# WIM images with Ghost?



## Manny_ToJo (Jan 14, 2009)

Hi,

This may be a simple (possibly dumb) question. I have several WIM images from our previous use of windows deployment services. However, we now use Symantec Ghost and the Ghost console for our imaging. I was wondering, will Ghost image the PCs via the .wim files I already have, or do I need to convert them to .gho? If the later, how would I go about this? Thanks for all your help, you guys are amazing!

Manny_tojo


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

.wim files are disk images and not drive backup images. They can be mounted as drives, but I don't think they have much to do with Ghost images unless they were specially prepared. How were these images created in the first place?


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## Manny_ToJo (Jan 14, 2009)

The guy that was here before me made them. They are specifically built for the various labs we have with software like adobe CS3, 3ds Max and others on them. I believe they were created by booting up with WindowsPE and then capturing the image to the deployment server.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

So you think they are actual images of drives, or simply images of the Windows installers for those operating systems?

I'm a bit confused about why or how these were made and why someone would choose that format. Windows installation DVD's now have .wim images on them rather than individual files for installing Windows. The images are mounted and then the installation proceeds.

I guess I'm just asking if you are sure about the contents of those images. I suppose they could be mounted to a drive letter and then a Ghost image taken of the virtual drive.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Maybe I'm asking too many questions. The best way for you to find out what those images are is to mount them and see what they contain. After mounting, it should be easy to make a Ghost image of them.

Here are some references on mounting .wim files and using ImageX:

http://www.windows-now.com/blogs/ro...ounting-wim-images-from-windows-explorer.aspx
http://www.winmount.com/mount_wim.html
http://4sysops.com/archives/how-to-mount-a-wim-image-with-imagex-in-windows-vista/

I think Daemon Tools can now also mount .wim images.

If WIM and GHO images were simply "raw" images, then the file ending would make no difference and they would be interchangeable with one another. But I don't believe that it is that simple. I suppose it wouldn't hurt, however, to make a copy of one of the WIM's and change the ending to GHO and see what Ghost sees.


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## Manny_ToJo (Jan 14, 2009)

Elvandil said:


> If WIM and GHO images were simply "raw" images, then the file ending would make no difference and they would be interchangeable with one another. But I don't believe that it is that simple. I suppose it wouldn't hurt, however, to make a copy of one of the WIM's and change the ending to GHO and see what Ghost sees.


In the ghost console, it did let me create a "new image" and point it to one of the .wim files. But idk if that will actually work or not. I am gonna try what you listed above, as i have daemon tools installed.


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## Manny_ToJo (Jan 14, 2009)

Welp, nix that.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

That's what I expected, but it would have been nice....


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