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.

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Latest posts by Michael Pietroforte (see all)

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.

WAIK setupI 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.

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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.

19 Comments
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    fsfikke 17 years ago

    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 🙂

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    Mark Latham 17 years ago

    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!

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    frank venezia 17 years ago

    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

  4. Avatar
    fsfikke 17 years ago

    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 🙂

  5. Avatar
    PWStrain 17 years ago

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

  6. Avatar
    Piyush 17 years ago

    Your workaround works. Great Thanks

  7. Avatar
    Mark Latham 17 years ago

    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??

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    Tee Balder 17 years ago

    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!!!

  9. Avatar
    PWStrain 17 years ago

    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.

  10. Avatar

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

  11. Avatar
    Pepe 17 years ago

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

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    X00D45 15 years ago

    tnks very much FSFIKKE,it works for my.
    Greetins from Argentina

  13. Avatar
    Mark Welton 15 years ago

    Another answer – try naming the DVD “WLKAIK” when you burn it.

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    Manas Ranjan 14 years ago

    I need WAIK for VISTA

  15. Avatar

    Manas, the download link in the article still works.

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    Rohit 13 years ago

    Extract required cab file for X86/x64 under the root folder and run the waikx86/64 installer. This should complete the installation.

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    Teresa 12 years ago

    Thank you so much for this post. I burned the WAIK iso image from http://www.microsoft.com – then from there I placed the cd into my vmware (computer)… opened up the d:drive and copied the file, waikx86 (windows installer package) and also the file, winpe (Cabinet File) and pasted it in to a blank area of the vmware c: drive under Program Files. Once it was copied over to the vmware c: drive, I double clicked on waikx86 and it installed all the way through.

  18. Avatar
    Donatas 11 years ago

    The solution given in the comments above DOES WORK!

    Just copy the whole content of the install disc to a folder on your HDD and then run WAIKX86.MSI from that folder on your HDD.

    Thank you for the help!

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