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Jhoncena1234 (talk | contribs) i installed windows flp and embedded 2009 they only a boot.wim the install files are still in i386 folder |
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{{Short description|File format}}
{{Infobox file format
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| extension = {{mono|.wim}}, {{mono|.swm}}, {{mono|.esd}}
| mime = application/x-ms-wim<ref name="x-ms-wim">{{cite web|url=https://reposcope.com/mimetype/application/x-ms-wim|title=application/x-ms-wim|access-date=2019-03-10|archive-date=2021-09-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904111110/https://reposcope.com/mimetype/application/x-ms-wim|url-status=dead}}</ref>
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| extendedfrom =
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| magic = {{mono|MSWIM\0\0\0}} / {{mono|WLPWM\0\0\0}} for wimlib [[Pipeline (Unix)|pipable]] variant<ref name="wimcapture">{{cite web|url=https://wimlib.net/man1/wimcapture.html|title=WIMCAPTURE|language=en|date=2018-11-24|access-date=2019-03-10}}</ref>
}}
The '''Windows Imaging Format''' ('''WIM''') is a [[Computer file|file]]-based [[disk image]] [[file format|format]]. It was developed by [[Microsoft]] to help deploy [[Windows Vista]] and subsequent versions of the [[Windows]] [[operating system]] family
== Design ==
Like other [[disk image]] formats, a WIM [[Computer file|file]] contains a set of files and associated [[filesystem]] [[metadata]]. However, unlike [[Disk sector|sector]]-based formats (such as [[ISO image|ISO]] or [[VHD (file format)|VHD]]), WIM is file-based:
The primary advantages of being file-based is hardware independence and [[single-instance storage]] of a file referenced multiple times in the filesystem tree. Since the files are stored inside a single WIM file, the overhead of opening and closing many individual files is reduced. The cost of reading or writing many thousands of individual files on the local disk is negated by hardware and software-based [[disk buffer|disk caching]] as well as sequential reading and writing of the data.
WIM files can contain multiple disk images, which are referenced either by their numerical index or by their unique name. Due to the use of single-instance storage, the more each successive disk image has in common with previous images added to the WIM file, the less new data will be added. A WIM can also be split (spanned) into multiple parts, which have the
WIM images can be made [[booting|bootable]]
Since [[Windows 8.1]], the size of Windows directory can be reduced by moving system files into compressed WIM images stored on a separate hidden partition ([[NTFS#WIMBoot|WIMBoot]]).<ref name=wimboot>[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-8.1-and-8/dn594399(v=win.10) Windows Image File Boot (WIMBoot) Overview]</ref> Since [[Windows 10]], system files can be compressed on the system disk ([[NTFS#CompactOS|CompactOS]]).<ref name=compactos>{{cite web |title=Compact OS, single-instancing, and image optimization |url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/compact-os |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=1 October 2019 |language=en-us}}</ref>
WIM supports three families of [[LZ77]]-based compression algorithms in ascending ratio and descending speed: XPRESS,<ref name=ms-xca>{{cite web | url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/openspecs/windows_protocols/ms-xca/ | title=[MS-XCA]: Xpress Compression Algorithm | date=31 January 2023 }}</ref> [[LZX]], and LZMS.<ref name=wmilib-compression>[https://wimlib.net/compression.html wimlib: the open source Windows Imaging (WIM) library - Compression algorithm]</ref> The former two use [[Huffman encoding]], while the latter uses adaptive Huffman encoding with [[range coding]].<ref name=wimlib-compression-type>{{cite web |last1=Biggers |first1=Eric |title=wimlib_compression_type |url=https://wimlib.net/apidoc/group__G__general.html#gaf713fb36023a651f206a546e645ad09e |website=Wimlib documentation |access-date=2 October 2019}}</ref> There is also support for [[solid compression]]. Both solid compression and LZMS are introduced more recently, in WIMGAPI from Windows 8 and [[DISM]] from Windows 8.1.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Biggers |first1=Eric |title=WIMLIB_WRITE_FLAG_SOLID |url=https://wimlib.net/apidoc/group__G__writing__and__overwriting__wims.html#gab40a17c158783415c4c0dfa0de8b740c |website=Wimlib documentation}}</ref>
WIM uses [[SHA-1]] algorithm to calculate checksum for whole archive.<ref> {{Cite web |title=assorted/documentation/Windows Imaging (WIM) file format.asciidoc at main · libyal/assorted |url=https://github.com/libyal/assorted/blob/main/documentation/Windows%20Imaging%20(WIM)%20file%20format.asciidoc |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=GitHub |language=en}}</ref>
== Tools ==
=== ImageX ===
ImageX is the command-line tool used to create, edit and deploy [[Windows]] disk images in the Windows Imaging Format.
