How to create a combined x86 and x64 Windows 7 installation DVD

rohandhruva · 15 Aug 2009 at 11:34

I've got one more doubt here. Everywhere I read, it's mentioned that Windows 7 Home Basic is available as 32-bit only. How come, then, does this dvd have the 64-bit edition of it too?

Reference- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_Home_Basic#Comparison_chart and http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_skus_compare.asp#performance

EDIT: I am an MSDN Premium subscriber. I checked the MSDN site, even there only the x86 version of Home Basic is offered for download.

IAmATeaf · 15 Aug 2009 at 16:51

Who has tested and done an install of both x86 and x64 variants after performing the combine? Reason I ask is that there are quite a few other differences between the DVDs and am wondering if updating the main install WIM is all that's required?

Phemo · 15 Aug 2009 at 18:16

IAmATeaf said:
Who has tested and done an install of both x86 and x64 variants after performing the combine? Reason I ask is that there are quite a few other differences between the DVDs and am wondering if updating the main install WIM is all that's required?

Yeah, I actually took the time to do this. I also integrated 32 and 64 bit editions of Enterprise, so my disc contains 11 versions. I installed every single one in VMware and they all install and function exactly as you'd expect

What I did find a little odd is the size of the ISO after integrating the Enterprise editions. They are on seperate discs media with a different .wim file. My 32 and 64 bit combined image was 3.67GB, but adding the two Enterprise editions to this only raised it to 3.73GB - result. Both function absolutely fine.

The only thing I believe you lose from doing this is the ability to do repair installs on 64-bit versions because the setup files are 32-bit.

Flibster · 15 Aug 2009 at 18:32

Excellent! Saves me carrying around more disks than I need.

Cheers.

Saundie · 15 Aug 2009 at 18:43

Time for some shameless self-promotion here;

Doing the same for Windows 7/2k8R2 is the next step, then I shall explain how to get them all on a USB drive for easy deployment - hopefully some time next week!

MikeHunt79 · 15 Aug 2009 at 18:50

Will this guide allow me to make a bootable USB stick? I don't have a DVD drive in one of my machines...

Saundie · 15 Aug 2009 at 20:07

MikeHunt79 said:
Will this guide allow me to make a bootable USB stick? I don't have a DVD drive in one of my machines...

Yes, it will. I could have sworn somebody already explained how to do it in this thread though;

Edit; somebody has already done all the hard work for me, at least in direct response to your request: http://dotnetwizard.net/hacks/how-to-bootinstall-vista-from-a-usb-flash-drive/

Phemo · 15 Aug 2009 at 21:08

The easiest way to get a bootable Windows 7 USB stick is to get the UltraISO trial. You then just need to open the ISO image, go to the Bootable menu then choose write disk image. You'll then be able to write the open disk image to a USB stick resulting in a bootable USB stick.

rohandhruva · 16 Aug 2009 at 09:02

Phemo said:
I also integrated 32 and 64 bit editions of Enterprise, so my disc contains 11 versions.

Can you please provide instructions on how to do that? I have downloaded both x86 and x64 versions of Enterprise ISO.

Also, have you tested Windows 7 Home Basic x64 edition? All sources say that Home Basic is available only as x86 version, then how is the x64 version present?

Thanks.

Phemo · 16 Aug 2009 at 11:54

It's basically the same steps as above. Each install.wim for the Enterprise editions only contains one single image, so it's basically just modifying the command examples given for the Enterprise editions.

So, assuming I have the x86 Enterprise DVD copied to e:\entx86 and the x64 Enterprise DVD copied to e:\entx64 and I want to combine these into an AIO destination of d:\aio, the commands would be:

For x86

imagex.exe /export e:\entx86\sources\install.wim 1 D:\aio\sources\install.wim "Windows 7 ENTERPRISE x86"

For x64

imagex.exe /export e:\entx64\sources\install.wim 1 D:\aio\sources\install.wim "Windows 7 ENTERPRISE x64"

These examples are just specifying each version of the Enterprise install.wim as source, specifying image index 1 as the image to export (as the Enterprise ISOs only have 1 anyway) and specifying the AIO install.wim destination to export to.

My disc gives me these options:

(2nd shot to show Enterprise editions as the list is too long for them all to fit in one image)

Also yes, x64 Home Basic is a weird one. It doesn't look like it's going to be sold and nobody appears to even acknowledge its existance but it is clearly on the x64 DVD - you can see "install_Windows 7 HOMEBASIC.clg" in the sources folder and you will get the ability to install it if you remove ei.cfg.

