Using Dism.exe

The new DISM command-line tool (DISM.exe) is included both in a default install of Windows 7 and in the Windows AIK 2.0. DISM.exe can be used to service both online (running) and offline Windows images by adding or removing device drivers, hotfixes, and operating system packages; configuring international settings; and upgrading a Windows installation to a different edition, such as from Business to Ultimate. DISM.exe can be used to service images in the following versions of Windows:

• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later versions
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2

To service an offline Windows image using a technician computer on which Windows AIK 2.0 has been installed, you use DISM.exe to do the following:

1. Mount the image.
2. Enumerate, add, or remove drivers.
3. Unmount the image and commit the changes.

Servicing an online Windows image, however, does not require mounting or unmounting the image because the operating system is already running. In addition, any changes made to the driver store (for example, by adding or removing a device driver) are committed immediately when a DISM command is executed to service an online image. To indicate that the current running image is to be serviced, specify the /online parameter in the DISM command.

For example, the following DISM command enumerates a list of installed out-of-box device drivers on a running Windows 7 system.

C:\Windows\system32>dism /online /get-drivers

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7100.0

Image Version: 6.1.7100.0

Obtaining list of 3rd party drivers from the driver store...

Driver packages listing:

Published Name : oem0.inf

Original File Name : prnms001.inf
Inbox : No
Class Name : Printer
Provider Name : Microsoft
Date : 6/21/2006
Version : 6.1.7100.0

Published Name : oem1.inf
Original File Name : nvfd6032.inf
Inbox : No
Class Name : Net
Provider Name : NVIDIA
Date : 5/3/2007
Version : 65.7.4.0

The operation completed successfully.

To get more information about the driver named Oem0.inf, use the /get-driverinfo parameter of DISM, as follows.

C:\Windows\system32>dism /online /get-driverinfo /driver:oem0.inf

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7100.0

Image Version: 6.1.7100.0

Driver package information:

Published Name : oem0.inf
Driver Store Path : C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\prnms001.inf_
x86_neutral_d9580ee0743299f4\prnms001.inf
Class Name : Printer
Class Description : Printers
Class GUID : {4D36E979-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
Date : 6/21/2006
Version : 6.1.7100.0
Boot Critical : No

Drivers for architecture : x86

    Manufacturer : Microsoft
    Description : Microsoft XPS Document Writer
    Architecture : x86
    Hardware ID : MicrosoftMicrosoft_X00AC
    Service Name :
    Compatible IDs :
    Exclude IDs :

The operation completed successfully.

Out-of-box device drivers can be added to or removed from a running Windows 7 system by using the /add-driver and /remove-driver parameters, respectively. Note that DISM driver servicing commands only support .inf files; you cannot use DISM to add or remove Windows Installer packages (.msi files) or other driver package types (such as .exe files) using DISM. exe. For more information on servicing online images using DISM.exe, see "Driver Servicing Command-Line Options" on Microsoft TechNet at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd799258.aspx.