The first distributed prototype of ImageX was
▲ImageX is the command-line tool used to create, edit and deploy [[Windows]] disk images in the Windows Imaging Format. It is distributed as part of the free [[Windows Automated Installation Kit]] (WAIK). Starting with [[Windows Vista]], Windows Setup uses the WAIK API to install Windows.
▲The first distributed prototype of ImageX was build 6.0.4007.0 (main.030212-2037). It allowed Microsoft [[OEM]] partners to experiment with the imaging technology and was developed in parallel with [[List of Microsoft codenames#Longhorn|Longhorn]] alpha prototypes. It was first introduced in Milestone 4 into the Longhorn project, and used in later builds of Longhorn. Build 6.0.5384.4 added significant advantages over previous versions, like read-only and read/write folder mounting capabilities, splitting to multiple image files (SWM), a WIM filter driver and the latest [[LZX|LZX compression]] algorithms. It has been used since pre-RC (release candidates) of Windows Vista.
=== DISM ===
{{Main|Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit}}
Deployment Image Service and Management Tool (DISM) is a tool introduced in Windows 7<ref name=DISM-WinITPro /> and Windows Server 2008 R2<ref name=DISM-WinITPro /> that can perform servicing tasks on a Windows installation image, be it an online image (i.e. the one the user is running) or an offline image within a folder or WIM file. Its features include mounting and unmounting images, querying installed device drivers in an offline image, and adding a device driver to an offline image.<ref name=DISM-WinITPro>{{cite web |url=http://windowsitpro.com/systems-management/q-whats-deployment-image-servicing-and-management-dism |title=Q. What's Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)? |work=
Before
▲Deployment Image Service and Management Tool (DISM) is a tool introduced in Windows 7<ref name=DISM-WinITPro /> and Windows Server 2008 R2<ref name=DISM-WinITPro /> that can perform servicing tasks on a Windows installation image, be it an online image (i.e. the one the user is running) or an offline image within a folder or WIM file. Its features include mounting and unmounting images, querying installed device drivers in an offline image, and adding a device driver to an offline image.<ref name=DISM-WinITPro>{{cite web |url=http://windowsitpro.com/systems-management/q-whats-deployment-image-servicing-and-management-dism |title=Q. What's Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)? |work=[[Windows IT Pro]] |publisher=[[Penton (company)|Penton]] |date=29 January 2010 |first=John |last=Savill}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824821.aspx|title=Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) Technical Reference|date=29 February 2012|accessdate=6 Oct 2012|publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://technet.microsoft.com/library/dd744566 |title=What Is Deployment Image Servicing and Management? |date=22 October 2009 |accessdate=14 Dec 2012 |work=[[Microsoft TechNet]] |publisher=Microsoft}}</ref>
Windows 8.1 added ability to apply and capture disk images, and Windows 10 extended image applying, by adding compression.
▲Before Window Server 2012 and Windows 8, DISM had incorporated the majority of ImageX functions but not all; ImageX was still needed for image capture.<ref name=DISM-WinITPro /> However, DISM [[deprecated]] ImageX in Windows 8.<ref>{{cite web|title=What is DISM?|url=https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh825236.aspx|website=[[Microsoft TechNet|TechNet]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|date=18 April 2014}}</ref>
=== {{anchor|wimlib}} Support in other operating systems ===
Since April 30, 2012, an open
As WIM images
▲Since April 30, 2012, an open source library dedicated to handling the WIM format, has been made available. This library can be used on UNIX-like systems as well as on Windows. Thanks to this project, GNU/Linux distributions now have their own imagex clone called wimlib-imagex which allows to mount WIM images and manage them (read/write) like any other file systems.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/projects/wimlib/|title=wimlib, a library to create, extract, and modify Windows Imaging (WIM) files|accessdate=4 May 2014}}</ref>
For other operating systems that might not support this format, it is still possible to convert .wim images to the more commonly used [[.iso|ISO image]] using the [[Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit]] on Windows.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/office/en-US/164c629a-c702-4b46-b3a2-6441e7e7f6ed/wim-to-iso-or-what |title=WIM to ISO or what |date=September 4, 2007 |access-date=October 30, 2016}}</ref>
▲As WIM images are basically using the [[LZX|LZX compression]] algorithm, they can be accessed by using [[file archiver]]s like [[7-Zip]].
== See also ==
* [[Windows Preinstallation Environment]]
* [[System Deployment Image]]
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{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/e/f/fefdc36e-392d-4678-9e4e-771ffa2692ab/Windows%20Imaging%20File%20Format.rtf Windows Imaging Format Whitepaper that describes the internal file structure of WIM files]
* [
{{Disk images}}
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