Consider the following scenario:

• You use package manager (Pkgmgr.exe) to service an offline Windows Vista image.
• Package manager reports an error.
• You use package manager again to service the same offline Windows Vista image.
• Package manager may not report an error.

In this scenario, the Windows Vista image may be corrupted, even though you do not receive an error.

The Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) is a free download from Microsoft that is designed to help IT professionals deploy Windows Vista. The two main parts of the kit are Windows PE, and the Windows System Image Manager. Windows PE is a replacement for those old DOS boot disks, allowing you to boot a machine from CD/DVD and have 32-bit tools at your disposal. Windows System Image Manager allows you to customize Vista images by adding/removing/configuring components using the unattend.xml file. This post will focus on getting WAIK installed on your computer. Keep reading →