Best Practices for Converting VHD to WIM Using PowerShell, ImageX, DISM, and More
How to Convert VHD to WIM: A Complete Guide
If you are looking for a way to convert VHD to WIM, you are not alone. VHD and WIM are two popular file formats for storing and deploying Windows images, but they have different characteristics and use cases. In this article, we will explain what are VHD and WIM files, why you might want to convert them, and how you can do it with various tools, including PowerShell, Filestar, ImageX, DISM, and VHDX_Wimboot. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of how to convert VHD to WIM and choose the best method for your needs. What are VHD and WIM files?
Before we dive into the conversion process, let's first define what are VHD and WIM files and how they differ from each other. VHD files
VHD stands for Virtual Hard Disk, which is a file-based disk image format created by Microsoft for its virtualization products, such as Hyper-V and Virtual PC. A VHD file contains the entire contents of a physical hard disk or a logical partition, including the file system, the boot sector, the partitions, and the files. A VHD file can be mounted as a virtual drive on a host system or attached to a virtual machine as a virtual hard disk. A VHD file can also be used for native boot, which means booting a physical computer directly from a VHD file without requiring a parent operating system or a hypervisor. WIM files
WIM stands for Windows Imaging Format, which is a file-based image format created by Microsoft for its Windows operating systems. A WIM file contains one or more images of Windows installations or components, such as drivers, applications, or updates. A WIM file can be applied to a physical or virtual hard disk or partition using tools such as Windows Setup, DISM, or ImageX. A WIM file can also be mounted as a virtual folder on a host system or modified using tools such as DISM or ImageX. A WIM file supports multiple types of compression and can store multiple image variations in the same file with little additional storage required. Why convert VHD to WIM?
Now that we know what are VHD and WIM files, let's explore why you might want to convert them. There are several scenarios where converting VHD to WIM can be useful or necessary, such as: Benefits of converting VHD to WIM
- You want to use a custom Windows image for deployment with MDT, SCCM, or another deployment solution. You can create a custom Windows image by installing Windows on a Hyper-V VM, customizing it as needed, sysprepping it, and converting the VHD file to a WIM file. This way, you can use a single WIM file instead of installing the standard Windows image and running customizations as part of the deployment task sequence. - You want to deploy Windows to different sizes - You want to deploy Windows to different sizes or types of hard disks or partitions. You can use a WIM file to apply the same Windows image to any size or type of hard disk or partition, as long as it meets the minimum requirements. A VHD file, on the other hand, has a fixed size and format that may not match the target hard disk or partition. For example, if you have a VHD file that is 50 GB in size and formatted as NTFS, you cannot apply it to a hard disk or partition that is smaller than 50 GB or formatted as FAT32. - You want to reduce the storage space required for your Windows images. You can use a WIM file to store multiple images of Windows in the same file with different configurations, such as editions, languages, or features. A WIM file also supports different types of compression, such as LZX or XPRESS, that can reduce the file size significantly. A VHD file, on the other hand, does not support multiple images or compression, and it occupies the same amount of space as the original hard disk or partition. Limitations of converting VHD to WIM
While converting VHD to WIM can have many advantages, it also has some limitations that you should be aware of, such as: - You lose the ability to boot from the VHD file. A VHD file can be used for native boot, which means booting a physical computer directly from a VHD file without requiring a parent operating system or a hypervisor. This can be useful for testing, troubleshooting, or running multiple operating systems on the same computer. A WIM file cannot be used for native boot, and it requires a tool to apply it to a hard disk or partition before booting. - You lose the ability to modify the VHD file. A VHD file can be mounted as a virtual drive on a host system or attached to a virtual machine as a virtual hard disk. This allows you to access and modify the files and settings inside the VHD file without booting from it. For example, you can add or remove drivers, applications, or updates, change the registry settings, or run antivirus scans on the VHD file. A WIM file cannot be mounted as a virtual drive or attached to a virtual machine, and it requires a tool to mount it as a virtual folder before modifying it. - You may encounter compatibility issues with some tools or features. Some tools or features may not work properly with WIM files or may require additional steps or parameters to work with them. For example, some backup and recovery tools may not recognize WIM files as valid sources or destinations for backup or restore operations. Some Windows features, such as BitLocker or Windows To Go, may not support WIM files as sources for encryption or portable operating systems. How to convert VHD to WIM with PowerShell
