4sysops - Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) for Vista available for download

Update: Microsoft removed the WAIK download.
The Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) is now available for download. It contains all important tools for deploying Windows Vista: ImageX, Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM), Windows PE, and many more. The DVD image also contains the Windows Deployment Services (WDS) and the WinPE Language Packs.

Sometime ago, I mentioned BDD 2007. I wrote that it included these tools, but this was not correct. The beta of BDD 2007 contained WAIK, but it is now available as a separate download. The DVD image has 992 MB and it took me almost an hour to download it. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to install the WAIK.

I was able to burn the DVD and also to start the WAIK setup. At the middle of the installation procedure, I got this message: “Please insert the disk: Windows Automated Installation Kit CD“. However, the DVD was still in the drive, of course. I tried to install it on Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista. I downloaded the file again, mounted it in a VM running XP and Vista under VMware Workstation. I got the same error message.

The documentation of the WAIK is available separately. So maybe you have a look at it first before downloading this huge image. I will report about it here as soon as I get the WAIK running. If you had more success in installing it, please let me know. Somehow I think it is bug or maybe I am just missing something here.

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Comment by fsfikke — February 8, 2007 @ 9:38 pm

I got the same error here. On a Windows XP SP2 and a virtual Vista install.
I hope you find a way to get it installed

Comment by Mark Latham — February 8, 2007 @ 10:29 pm

Same issue here! I'm trying to make a bootable USB drive per this link. And get the same issue - wants the disk. Help please!! Thanks!

Comment by frank venezia — February 8, 2007 @ 11:01 pm

i had the same issue on winxp-sp2 and on vista.

i copied the contents of the dvd to the local hd and ran the setup from there just now, and it did complete the installation properly. very strange indeed!
i’ve asked our MS rep to investigate.
frank
lehman brothers

Comment by fsfikke — February 8, 2007 @ 11:17 pm

Nice, I found a way to make it work
You have to copy the WAIKX86.MSI (or the 64bit version) and the WINPE.CAB to your HD. Then run the MSI. Thats it

Comment by PWStrain — February 9, 2007 @ 12:40 am

Tried copying the files… didn’t work. Still get the error.

Comment by Piyush — February 9, 2007 @ 1:44 am

Your workaround works. Great Thanks

Comment by Mark Latham — February 9, 2007 @ 2:24 am

Does anyone know how to make the flash drive show up in diskpart? i cannot see it but windows shows it’s there. Is there another way to format it??

Comment by Tee Balder — February 9, 2007 @ 12:20 pm

I started to download this at work yesterday, but it hadn’t finished by the time I was leaving work. So I shut my PC down and thought ‘no problem I’ll download it tomorrow’.

I tried to download this morning and IT HAS BEEN REMOVED!!!

Comment by PWStrain — February 9, 2007 @ 7:32 pm

Worked here after copying the entire thing to my local HD.
My contact within Micro$oft does not know why it is no longer available. I’ll post if he gets back to me.

Comment by Michael — February 9, 2007 @ 11:35 pm

Thanks a lot for those helpful contributions! I just posted another comment about this issue.

Pingback by Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) for Vista available for download : Tech Tips — February 25, 2007 @ 8:59 am

[...] Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) for Vista available for download [...]

Comment by Pepe — May 22, 2007 @ 12:10 pm

I confirm, after copy DVD to my HD, in my PC with XP and SP2, the installation was OK. Thanks for the advice!