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Open a Windows Image or Catalog File

  • Article

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2

Note

This content applies to Windows 7. For Windows 8 content, see Windows Deployment with the Windows ADK.

To create an answer file, you must first open a Windows® image (.wim) file or catalog (.clg) file in Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM). For more information on images and catalog files, see Understanding Windows Image Files and Catalog Files.

When Windows SIM opens a Windows image file or catalog file, all of the configurable components and packages inside that image are displayed in the Windows Image pane. You can then add components and settings to an answer file. For information on answer files, see Work with Answer Files.

To open a Windows image or catalog file

  1. Copy the Windows image (.wim) or catalog (.clg) file to your technician computer.

    • To create an answer file based on the default Windows image, copy the catalog file from the Windows Retail DVD. The catalog files are in the \Sources folder.

    • To create an answer file based on a customized Windows image, copy your customized Windows image (.wim) file to the technician computer.

  2. On the technician computer, open Windows SIM.

  3. On the File menu, click Select Windows Image.

    The Select a Windows Image dialog box opens.

  4. In the Select a Windows Image dialog box, select the file type in the Files of type drop-down list box, and then navigate to a Windows image (.wim) or catalog (.clg) file.

    If you open a Windows image file, Windows SIM will automatically create a catalog of that Windows image.

  5. If there is more than one type of Windows image in the file, select a specific Windows image in the Select an Image box.

  6. Click Open. If you have not previously opened that Windows image file or have not refreshed the catalog file recently, Windows SIM prompts you to create or recreate the catalog file. For more information, see Create or Recreate a Catalog.

    The .wim file or .clg file appears in the Windows Image pane.

See Also

Concepts

Open an Answer File
Add a Component to an Answer File
Customize a Setting in an Answer File
Create or Recreate a Catalog
Create or Open a Distribution Share