UFD, the performance of the UFD will be greatly reduced during the first two boot instances. The compromised performance of the UFD occurs because the nonRemovable key is not created in the Windows Registry during the boot instance.

Key Concepts and Technologies

This guide assumes that you have a basic understanding of ImageX. For more information, see ImageX Command-Line Options.

To deploy an image from a UFD

  1. From the UFD, boot the target destination device to Windows PE.

    Note

    The Standard 7 setup process performs several verifications that 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.

  2. Type the following at the command prompt to run the DiskPart tool on the target destination device:

    diskpart

    Note

    A single-partition setup is not supported when the BitLocker feature is included in the image. For more information about BitLocker, see Bitlocker Secure Startup.

  3. Type the following at the DiskPart command prompt to determine the disk number and device size to be used for the next step:

    list disk

  4. Type the following commands at the DiskPart command prompt to partition and format the target destination device and make it bootable, replacing <disk_number> with the disk number of the target destination device, <device_size> with the capacity of the target destination device (in MB) and <partition_number> with the number of the partition you want to install your image to:

    Note

    In most cases, the partition number will be 1.

    select disk <disk_number>
clean
create partition primary size=<device_size>
select partition <partition_number>
active
format fs=ntfs quick
assign letter = C
exit

  5. To install an image to the target destination device from the .wim file on the UFD, type the following at the command prompt, replacing <ufd_drive> with the drive letter of your UFD drive, <wim_file> with the full path of your wim file on the UFD, <image_number> with the index number of your image in the wim file and <destination_drive> with the drive letter of the device drive you want to deploy the image to:

                                            <ufd_drive>:\imagex /check /verify /apply <wim_file> <image_number> <destination_drive>:\

    Note

    Be sure the index of the image you are applying is correct because .wim files can contain more than one image.

  6. Type the following at the command prompt to use the BCDBoot tool to update the BCD store, replacing <destination_drive> with the drive letter of the device drive you applied the image to:

    bcdboot <destination_drive>:\windows /s <destination_drive>:

  7. From the command prompt, reboot the target-destination device.The Windows installation will continue after the reboot until the image is completely installed.

See Also

Concepts

USB Boot Overview
Deployment Methods