One of the easiest and most reliable ways to convert VHD to WIM is using PowerShell, which is a powerful scripting language and command-line tool that comes with Windows. PowerShell allows you to automate tasks and perform complex operations with simple commands and scripts. To convert VHD to WIM with PowerShell, you will need the following: Requirements and prerequisites
- A Windows computer with PowerShell installed and enabled. You can check if you have PowerShell installed by typing powershell in the Run dialog box (Windows key + R) or in the Command Prompt window. If you have PowerShell installed, you will see a blue window with PS at the beginning of each line. If you don't have PowerShell installed, you can download it from Microsoft's website. - A VHD file that contains a sysprepped Windows image. Sysprep is a tool that prepares a Windows installation for capture and deployment by removing system-specific information and generalizing the image. You can sysprep a Windows installation by running sysprep.exe from C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep folder and choosing Enter System Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE), Generalize, and Shutdown options. You can create a VHD file by using Hyper-V Manager, Disk Management, Diskpart, or other tools. - A destination folder where you want to save the WIM file. You can choose any folder on your computer or on an external drive that has enough free space to store the WIM file. Steps to convert VHD to WIM with PowerShell
Once you have met the requirements and prerequisites, you can follow these steps to convert VHD to WIM with PowerShell: - Open PowerShell as an administrator by right-clicking on the Start button and choosing Windows PowerShell (Admin). If you are prompted by User Account Control (UAC - Open PowerShell as an administrator by right-clicking on the Start button and choosing Windows PowerShell (Admin). If you are prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click Yes to allow PowerShell to make changes to your device. - In the PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter: Mount-DiskImage -ImagePath "C:\VHD\Windows10.vhd"
Replace C:\VHD\Windows10.vhd with the path and name of your VHD file. This command will mount the VHD file as a virtual drive on your computer. You can check the drive letter assigned to the VHD file by using Disk Management or File Explorer. - Next, type the following command and press Enter: New-Item -Path "C:\WIM" -ItemType Directory
Replace C:\WIM with the path of your destination folder. This command will create a new folder where you want to save the WIM file. - Then, type the following command and press Enter: New-WindowsImage -CapturePath "D:\" -Name "Windows10" -ImagePath "C:\WIM\Windows10.wim" -Description "Custom Windows 10 image" -Verify
Replace D:\ with the drive letter of your VHD file. Replace C:\WIM\Windows10.wim with the path and name of your WIM file. Replace "Windows10" with the name of your Windows image. Replace "Custom Windows 10 image" with the description of your Windows image. This command will capture the contents of the VHD file and create a WIM file in your destination folder. The -Verify parameter will check the integrity of the WIM file after creation. - Wait for the command to complete. Depending on the size and complexity of your VHD file, this may take several minutes or hours. You can monitor the progress of the command by looking at the percentage and status messages displayed in the PowerShell window. - When the command finishes, you will see a message saying New-WindowsImage succeeded. You can close the PowerShell window or type Exit and press Enter to exit. - You have successfully converted your VHD file to a WIM file. You can find your WIM file in your destination folder. You can use it for deployment or other purposes as needed. Tips and best practices for converting VHD to WIM with PowerShell
Here are some tips and best practices for converting VHD to WIM with PowerShell: - Make sure you have enough free space on your computer or external drive to store both the VHD file and the WIM file. The WIM file may be smaller than the VHD file due to compression, but it still requires a significant amount of space. - Make sure you have a backup copy of your VHD file before converting it to a WIM file. If something goes wrong during the conversion process, you may lose your data or damage your VHD file. - Make sure you sysprep your Windows installation before capturing it as a WIM file. Sysprep removes system-specific information and generalizes the image, making it suitable for deployment to different computers. If you don't sysprep your Windows installation, you may encounter activation, licensing, or compatibility issues when deploying it. - Make sure you use descriptive names and descriptions for your WIM files. This will help you identify and manage them more easily. You can also use other parameters of the New-WindowsImage cmdlet to specify additional information about your WIM files, such as edition, version, architecture, or flags. - Make sure you verify your WIM files after creating them. The -Verify parameter of the New-WindowsImage cmdlet will check the integrity of the WIM file after creation. You can also use other cmdlets, such as Get-WindowsImage, Test-WindowsImage, or Dism /Get-WimInfo, to inspect or test your WIM files. How to convert VHD to WIM with Filestar
Another way to convert VHD to WIM is using Filestar, which is a web-based tool that allows you to convert various types of files online. Filestar supports over 30,000 conversions between more than 300 different file formats, including VHD and WIM. To convert VHD to WIM with Filestar, you will need the following: What is Filestar?
