POLL: POWERSHELL VS. GUI - DO YOU WANT TO BE A DEVOP OR AN ADMIN?
FREE: GImageX – A GUI for ImageX
By Michael Pietroforte - g+ - Tue, February 17, 2009 - 5 comments Michael Pietroforte is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) with more than 28 years of experience in system administration.
I always have wondered why there is no GUI version for ImageX, Microsoft’s tool for managing WIM images. Now I wonder why I have never heard of GImageX, a free graphic user interface for ImageX. I have to thank Claus Valca, who mentioned it in a comment here on 4sysops.
GImageX requires ImageX because it uses the Microsoft WIMGAPI API, so you have to install the WAIK before using GImageX. GImageX supports all important ImageX features. The only command I didn’t find is the /dir option, which lists the complete contents of a volume image. This feature is useful only in scripts anyway. If you want to display an image’s directory structure, you better mount it to a folder.
The current version, GImageX v2.0.14, supports only WAIK 1.1, i.e., the version for Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008. You can use it on Windows PE too. GImageX v2.0.15 BETA also works with the Windows 7 beta WAIK. The downloadable ZIP file contains x86 and x64 editions, plus a COM DLL that allows the use of GImageX in programs and scripts. The examples in the documentation are in VBScript.
GImageX is a useful extension of ImageX. Especially if you work only every now and then with WIM images, you will find GImageX more convenient and you probably will accomplish your tasks quicker than with ImageX
Now, I am waiting for someone to offer a GUI extension for DISM, the Windows 7 command line tool for managing WIM and VHD images.
GImageX
(6 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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Could you please provide step by step instruction with possible screenshot of 1. How to create a WIM file of existing OS. 2. How to deploy or install the images.
Thanks and regards
Rais
Thanks so much for taking the time to keep the web site going. I’ve been using your site for well over a year now. In particular, these posts about ImageX have proven to be quite helpful. I’m building a custom WinPE for our new Norton Ghost rollout to our IT department. The information on your web site has saved me countless hours. I appreciate your time Michael.
I have created a GUI tool for Imagex, it builds out the entire environment (.Net application) so you can just copy the files to a flash drive. It can also create recovery partitions like OEM’s with restore functionality (F Key or boot menu). I also built out the WinPE portion so users can map/save drives and add pen drive apps for fighting viruses. http://www.epeffigy.com. It is freeware but not open source.
For version 3, how about an append option? The greatest improvement for imagex over ghost is it’s ability to have multiple indexes and prevent the storage of redudant files.
http://dismgui.codeplex.com/