It definitely installs fine both integrated into an AIO image and also by simply using an untouched image with ei.cfg removed:

So while it does work, seeing as this version seemingly won't be sold it was probably pointless integrating into the AIO image. Ah well, it didn't really make any difference to the ISO size

rohandhruva · 16 Aug 2009 at 20:04

Thanks phemo, I'll do it as soon as my Enterprise edition downloads are complete. I suppose the all-in-one dvd saves the various editions as differences, rather than complete images, hence the size increase is negligible. Hence also, while following the original instructions, the first image (Home Basic x64) takes a lot of time to integrate, whereas subsequent ones are done instantly. (Is this logic correct?)

Request to Explicit (thread starter) - your rapidshare link for ImageX.rar is not working any more. can you please re-upload it, or upload it some other place? Thanks!

I had a thought - is it possible to integrate Windows Server 2008 R2 into this AIO image? Seeing that Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 share the same "code base", I was wondering...?

Phemo · 16 Aug 2009 at 20:25

Correct, the first image you integrate takes longest as this actually copies the whole image across (about 40 seconds for me). With subsequent images it'll only copy the changes across so it's much quicker (around 1 or 2 seconds).

In theory 2008 R2 should be possible

Not sure how much it'll change the ISO size by though - might have a play around later.

edgedemon · 16 Aug 2009 at 20:34

Stonedofmoo said:
I'm liking that. I think I'll give it a go tonight and then stick it on a USB pen drive.

Me too
I have a selection of usb drives with different os installs, so this will come in handy.
Thanks for the heads up...

Explicit · 17 Aug 2009 at 15:10

rohandhruva said:
Request to Explicit (thread starter) - your rapidshare link for ImageX.rar is not working any more. can you please re-upload it, or upload it some other place? Thanks!

Updated original post with new link

rohandhruva said:
I had a thought - is it possible to integrate Windows Server 2008 R2 into this AIO image? Seeing that Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 share the same "code base", I was wondering...?

Yep, follow the second guide:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18044180

MikeHunt79 · 17 Aug 2009 at 15:14

Saundie said:
Yes, it will. I could have sworn somebody already explained how to do it in this thread though;

Edit; somebody has already done all the hard work for me, at least in direct response to your request: http://dotnetwizard.net/hacks/how-to-bootinstall-vista-from-a-usb-flash-drive/

Phemo said:
The easiest way to get a bootable Windows 7 USB stick is to get the UltraISO trial. You then just need to open the ISO image, go to the Bootable menu then choose write disk image. You'll then be able to write the open disk image to a USB stick resulting in a bootable USB stick.

Thanks, I'll give this a go.

rohandhruva · 17 Aug 2009 at 19:59

Explicit said:
Updated original post with new link

Thanks, download works perfectly now.

Explicit said:
Yep, follow the second guide:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18044180

One more wonderful guide! You rock, thanks

sjcf1 · 20 Aug 2009 at 13:30

Saundie said:
I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm curious if anybody wants to know how to create a USB hard drive with XP, Vista and 7 installers on it? If so, I can post a new thread - but I don't want to spend ages formatting it if nobody would find it useful...

@Saundie

I'd like to know how to combine all those Os's on to one iso image. Can you show me how to do it?

Saundie · 20 Aug 2009 at 15:25

sjcf1 said:
@Saundie

I'd like to know how to combine all those Os's on to one iso image. Can you show me how to do it?

I've never been able to get that to work, which is why I made a USB hard drive with the OSes on instead. Formatting the guide I wrote to work on the forum would take hours, so I will link to a PDF of it instead; http://limitless-power.co.uk/multiboot/MultibootGuide.pdf

Edit; I've just realised that this guide doesn't explain the multiple partition method... I'll try and write it up today.

cnckane · 3 Sep 2009 at 07:39

With this method you can't use the Recovery option on x64 OS.
I ntegrated both x64 and x86 WinPE and with this I can recover both x86 and x64.
Only the installation not working, because x64 setup need x64 drivers, but these I can do with the x86 setup.

Explicit · 3 Sep 2009 at 16:17

cnckane said:
With this method you can't use the Recovery option on x64 OS.
I ntegrated both x64 and x86 WinPE and with this I can recover both x86 and x64.
Only the installation not working, because x64 setup need x64 drivers, but these I can do with the x86 setup.

Here's my solution:

So, with this DVD you can install any version of Windows 7. Plus, you have the option to boot directly into recovery environment for both x64 and x86 without evening launching the installation. All done using free MS tools.

The only thing you lose is the option to upgrade (I prefer clean install anyway).

Edit: Haven't included these instructions in OP, but if there's a lot of demand I can update OP. It's fairly technical though, so be prepared to get your hands dirty.