Filestar is a web-based tool that allows you to convert various types of files online. Filestar supports over 30,000 conversions between more than Filestar is a web-based tool that allows you to convert various types of files online. Filestar supports over 30,000 conversions between more than 300 different file formats, including VHD and WIM. To convert VHD to WIM with Filestar, you will need the following: Requirements and prerequisites
- A web browser that supports Filestar, such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. You can access Filestar from any device that has an internet connection, such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone. - A VHD file that contains a sysprepped Windows image. As mentioned before, sysprep is a tool that prepares a Windows installation for capture and deployment by removing system-specific information and generalizing the image. You can create a VHD file by using Hyper-V Manager, Disk Management, Diskpart, or other tools. - A Filestar account that has enough credits to perform the conversion. Filestar uses a credit system to charge for its services. Each conversion costs a certain number of credits depending on the file size and format. You can get free credits by signing up for Filestar, inviting friends, or completing tasks. You can also buy credits with various payment methods. Steps to convert VHD to WIM with Filestar
Once you have met the requirements and prerequisites, you can follow these steps to convert VHD to WIM with Filestar: - Open your web browser and go to Filestar's website: https://filestar.com/ - Log in to your Filestar account or sign up for a free account if you don't have one. - Click on the Upload files button and select your VHD file from your device or drag and drop it to the upload area. You can also upload your VHD file from cloud storage services such as Google Drive or Dropbox by clicking on the icons below the upload area. - Wait for your VHD file to be uploaded and processed by Filestar. You can see the progress of the upload and processing by looking at the percentage and status messages displayed on the screen. - When your VHD file is ready, you will see a preview of it on the screen. You can also see the file name, size, format, and resolution of your VHD file. - Click on the Select output format button and choose WIM from the list of available formats. You can also search for WIM in the search box or filter the formats by category. - Click on the Convert button and wait for your VHD file to be converted to WIM by Filestar. You can see the progress of the conversion by looking at the percentage and status messages displayed on the screen. - When your WIM file is ready, you will see a preview of it on the screen. You can also see the file name, size, format, and resolution of your WIM file. - Click on the Download button and save your WIM file to your device or cloud storage service. You can also share your WIM file with others by copying or emailing the link provided by Filestar. Advantages and disadvantages of using Filestar
Here are some advantages and disadvantages of using Filestar to convert VHD to WIM: Advantages
- Filestar is easy to use and does not require any installation or configuration. You can access Filestar from any device that has an internet connection and a web browser. - Filestar supports over 30,000 conversions between more than 300 different file formats, including VHD and WIM. You can use Filestar for various purposes besides converting VHD to WIM, such as converting images, videos, audio, documents, archives, or ebooks. - Filestar offers free credits for new users, referrals, or tasks. You can use these credits to perform conversions without paying anything. Disadvantages
- Filestar requires an internet connection and a web browser to work. You cannot use Filestar offline or without a web browser. - Filestar charges credits for each conversion depending on the file size and format. You may run out of credits if you perform many conversions or convert large files. - Filestar may not support some features or options that are specific to VHD or WIM files, such as compression type, image index, or flags. You may need to use other tools to modify or customize your WIM files after converting them with Filestar. How to convert VHD to WIM with other tools
Besides PowerShell and Filestar, there are other tools that you can use to convert VHD to WIM, such as ImageX, DISM Besides PowerShell and Filestar, there are other tools that you can use to convert VHD to WIM, such as ImageX, DISM, and VHDX_Wimboot. These tools are also created by Microsoft and can be used for various image management tasks, including capturing, applying, modifying, or converting Windows images. Here is a brief overview of each tool and how to use it to convert VHD to WIM: ImageX
ImageX is a command-line tool that is part of the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK). ImageX can capture, apply, or modify WIM files using various commands and parameters. To convert VHD to WIM with ImageX, you will need the following: - A Windows computer with ImageX installed. You can download ImageX from Microsoft's website as part of the Windows ADK. You can also find ImageX in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools\x86\DISM folder after installing the Windows ADK. - A VHD file that contains a sysprepped Windows image. As mentioned before, sysprep is a tool that prepares a Windows installation for capture and deployment by removing system-specific information and generalizing the image. You can create a VHD file by using Hyper-V Manager, Disk Management, Diskpart, or other tools. - A destination folder where you want to save the WIM file. You can choose any folder on your computer or on an external drive that has enough free space to store the WIM file. Once you have met the requirements and prerequisites, you can follow these steps to convert VHD to WIM with ImageX: - Open Command Prompt as an administrator by right-clicking on the Start button and choosing Command Prompt (Admin). If you are prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click Yes to allow Command Prompt to make changes to your device. - In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter: imagex /capture D: C:\WIM\Windows10.wim "Windows10" /compress maximum /verify
Replace D: with the drive letter of your VHD file. Replace C:\WIM\Windows10.wim with the path and name of your WIM file. Replace "Windows10" with the name of your Windows image. This command will capture the contents of the VHD file and create a WIM file in your destination folder. The /compress maximum parameter will compress the WIM file using the maximum compression level. The /verify parameter will check the integrity of the WIM file after creation. - Wait for the command to complete. Depending on the size and complexity of your VHD file, this may take several minutes or hours. You can monitor the progress of the command by looking at the percentage and status messages displayed in the Command Prompt window. - When the command finishes, you will see a message saying Image Captured Successfully. You can close the Command Prompt window or type Exit and press Enter to exit. - You have successfully converted your VHD file to a WIM file. You can find your WIM file in your destination folder. You can use it for deployment or other purposes as needed. DISM
DISM stands for Deployment Image Servicing and Management, which is a command-line tool that is built into Windows 10 and later versions. DISM can service Windows images online (on a running system) or offline (on a mounted image) using various commands and parameters. To convert VHD to WIM with DISM, you will need the following: - A Windows 10 or later computer with DISM enabled. You can check if you have DISM enabled by typing dism /? in the Run dialog box (Windows key + R) or in the Command Prompt window. If you have DISM enabled, you will see a list of commands and parameters